Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-12-30
CASH DOWN.
FROM ARrHUR's HOME MAGAZINE.

ooh dear! / wish there was no money
the world,' said Jacob Jones, as he cruml
led in his hand piece of paper which b
had Just taken from an envelope; Cor"
added, in a lower voice, "that had gres
deal more of it than has, thus far in lif
fallen to my lot"
"What have you there9" inquired tt
wife of Mr.. Jones, looking up from he
work, and speaking in a subdued voice.
| "Parker's bill, +" answered the husband.
"Ah! How much is it?''
Seventy dollars"
| s'Nol' Mrs. Jones gave start as sh
made tho ejaculation, while slight palt
ness overspread her face.
cts too true; though I didn't dream c
| it's being over thirty or forty. But, rannia
accounts always make long journeys in
short time. All, mel Money-money-
money! 1t is the bane Of my life"
"Money or credit, jacob" Mrs. lJone
looked up timidly as she naid this, and il
evident doubt as to the effect of her ques
tion; for Mr.. Jones was one of your sensi
| tive, self-willed men, who can Iever bea
to be thought in the wrong.
The question was SO pertinent and timel,
that it reached home. And it came SO un
expectsdly that Mr.. Jones hardly knew
whether to be vexed, angry, amused, o.
convicted of error. The reader will bette
understand the case after brief retrospec
ton.
The income of Mr.. Jones was not large
yet sufficient for the comfortable support o
bis family, if be had not been afflicted will
a singular mental malady, which showed
itself in strange aversion to paying casl
for ranything-that is, anything useful. Mrs
Jones, on the contrary. had particular
horror of running up accounts. If she lack
ed the means of buying any needed article
she preferred doing without it altogether tt
purchasing ON credit. Mr.. Jones liked tC
have money in his pocket. 1t made him
feel uncomfortably poor if his purse wa.
empty.
But, unfortunately, he was man Of
many wants, and, We fear, with little vein
of covetousness in bis heart, for to look up.
on an attractive thing was instantly follow.
ed by desire to possess it. This being so,
it is not strange that the money carried in
his pocket was ever diminishing, and that
he could not always tell what had become
of it.
II am going out this morning." said Mrs.
Jones, about six months previous to the
time our story commences, land I wish
you would let me have ten dollars -
"Ten dollarsr' Mr.. Jones shrugged his
shoulders. "What are you going to buy?"
81 want piece of muslin, for one thing,
and"
"Oh, well, Mary, can arrange all that
for you, easily enough. havn't the mon
ey to spare this morning; but I'll stop in at
Parker's as I 60 down, and tell him to let
you have whatever you want. You'll find
him very pleesssIt man to deal with, and
glad 20 get our custom"
cit don't matter, particularly, to-day -
aid Mrs. Jones, her cOuntenance falling.
aLo her voice becoming a little husky; II
can, wait until tomorrow"
s-Ent. I'm not 80 sure that I'll have the
money tS spare to morrow. Business is
dull, and have considerable to paw about
these times. No-Pd rather you'd get
what yotl1Ant at Parte=,s >,
Mrs. Jones never opposed her husband
very strongly in anything. She felt acute
", and had her own clear views in regard
to what was useful and proper; but her dis
position was yielding little too much So,
it may be admitted.
every well" she answered, almost meek
ly, 'if you desire it, will get what want
ut Parker's."
Mr.. Jones was relieved by this expedient,
and his money remained in his pocket, re-
served for some stronger appeal. 1t never
for moment occurred to him that he was
his independent, sepsitive-minded
wife to submit to something like humilia-
tion in going to storekeeper and request
ing him to charge the goods she bought.
you'd better get all you want, Mary
he said, in light, cheerful way, as he was
leaving the house; ''the bill won't come ir
until the end of the year."
Mr.. Jones had nearly twice the sum in
his purse that his wife had asked for, and
the fact that it was still in his possession
gave him comfortable feeling Of ease in
money matters. On his vay to his place o.
business, pair of china vases captivatec
his fancy, and, on the impulse of the mo
ment, he stepped into the store and inquired
the price.
Fifteen dollars" was the answer.
"Dearer than I supposed" said he, in
rather disappointed voice. And Jones wa,
turning away, when the storekeeper, read.
ing his customer at glance, SAID
''For the price, sir. they're the cheapest
pair of vases in the store. I sold Mrs. Gar
dener-she lives on Walnut street-just
such a Pair for eighteen dollars. She says
she wouldn't take twenty for them. They 'rt
very chaste in design"
And the dealer handled the vases dex
trously, and showed them to the best ad
vantage.
"They're handsome enough, and should
like very we'll to own them, but
money is money nowadays. We look at
fifteen dollars twice before we conclude t(
spend that sum for an article we may de
without -
"Take them for fourteen" said the deal
or; that is only little above cost -
Mr. Jones could not resist this tempta
tion.
'.Very we'll. Send them home," said he,
thrus,ing his hand into his pocket and
drawing out his purse.
What pleasant surprise / will give
Mary" thought Mr. Jones, as he stepped
from the china dealers store. 'Our parlol
mantel. pieces need some ornaments, and
these vases are just the thing. And they
are SO cheap"
Fourteen dollars from twenty left but the
small balance of six. Mr.. Jones was ex
pert at figures, and it did not take him long
to do this sum in subtraction. He felt con
siderably poorer on reaching his place OF
business, and half inclined to call himsel
a fool for spending 80 much money for an
article in no way necessary for home-com.
foIt. The presentation of bill of ten dol.
lars from blind-maker, who had beer
called upon early in the spring to give a
better appearance to the parlor windows, de.
pressed the Thermometer of his feelings
somewhere in the neighborhood of zero. But
the blind-maker had to wait. Nothing
could be spared, on that day, from the bus
mess fund, as there were several payments
to be met, and Mr. Jones had partner who
kept the cash, and who always looked Q
little sober whom the drafts on private &C
count were larger or more frequent thar
he thought the business justified His
partner had as large family to support a,
Mr.. Jones, but he managed to do it on sew.
eral hundred dollars less in the year.
1t did occur to Mr.. Jones to pay half O
the blind-maker's bill; but as that would
leave him only one dollar, he dismissed the
thought instantly. To be left with only one
dollar in his pocket would never answer ir
the world.
At dinner time Mr.. Jones started home
ward, thinking, as he walked along, of the
beautiful vases, and of the pleasure they
had given his wife. He still had six dol
lars in his pocket. Part ally recovered
from the depreSsinU effect of tho Hind mo