St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-14
MR.. GRANTS LESSON.

meal, and with worried look on her pretty
lace was nervously tracing patters in the
crumbs that lay beside her plate.
Presently when he tossed aside the paper
and rose to go she said, rather timidly:
''Will, can you let me have some money
this morning before you go!''
''More money!'' exclaimed Mr. Grant a
slight cloud overspreadipg his pleasant face.
''Why, gave you So Yesterday morning.
Surely you haven't spent that already?"
''Willie's shoes cost just S." answered
Mrs. Grant.
'sWell, don't see how you manage to get
through so much money" answered Mr..
Grant, paving no attention to her explana-
ton. How much do you want? What do
you want to get with it?''
II am going in the city to do some shop
ping with Mrs. DEAN" answered Mrs. Grant,
land she has taken me to lunch with her so
often that thought would like to invite her
to lunch with me for once"
''Oh, nonsense!'' exclaimed Mr. Grant.
impatiently. ''There's 10 necessity for that
If Mrs. Dean chooses to spend her money for
lunches in the city, don't you think that YOU
must do the same thing. There's plenty of
necessary ways to use up monAy without do
ing anything of that kind,'' and he buttoned
up his coat as if the matter was conclusiyely
settled.
Tears gathered slowly in Mrs. Grants blue
eyes. 1t had been an effort for her to ask
her husband for some money, and only the
remembrance of the humiliation she lad felt
SO often at never being able to extend any
invitations to old friends who pressed them
upon her so cordially had enabled her TO
Go it, and she had been unsuccessful after
ALL
"Will," she said, presently, as her hus-
band was fumbling with a refractory button,
''would you mind making me an allow
anee?n
can allowance, Eva?n and Mr.. Grant
stared at his wife with unfeigned surprise
''What in the world do you want an allow
ance for? All the money earn is as much
yours as mine; so what do you want to di-
vide it for?''
because practically I don't feel that
have any right to a cent of your money!"
answered Mrs Grant. eff want any have
to ask for it, explain just what I want it for,
and then if you happen to approve of my
plan you dole it out to me as if l was a beg
gar. have been married eight years, and
in all that time you have never even given
me as much as dollar for myself. You
have no idea how dislike to ask for money
table. Now. if you would give me regularly
ever so little money would divide it up and
try to get along without asking you for any
more. Wont you do this, Will!'' she pleaded.
Mr.. Grant looked at his wife in astonish-
ment.
Il don't see any use in it," he answered.
"NOw, if was in your place and had every
thing | needed l wouldn't care if l never had
any money to spend"
TRY it once!'' exclaimed Mrs Grant,
eagerly. 'Let me take charge of your purse,
and | will give you money for any necessary
expenditures. just want you to give my
suggestion fair trial. You say you would
not care to have any money if your wants
were supplied; now just see whether you
would be willing to be impecunious, and ask
for every thing you wanted. Let me keep
your money for week, and then see whether
you do not think an allowance would be
better pan!''
''All right, it's a bargain" said Mr..
Grant, after moments hesitation, empty
ing his pockets of all the loose change and
throwing his pOcketbook on the table.
''Now, ] want u cents for car fare, and,
well, say, quarter for lunch"
Here it is.' answered Mrs. Grant, count
Ing out 81 cents and gathering up the rest
Mrs, Grants thoughts wandered to her
husband many time that day, and she won
dered how he liked the sensation of being
almost pennlless. AS for herself she felt
rich in having so much money in her pos
session, and ventured to make two or three
little purchases that she had wanted to make
for long time, but had put off because she
dishked asking Tor the necessary money.
At least dozen times that morning Mr..
Grants hand found its way to his pocket be-
no ha had
change for his lunch and car fare. At noon,
when he went for lunch, he met an old friend
and nothing but the consciousness of his
empty pockets kept him from inviting him
to lunch with him. Then, for the first time
he realized that it might be a trial for Eva
never to be able to extend invitations to her
friends. He was not prepared to admit the |
Inconvenience of empty pockets when he
went home that evening. though.
81 got along first rate" he said, in an
swer TO his wife's question, "but I'll ask YOU
to give me little more money this even
ing"
''What for." demanded Eva, serenely.
'For 'sundries,' - laughed Mr.. Grant.
"Cigars, ct cetcra; half dollar will do''
Il don't see what you want cigars for"
answered Eva, calmly. 81 guess you can
get along without them if you try. Half the
ones"
Mr.. Grants face flushed; he recognized
the words as his own. He would not ask
again for any more money, but settled him
self with his paper in moody silence, wishing
that he had possession OF his pocketbook
again. The first day it had seemed more like
joke than anything else TO start off for the
day with barely sufficient for his most neces-
sary expenses, but the next day It was de-
cidedly disagrecable to know that he had not
II single cent over the money for his lunch
and cnr-fare.
"If Eva feels this way all the time don't
wonder that she wants an allowance OF her
own, - he said to himself Ms he rode home
ward.
One day more convinced him Thoroughly
that it was annoying rs well as humiating
10 be obliged to present petition for every
small sum, and when he went home that
evening he confessed that he had learned by
experience how incouvenent an empty purse
Is, and admitted that a regular allowance was
no more than was justly due his wife. He
set aside 4 certain portion Of his income for
Eva's use for the household expenses, and
after this she never put of making some nee
essary purchase for week because she had to
ask for money.
Il learned 4 lesson that I never forgot In
those three DAYS" MIR Grant often tells his
friends when they are arguing against msk
ing regular allowances 10 their wives.-Call.
Drink on the Continent.
From the London Times.
In France the consumption of alcohol is
over 1,+0O, 900 Hters per anuum. and the
number Of debts, or drink shops, about 400,-
GOO, or one for every 100 Inhabitants. But