The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-03-28

" HdL Is always SO!' ne SAID, "hOuSe
plants? Are the cat-tails almost ripe!" as
she drew the blades Of green through her
nervous fingers.
For answer she gave the leaves pettish
toss, and the heavy pot rolled over on the
floor.
"Whewr' said John, 'auother blizzard
coming! Rising, followed by falling bar
Ometer!'
John Skipping, you're enough to pro-
woke a saint" she half sobbed
Il have done so already" he said ten
derby. "Come. / will be serious. You were
speaking about accounts. Let's not make
any account of that one, but proceed under
suspension of the rules of the house."
"Don't try to be funny, John, ! anl 50
much in earnest
$50 am $50 am IL
II will begin this very day if you will
show me how. I ought to have blank
book, oughtnt I!''
"A bank book! wish to heaven you had"
''No, blank book. Come, you rule it and
fix it for me-"
John gave her little memorandum book
from his own pocket, tried to instruct her
ic double-entry, which she could not in the
least understand, and so for that evening
the subject was dismissed.
At the end of the month John found him
self in increasing perplexity which his wife
did not comprehend.
Its dreadful times in business, Maria :"
he said gloomily.
"John," she said with trembling voice,
you're not going to fail, are you!"
John hid a grim smile with a sudden
twill of his mustache.
"Better men than are going to tho wall
ovorv 1av Maria - ho saih cOlomn1v
Would she never find out he was not in
business for himself, nor ever had been
really, unless he fired it at her from cata-
pult! Would this precious feminine infant
never discover he was not the hero her
maiden fancy had painted him, aided by
fulsome items in the country newspapers
To her the glamor had never fallen from any
thing but his disposition.
John Skipping" she murmured pal
pitatingly, "don't keep any thing from me.
1t is my duty as your wife to cheer you and
help you. Have you lost money, Johns''
'.Not-much," another fierce twirl of the
mustache being necessary to cover his
sense Of the righteousness of her question.
Not much, Maria but you know upon
young man whose only capital is his brain
period Of such financial d oppression as this
crowds pretty hard"
"Well, John, there's one comfort, i
don't spend any money. For whole month
! haven't spent thing-only little car
fare, perhaps-and some-tritles."
''By the way, my dear, how does the &C
count book come on? Let's have look at it. :"
"An right, John. set down every thing.
I'll get it, rising with alacrity 'Of course,
haven't added it up yet.''
"H'm'm!' murmurcd John, as he cast his
eyes over the pages. She stood at the back
of his chair, looking down over his shoulder
The first entry was ''car fare, ten cents -
the next, doctors bill, $780," John read
them aloud.
no. don't think that DOCTORS bill ought
to count It's permanent, you know. I
went to DR.. Sproggs about my catarrh.''
Hot water bag, $l.75"
"But that's permanent, too, John; it really
isn't present expense"
''Roses for FRIEND $780,
1T was very little bunch.''
BOX candy, so cents kid gloves, ~ cents
cab, rs cents; Turkish bath, $1.OO; postage,
S1.OO: house plants, $780,
"Just three bulbs and glasses, John. OF
course could have done without them"
--"Ribbons for sachets, $2.15; powder,
ditto, 50 cents; embroidered muslin robe,
$500; slippers, $500; candy, 50 cents; cara
mels, 10 cents; oranges, IS cents; Browning
Club, $500; candy, so cents; subscription
book, $3OO-good heavens !-theater tick
cts, $780,"
1nterspersed throughout this was car fare
every day, and quite as frequent recur-
| renee OF caramels. As John read his wife
| became silent; he could not see her face.
he made rapid summary of the items,
| no more embarrassed by sevens and mines,
MARIA observed than she would have been
| Dy nves and oughts. Nor did she once de-
tect him in adding by means of his fingers,
wnicn gave her an increased opinion of his
business capacity.
he announced the result, 1885,
20, John, why do you 50 delight to tease
me'' cried Maria, with q nervous little
laugh, lit can't be half that.''
| john ado another agile computation
aloud to VERT. the first; Mrs. Skipping
grew 1alry dizzy at the buzz of the addition.