Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-03-15

L
IN the afternoon, with whom he had u
social chat. AS they were walking leis-
urcly along, they passed an oyster saloon.
Stetson was particularly fond of tho
bivalves, and no proposed that they
] should go in and take some
To this his friend did not dcmur, and
they accordingly entered. Two plates
of oysters came to thirty cents. Besides
this, they took glass OF soda each,
which made ten cents more. This
brought up the bill to forty cents, which
Stetson paid. Accordingly, adding to
this fifteen cents for cigars, he de-
po-ited lifty-fivc cents i'll his wifc's hands
that evening.
~ might as well make it sixty" said
he, smiling.
"No," said she. "Not cent over. I
want the savings 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 of
cigars.
ut won't amount up very fast at that
rate, > said he, tIiumphantly.
"Never mind" said his wife. az
don't want you to increase your cxpendi-
lures on my account. am inclined to
! think they will not often be us small as
| this.
She was right.
The next day, being Wednesday, John
Stetson brought nome couple OF tickets
for the theatre 1t was benefit night,
and he was anxious that his wife should
so.
Certainly" said she. ''I shall be
glad 10 go; but you remember our COM
pact"
"What2"
GLOW much did you pay fol the
tickcts:"
Fifty cents apiece"
"rhat will make dollar. Please
hand me that amount for our fund"
WAS the theatre includeds" said
john, Il little reluctantly.
Certainly. That was expressly men
toned"
ooh, well, then, so let it be. Here is
silver dollar"
The dollar was at once dropped into
! the box.
/ Tho next day, in passing shop win
dow, Stctson noticed some fine oranges
".lust what Mary and the children
would like" thought he. "rll go in
and inquire the price"
B They were -four cents apiece. He
bought half dozen, at Il cost of quar-
ter, which with his cigar money, left him
thirty-scven cents to deposit.
The succeeding day he spent nothing
except for cigars. On Saturday he
stepped into a confectionery establish
mcnt with icnd and had lunch.
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 sxty-two cents.
lie would have been astonshed to hear
IT, but she thought it not best to say any,
thing about it. He would have alleged
that 1t was special case, as they did
not go to the theatre every week. TIL S
was true; but then, something else was
sure to come of equivalent cost, such as
ride or concert.
So time slipped away. The necessity,
according to the compact, Of giving his
wife rs much rs he spent for Incidental
expenses, no doubt contributed to cheek
him somewhat. so that probably he did
not spend more than two.thirds as much
in III way rs he had done before the
agreement. STILL he kept up to the
average of the first week
We will now suppose the year to have
Slidcd by. John StctsDn came into the
sitting room with preoccupicd air.
what are YOU thinking about2'
asked his wife.
about the half acre lot adjoining the
one Homes bought last year,
"Did you wish to purchase it,"
eyes; ! should like to; but of course
/ can't, not having the money"
GLOW much do they ask for it,"
'Holmcs paid hundred dollars for
] hic fNhic -
able, and they hold it at one hundred
and twenty five dollars"
! "Perhaps you could raise tie money,
John. :" said his wife, quietly.
"By borrowings l shouldn't want to
do that"
"You remember our fund.-"
"Pshaw. That may possibly amount
! to thirty or forty dollars"
Suppose we count it, as the year is
up day"
Every 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.
"I had no idea there was so much"
! What was his establishment when the
total proved to be one hundred and
twcnty-ninc dollars and forty cents,
''You sec you can buy the lot"
'But haven't you swcled the amount
! from your own a,lowance?n he asked.
somewhat bcwidered
Not by II ent; and don't you see,
John, that if you had refrained from
even half OF the expenses VIC spoke of.
we might have had in tho ncighborhood
of two hundred dollars!"
John Stetson did see, and he deter
mined that the lesson should be ser
viceablc one. The half-acre lot was
bought, and now, at the end of five
years, it is worth double what he paid
for it. He has also laid aside two hun
drcd dollars year during this period,
and all by small savings. - ankec B;ede.