The Fort Worth gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-189?, 1891-05-21
To Whom 1t May Concern

|
Louisan arose from his breakfast table and
| said to his wife:
Come here, my dear, and let's see about
| these bills
She had been waiting, in fear and trem-
bling, the dread summons of the day, but
she went to her execution proudly.
What bills, James!'
'sYou know what bills, dear The same
bills we get every month. Now, here is the
grocery bill. 1t seems to me outrageous.
-Four weeks ago it was $40; this time 1t IS
$50. Goodness gracious me! [ don't see
how on earth we manage to eat that much"
1--WE don't, James. That groceryman has
got things on there we didn't get.''
''Well, what are they! Tell me, and I'll
kick. I'm not gong to be robbed month
after month";
Let me see,'' said the little woman, as
she pumped down in a chair with one foot
under her. and gazed searchingly at the
paper, with every line of which she was
dreadfully familiar. Nov, let me see.
Well, here on the 2Sth he has charged US
with asparagus, 10 cents; we didn't get it.
On the 20 he has syrup, 20 cents; we didn't
get that On the 25th he has spices, 10
cents; never bought any spices last month.
On the 2Sth he has soap 10 cents, and we
didn't get that. Now, you see, James, how
he runs the bills up, and if | were you I'd
let him know it. Just go there and tell
him
"But, my dear, all the mistaken items put
together only make 80 cents. That doesn't
account for the $40 difference between last
month and this. bod rat it, we are getting
extrayagant, and this things got to stop or
by the eternal smoke, We'll go to the poor
house"
The little woman had heard something
like this before, SO she only sat still and bit
her finger nails. She was thinking of the
pretty luncheon she had given one day in
April, and what great success 1t was.
Now, here's the drug bill. It's SIS; last
month it was Sl2. I suppose there are the
usual number of mistaken items on this,
too-probably another 80 cents worth. Just
look at this, will you: Medicine, 60 cents;
prescription, 40 cents; powder, 5 cents;
medicine, 80 cents: tooth brush, 80 cents;
gum. ) cents, and so ON and so on. Confound
the apothecary shop! Do you suppose, my
dear, for a single moment, that we eat all
that medicinea Not much, Mary Ann; its
a Swindle.''
But, James, the children were sick, if
you'll remember
What if they were2 I say, what if they
were! They didn't eat SIS worth of medi-
cine, face powder, tooth-bruSheS and chew
ing gum. 1t does seem to me that the drug
stores in this town have just picked me out
for j sucker, and are determined that l
shan't ever have red cent. But it's no go.
Hereafter, madam, our apOthecary bills
stop, and do you pay cash for every bit of
medicine needed in this house. Then I'll
stand some chance of knowing where my
money goes. Do you hear"
Eyes, but what shall 1 do when there is
no money in the house to pay it with!''
Cpl take care of that madam. And now,
here's the butchers bill, Sl6 Or So less
than the drug bill. l haven't seen decent
piece of meat on my table this month. Get
another butcher, and do try and economic,
madam If you had the slightest interest
in my affairs you would see that we are
going to the financial devils, madam"
Then there was long pause.
do you know the amount of my salary,
madam he began again.
.'Whose salary, James,"
ssMy salary-my salary. Well it's $50 a
month, and I've figured it out that. at our
present rate of resources and expenditure
We'll be $4,000 in debt at the end of the year
The debt statement stops right here,
madam. No use talking to me. l get the
same old song and dance every first day of
the month. Groceries, medicine, meat, milk,
house rent"
ssBut. James. we have to live"
''Don't l know that2 But we don't have
to live like Jay Gould, do we7 Humph
Now that I'm reminded of it, lets hire
chef. buy a range, get things at wholesale.
and have printed menus. Oh, yes, we have
to live, and lets live at the top of the pot,
madam, while we are at it. Go it-go it.
Start some new bills somewhere and let
'em pour in on me. Oh, we have to liver
But l didn't eat all the groceries and
take all the medicine, James. You needn't
quarrel at me about it,
s'You had your share. madam But I'm
not grumbling about that. It's the awful
extravaganza Of this thing Deeper
and deeper in debt, more bills and less
money every year; do you suppose I'm
going to stand it, madam Face-powder,
chewing gunl-don't ask me why the bills
run up. Look at 'em; they do their own
talking, madam. y
Then he got up, put on his hat, banged
the front door and hurried down town,
where at noon he paid s.. so for lunching
couple of friends.
The little woman went upstairs, cried
awhile and then said to herself, YEARLY:
''Well. thank heaven, it's four weeks uu-
til have to hear that again. ''-[St. Louis
Republic.