Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1889-04-25
.isurely along. they passed an Oyster

should go in and take some.
To this his friend did not demur, and
they accordingly entered. Two plates
of oysters came TO twenty-five cents.
Besides this, they took a glass OF ale
each, which made twelve cents more.
This brought up the bill to thirty-seven
cents, which Stetson paid. According
ly, adding to this twelve cents for
cigars, he deposited forty-nine cents in
his wife's hands that evening.
II might as we'll make it fifty" said
he, smiling.
mo" said she. mot cent over.
want the saving to represent exactly
what you spend on these little luxuries,
and no more"
The next evening he had nothing to
deyosit, except the usual amount for
cigars.
1T won't amount up very fast at that
rate" said he, triumphantly.
Never mind" said his wife. Il
don't want you to increase your expen-
ditures on my account l am inclined
to think they will not often be as small
as this"
She was right.
The next day, being Wednesday,
John Stctson brought home a couple
of tickets for the theatre. 1t was a
benefit night, and he was anxious that
his wife should go.
Certainly" said she. Il shall be
glad to go; but you remember our com
pact"
WHAT"
"How much did you pay for the
tickets?"
Fifty cents apiece"
THAT will make a dollar. Please
hand me that amount for our fund"
"Was the theatre included?" said
John, little rcluctaL ,ly.
Certainly, That was expressly
mentioned"
"Oh, well, then, so let it be. Here
is silver dollar"
The dollar was at once dropped into
the box.
The next day in passing a shop win
dow, Stetson noticed some fine oranges
Just what Mary and the children
would like" thought he. I'm go in
and inquire tho price"
They were four cents apiece. He
bought half n dozen, ut cost Of a 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 n confectionery estab-
lishment with friend and had
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 have alleged that it was a
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 n concert.
So time slipped away. The necessity,
according TO the compact, of giving his
wife as much as he spent for inciden-
til expenses, no doubt contributed to
check him somewhat, so that probably
he did not spend more than two-tbirds
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 about"
asked his wife.
About the half-acre lot adicin-
ing the one Holmes bought last
year"
did you wish to purchase it?'
Eyes; should like to; but OF course
l can't, not having the money"
"How much do they ask for it?"
ilOAIuco ptllu al luuuICu uOlAdIo lOT
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? l shouldn't want
TO 40 that
you remember our fund.-"
"Pshaw! That may possibly amount
to thirty or forty dollars"
Suppose we count z, &c the year IL
up to-day"
Very we'll"
The box was opened and husband
and wife commenced counting. They
soon reached, aud 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