The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-07-19
MABEL,s HUNDRED DOLLAR BILL.

UIteen, lingering DunCn VI kt1b VIII
one hand in the pocket Of her pretty
apron aud holding the other hand tight
ly closed over something still more prec
ious, it's full time you were getting
ready for school. For, as If nothing
were 10 be wanting TO convince the
speaker that she WAS grown up young
lady and housrkeeprr IN good earnest
her own summer vacation had begun,
while Ruth had a. i'll two weeks of schOol
Maysville being place where Mabel
with her city experiences, called still
very much the country, although she
loved it dearly.
Yes, answered -littis Ruth, twelve
only Nab, do wait until the train has got
out of hearing with papa and mamma
before you put ON such tremendous airs,
even if YOU have got hundred dollars
to 81 end all yourself. II isn't all for you
you know. it's for the whole of us; part
of it is mine too.
Certainly. dear, only am TO spend II
for you. II is for the benefit OF the
whole family But don't talk it 80 loud
Ruth, and don't tell anybOdy-nol until
aftcrward-or somebody might steal it
guess my friends don't steal, retorted
Ruth.
No child, but then somebody might
uverhear, might be hid in the bushes.
Oh, said Ruth, looking with new in
tcrest at the clump of syringas. Wen
have a jolly time, Nab, if you don't hold
too tight rein over us.
Ruth
Well, won't any more. We shall
miss father and mother awfully though
| d., ,t'lI h,, ,,,,lu for ION daya
Perhaps fortnight, corrected Mabel
Say, Nab, are--
But a hand laid for an instant over
her mouth checked her.
Ruth. cried Mabel, hal rather have
you talk amy slang than begin your SEN
tences say, Nothing can be more vul-
gar. Now ask properly what you have
To ask.
;Say-nOthing, answered the little girl.
Very well, then. | must go at once
and see about having the dinner sent
up. Hurry. and III drop you at your
school on my way. | shall take Roger
when Dennis brings hIm back from the
station. Aud with IA stately step MIbel
swept into the huuse.
Ruth stood looking sitter her at firsl
with a sigh Then she consoled herself
with the r, fl 'ction that by and by Mat
would forget her new Importance and
be jolly again. l should feel big to be q
| housekeeper, she said to herself. | won
der if ever shall be. But there's the
old school to be got through with first
| No, Nab hasn't finished hers. l know
what I'll do, III keep on growing and
look out for vacation. And Ruth meas
ured her height against the door post at
she still stood on the piazza, and then
before going to make ready for schoo
sent her glance. wandering over the
lawn, green as June could make it, and
up INTO the branches of the elm trees al
hand halt hidden in their masses ol
leaves, and beyond u ese into the bril-
liant sky that smiled upon her, 80 that
Ruth could not help smiling back again
and ran eff smiling.
Mabels first care was TO put away heI
money. She changed it's hiding plac,
twice before she found one secure
enough. How faithful she was going
to be with this money Yes of course
faithful, but how judicious ! She would
surprise her mother, who had been a
little anxious about giving her this re-
sponsibility, and justify her fathers con
tidence in her. She went into tn,
kitchen,
Mary, she said to the cook, shal
send up some beef for a roast for dinner
and the vegetables. How many pounds
shall get You know don't want tC
have any Of US starve.
No, indeed, answered Mary as she tolC
her, and am shure yell make the beau
tifullest housekeeper that liver was, bar
rim yure mother, and jist as good ~
herself. aud why not ?
Mabel saw no reason for disagreeinG
| with her.
| In the stores she walked about exam
| lining her purchases with a judicial all
which expressed more knowledge than
Mr.. Briniey ever felt herself 10 possess
But she sent home fine dinuer and did
not forget strawberries for dessert. Al
ter this was bought she let her eyet
range from shelf to shelf Of the stores tc
see If there was anything that might b'
wanted which Mary had forgotten to
mention, for she had heard her father
tell her mother, in speaking OF the
amount of money TO be left with Mabel
that he was determined TO do the thing
handsomely. Mabel was also determined
to do it handsomely. IL struck her that
she and Ruth would be able to do very
little toward disposiDg Of all that she
had leen buying. But, then, there were
the two girls III the kitchen, and Dennis
the out Il door man. And she had heI
reputation as houst keeper 10 make
| And btsides-the besides was that sht
had invited two friends TO dinner. Mre
Brinley had ADVISED her to ask her mai eG
30 that she and Ruth would not feel toe
lonely while their parents were away.
You know 1t is for Mr.. Brinley1 Mabe
said, IN leaving the stores. And the
complainant shop keepers aseentcd, and
filled her orders with no less alacrity
understanding that payment was Il
come when the head Of the house re-
turned, Credit is one of the few thing
\ In the universe that strengthensby wan
of use, and Mr.. Brinley's was so untrieC
8 TO be perfect.
But the money that he had given hi
daughter Surely he had not mean
that she should tax his credit. Mabe
did not mean 1t either. II was her pur-
pose TO pay for everything that sh'
bought, rs her father had told her 10 do
But she had plan.
Just before leaving home she had TAX
en- out the hundred dollars and stood
with it in her hand deliberHtiDg. II 81
happened that she had never seen on
hundred dollars before, and It's amoun
impressed her responsibility on her. Sb'
knew, from her experience with fives ol
tene, that the fragments OF broken bill
have immense facility in scattering. al
though the fragments OF this new ont
would be either so much larger or &C
much more numerous than In ordinary
cases that the evil day Of nothingnes'
would be postponed; still she reccznizsc
the fact that the tendency was the same
She had said 10 herself. therefore, tha
since money was much more easily KEEP
in a hundred dollar bill than in fves and
twos and ones, tins was the way sh'
would keep hers. What she was goinl
| TO get for dinner was mere trifie ou
of 80 much, yet 1t would spoil the whole
No,she would manage better; she would
leave the bill untouched now and at th'
end pay for everything together. Al
she put back the money into It's hidipl
place her eyes had sparkled with deligh
in the thought that she had discovered
the secret Of economy.
But for the pres Mt this was to remaiI
her secret. Time would prove its won
ders-the short time Of two weeks woul'
Drova her Dosseeged OF financial ludg