The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1889-04-03

ldT ClOCh oouu hId o''oh -No, |
mas present.
"An idea, cha" John repeated, wiping the
moisture mt of his blonde mustache and
standing over the register.
Eyes, it came to me all in atWlnkllnS."
"Something in the tidy line"
mo; it's something about saving money
You'd never guess if you should try thou
sand years"
Then hadn't better try" said John, not
as piqued as she could wish.
of YOU don't care to know" she ven
tured.
10, but do" he averred. "rm IA
nous dullari at guessing, though, you
know"
She had risen now and taken hold OF one |
of the buttons of his coat. 1t was her habit |
in her thoughtful moods to travel up these
buttons, one by one, slowly, with minute
examination, until she had reached the top, |
when their eyes were sure to meet, and she
to laugh and call him gooselet or a grizzly,
as his and her mood CHANGED to be.
"Weu,n she began-"but you won't say
it's lust like woman, will you"
81 hope it is just like woman, Tor then
it's sure to be very sweet
"Fol-de-rol, John, Pm too old for that
kind of flattery."
"What diplomatist you are, though! you
reveal by concsaling. You show so much
inesse begin to suspect you've been run
ming in debt"
She ignored this suggestion.
"John it's just the beginning of the year.
Now what do people do the first of the
yeara"
.Swear off," John ventured timidly.
| t.Sas,o,,, don't mean CIGARS ~
.JTnon nv sacred word l haven't touched
my pipe"
expenses. I'm planning to save in little
things-the dimes and nickles, you know"
.sMaria, I wish were Mormon and that
Won had dozen sisters. There's such good
material in your family for wives. TO anead'
though"
.There's only one way to do it, and that
is to keep account of every penny"
GOOD heavens, a journal!'
"No; lust an account. Pm going to set
down every cent spend, and add it all up
at the end of the year and see how much it
is"
John laughed Maria had not heard such
a roar from him since before they became
economical.
"It's always so, John Skipping" she cried,
abandoning the buttons aud going over to
the plant that stood by the window, and
pinching dead tip from one OF the long
, green leaves.
.John tried to smother his amusement.
"What is always so!' he said, "house
plants! Are the cat-tails almost ripe" as
1 she drew the blades of green through her
r, nervous fingers.
For answer she gave the leaves pettist
. toss, and the heavy pot rolled over ON the
:, floor.
ssWhew" said John, ''another biizzarc
comingl Rising followed by falling bar
ometern
e John Skipping, you're enough to pro
- woke saint" she halt sobbed.
II have done so already" he said ten
), derly. "Come. will be serious. You wer
= speaking about accounts. Let's not max
;s any account of that one, but proceed unde
a suspension of the rules of the house."
To- Don't try to be funny, John, am 81
# much in earnest"
"a $50 am $50 am l."
~ 81 will begin this very day II you wi
II show me how. / ough: to have blan
book, oughtn't II"
,e IA bank book, wish to heaven you had.
- mo, a blank book. Come, you rule it an
fix it for me-"
N John gave her little memorandum boo
~ from his own pocket, tried to instruct he
~, in double which she could not in tn
No. least understand, and so for that evenin
"a the subject was dismissed
At the end of the month John found hin
IN self in increasing perpleyity which his wi
he did not comprehend
.It's dreadful times in business, Maria
at he said gloomily.
;n sJohn,n she said with trembling voic
ch "You're not going to fail, are yous"
}, John hid grim smile with a sudd
on twirl of his mustache.
"Better men than are going to the W;
III. every day, Maria" he said soemnly.
Mt Would she never find out he was not
me business for himself, nor ever had oe'
really, unless he fired it at her from cat
IN pu]tl Would this precious feminine infa
ry- never discover he was not the hero b
the maiden fancy had painted him, aided
fulsome items in the country newspaper
ain To her the glamor had never fallen from
thing but his disposition.
, is John Skipping" she murmured p
nd pitatingly, "don't keep any thing from n
if 1t is my duty as your wife to cheer you a
yht help you. Have you lost money, John'
all .Not-much," another fierce twirl OF
eir mustache being necessary to cover
sense of the righteousness of her questlt
az Not much, Maria, but you know upon
tor syoung man whose only capital is his br;
see a period of such financial epression as t
She crowds pretty hard"
her "Well, John, there's one comfort
any don't spend any money. For whole MOI
self Haven't spent thins-only little
wal fare, perhaps-and some-trif1es."
'sBy the way, my dear, how does the
Tim. count book come on! Let's have look at
She "All right, John. set down every thl
ling I'll get it,n rising with alacrity. "Of cou
I or | haven't added it up yet"
she "Hm'mr' murmured John, as he cast
and eyes over the pages. She stood at the b
Of his chair, looking down over his shoul'
xen- The first entry was ''car fare, ten cent
,ook the next, doctors bill, $780," john
,nce them aloud.
de. 40, ! don't think that Doctors OIL ol