The Delta independent., 1889-04-16

I want the saving to represent exactly
what you spend on these little luxuries,
and no more"
The next evening he had nothing to
deposit, except the usual amount for
cigars.
'.It won't amount up very fast at that
rate" said he, triumphantly.
"Never mind" said his wife. II
don't want you to increase your expen-
ditures on my account am inclined
to think they will not often be as small
as this" xxss..SssSs,;.....
The next day, being Wednesday,
John Stetson brought home a couple
of tickets for the theatre. It was n
benefit night, and he was anxious that
his wife should go.
Certainly" said she. II shall be
glad to go; but you remember our COM
pact" .-,..u
"How much did you pay for the
ticketsp" s,..H
"Fifty cents apiece" e
"That will make dollar. Please
hand me that amount for our fund"
"Was the theatre includedp" said
John, little reluctantly.
Certainly. That was expressly
mentioned"
''Oh, we'll, then, SO let it be. Hero
is a silver dollar"
The dollar was at once dropped into
the box.
The next day in passing shop win
dow, Stetson noticed some fine oranges.
''Just what Mary and the children
would like" thought he. "Tll go in
and Inquire the price,"
They wore four cents apiece. He
bought half a dozen, at cost of quar-
ter, which, with his cigar money, left
him thirty-seven cents to deposit.
The succeeding day he spent moth
ing except for cigars. On Saturday
he stepped into a confectionery estab-
lishment with friend and had a
lunch. This brought that days ac-
count up to forty cents.
When his wife added up the daily
sums, she found, to her own surprise
even, that she had received from her
husband two dollars and sixty-two
cents. He would have been astonish-
ed to hear it, but she thought it not
best to say anything about it He
would havo alleged that it was
special case, as they did not go to the
theatre every week. This was true;
but then, something else was sure to
come OF equivalent cost, such as ride
or a concert.
So time slipped away. The necessity,
according to the compact, OF giving his
wife as much as he spent for inciden-
tai expenses, no doubt contributed to
check him somewhat, 30 that probably
he did not spend more than two-thirds
as much in this way as he had done
before the agreement Still, he kept
up the average of the first week.
We will now suppose the year to
have glided by. John Stetson came in
to the sitting room with a preoccupied
air.
"What are you thinking aboutP"
asked his wife.
..About the half-acre lot adjoin-
ing the one Holmes bought last
year"
':Did you wish to purchase it?"
Eyes; should like to; but Of course
I can't, not having the money"
How much do they ask for it?"
Ill
his. This is, on some account, prefer
able, and they hold it at one hundred
and twenty-five dollars"
perhaps you could raise the money,
John" said his wife, quietly.
"By borrowing? shouldn't want
to 90 that"
"You remember our fund.-"
"Pshaw! That may possibly amount
to thirty or forty dollars"
Suppose we count it, as the year is
up to-day"
"Very we'll"
The box was opened and husband
and wife commenced counting. They
soon reached, and passed forty dollars.
"Bless my soul!'' said John Stetson.
II had no idea that there was 80
much"
What was his astonishment when the
total proved to be one hundred and
twenty-nine dollars and forty cents!
"You sec you can buy the lot"
"But havn't you swelled the amount
from your own allowanceP" he asked.
somewhat bewildered.
''Not by q cent; and don't you see,
John, that II you had retained from
even half of the expenses we spoke OF,
we might have had in the neighbor-
hood or two hundred dollarsP"
John Stetson did see, and he deter
mined that the lesson should be serv-
iceable one. The half-acre lot was
bought, and now, at the end OF five
years, it is worth double what he paid
for 1t. He has also laid aside two hum
drcd dollars year during this period,
and-all by small savings. yankee
Blade.
In Bohemia.
came between the glad green hills,