New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-08-11

Ginning chair; got them. really, for q
mere song; never feel the trifling pay
ments, almost the same as getting
them made to present to you. And
every time the new purchases were
shown to Raddle in a burst of triumph.
he gave vent to the same
old That's so!' as complacent-
ly as an ancient COW chewing
her cud. And though at last
it came that more than half the
family's income was swallowed up in
meeting the numerous installmenrs,s so
they were put to sore straits to Jog
along, Raddle got down to mush and
dry bread, and took life as unconcern-
eddy as cattle in a clover pasture.
Even now, with the weight OF debts
hanging over them, and first one and
then another of the purchases taken
away with the loss of all that had
been paid on them, whenever any
money came in there was big spread
OF luxury for Sundays dinner, Sec
ond feast on the warmed-over goodies
for Monday, and trust to luck for what
ever could be procured later on. With
a five dollar bill in the house they
were in a paradise OF plenty, unable
to see the end OF it, and just as likely
to secure a new purchase on the week
ly payment dodge, with the
pleasant assurance to Raddle: "We
shan't feel the trumpery trifle one
bit;" when, with smile that was
equal to an exhaustless deposit in
bank, Raddle would pull at his pipe
and say, ''That's SOP as contentedly
the world.
Just about the time the host of in
stallment payments had nearly sunk
them to the dregs Of poverty, and dry
bread and mush was rather the rule
than the exception. Mrs. Raddle re-
ceived legacy from distant relative.
The next | knew they had made a
payment on a house and lot, furnish
ed the house in grand style, kept a
horse and buggy, and were altogether
in tip top shape. Surely, thought,
they will now arrange to regulate their
expenditures to suit their income. Not
at all. AS a neighbor remarked, they
were bound to 60 along in the ''happy-
go-lucky" style OF living with
not a thought beyond the present
hour. It seemed to make not an
atom of difference whether there was
$50 a week coming in or only $40; in
each case the income was swallowed
in a feast while the money lasted, fol-
lowed by stinted shortcomings when
it was gone. While yet trife of the
legacy remained in bank, Mrs. Raddle
paid hundred dollars on a piano for
Lucinda, with the purpose to have
! that dear child take lessons at $40 a
quarter. eve shant feel such trife
one bit, you know, William" Mrs.
Raddle said, land the payments on
the plano-only trumpery $40 a
month-we shall never know it,"
Certainly not" Raddle believed
it; even after the house was lost, and
the horse and buggy and the piano
were dragged out of the house, he had
full confidence in Mrs. Raddle's easy
going way OF makingpurchases. When
they finally sank down to three rooms
in a rear tenament, and there was no
income but Raddle's six dollars a
week, they went in for solid blow
out of pie and fried sausage on pay
night, an extra baked dinner OF Sun
day, and weak tea and coffee during
the close Of the week.
The very last time I was in their
dwelling was only the other day. Rad
ole had borrowed trihe on his watch,
and brought home pound of porter
house steak for supper. Said Mrs.
Raddle, as they reveled in the tempo
rary feast, to be followed next day by
mush and molasses:-
81 do wish you'd been here with the
moneya little sooner, William. There
was peddler with the loveliest vases,
onlya dollar a pair-just dirt cheap.
And all he asked was fifty cents down,
and the rest in payments OF ten cents a
week. We should never have felt the
payments NO more than nothing"
''That's SOL" was the cheerful con-
vietion OF Raddle, as he felt sorry he
hadn't got back with the money in
time. Then he pushed the dangling
sleeve OF his shirt from his fingers to
enable him to grub in the corners OF
his pockets for few scattered crumbs
OF tobacco as he added that perhaps
the peddler would call again, when
Amanda must borrow fifty cents and
secure so p:izable a bargain.