The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1886-07-30

would allure and fascinate the house.
wife with its bewitching airs. 1t would
assume the demeanor of saint and
preach a sermon on necessity. 1t had
all the gniles and wiles OF alittle satan
lc elf, whose special mission was to
lead contidins young married people
astray. But she took the book and
went home with u sense of domestic
power quite new and agreeable. All
she had to do was to pass in her little
book and have her purchases recorded,
and the business was done. What q
tine thing it was to do ones own mar
keting without having that impudent
Smith take down your orders!
"a bird in the hand is worth two in
the BUSH" 1t is good business rule
not to spend what you have not got.
You may fancy the two birds areyours,
but until they are it is wise to be mod.
est in manner OF life. It is, after all, a
humiliating experience to discount the
future. Now, Paulina desired to be
economical; she thought she was, but
she had been accustomed to an abund-
ent larder, and the little blue book had
wrought the mischief. The innocent
blue siren had no sympathy with $25
month.
When Mack took the book at the
end OF the month, with $40 in his
pocket, and went to the book-keeper
OF the grocery house to settle, that
polite gentleman had his bill oil made
out, and it was fifty dollars. Mack
said there must be mistake, but the
items were compared and he was
obliged to confess that the figures were
against him. He went home feeling
sore and troubled. When tea was
over, he handed the book to Paulina
with its added amount, without a
aword. Shelooked at it in amazement.
She declared Haxman & Co., were a
fraud, they had charged her with some
one else's bill; she knew she had not
had all those goods. Mack must go
back at once and refuse to settle until
the matter was adjusted.
They came the nearest to having a
downright quarrel they ever did If
Mack had not been cool there would
have been scene, for Paulina's red
hair hid a fiery little brain, and she
went off like a rocket. He quietly re-
marked the two accounts agreed, and
then began to question as to details.
Flour, butter, eggs, meat, etc, and
those fancy groceries, they were costly
enough. Was she ready to declare up
on oath that Haxman & Co. were un-
mitigated rascals? They were repu-
table firm OF long standing. Was it
quite the thing to charge them with
dishonesty, conducting a large busi-
ness with the best families?
She was Obliged to confess at last
those awful figures must be true. 1t
was q troubled night for her. She
dreamed of gigantic blue book walk
ing about and pointing it's long arms
at the figures upon its breast She
tried to drive it away, but it fell upon
her, and she awoke with aterrible cry.
The next morning Mack took her four
dollars, and they began the new month
with six dollars in debt.
She made the most solemn promise
to herself and Mack that she would be
careful-they would dispense with the
fancy groceries. They would live
plainly. What should they do if they
could not live within the limit deter
mined? and she cried bitterly when
she thought OF it. The days went on;
she took pride in her house keeping.
She delighted in her dainty table
fresh, tasteful and inviting. Shemade
Mack's home real rest ana refresh
ment for him, but she kept that miser-
able book, and the curse was still upon
her home. Her woman's tact and wit
was not equal to the beguilement of
that arch deceiver, and bitter was
mingled in the cup of life.
That dreaded second month came
around and their bill amounted to
$35; they owed six on last month, so
that they were only about So ahead.
Nothing for incidentals, not dollar
to apply to the mortgage, and not
half enough saved for the interest.
1t was not an encouraging outlook.
They both felt depressed and discour-
aged. They loved their home, they
grew more attached to it every day,
but that mortgage would be q burden
upon their hearts until it was paid.
Every room had taken on an individ-
uality, and Paulina's homemade
adornments were in exquisite taste;
but they clung to the iittle blue book.
1t is hardly necessary to dwell
upon the months of that first year.
One month the expenses reached $50,
and one they were reduced to $50,
but at its close they had Sill for the
interest OF $40, and nothing saved for
the mortgage.
The holder OF the mortgage made
Mack a good deal OF trouble, threat
ened to foreclose, as prompt payment
OF interest had been condition of his
taking the mortgage, and altogether
they commenced the new year sick at
heart; but they turned over a fresh
leaf i'll the little blue book and took
courage.
Another year brought more serious
times; the incidental expenses were
larger; q little Mack came, bringing
with him cares and anxieties and also
expenses. Big Mack had two weeks
of sickness; theye was strange hand
in the kitchen ior time When the
year closed they were $500 in debt,
and the little blue book was trlum-
phant. The crisis had come at last.
The mortgage would be foreclosed ac-
coruin9 TO the SDeclat contract, ana
ruin stared then, in the face. Those
were dark days for Paulina; if shehad
not had real pluck, they would broken
her utterly. At last, when it seemed
as though the house must go under
the hammer, the husband OF her old
mistress offered to take the mortgage,
and they were saved utter defeat.
They had chance to rent the house
to a good tenant, and Paulina went
back to service, her husband boarding
with her
BUTT was sad day when the goods
were packed, the house dismantled,
and they handed over the key to the
new occupant. 1t was bitter lesson,
but best learned on the very threshold
of household life.
Again they sit down to count the