The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-06-20
FRUGAL FRIEND JACK.
He Practices Economy and Breaks n Penny

I've discovered a new system OF
economy, said he, and it's a sure
winner.
Is it as good as that system OF
beating the races
Don't, Howdy, be cried I'm
done with all that now. All old fell
low, how poor, and weak, and silly
all those forms of wasting a man 5
time appear when he has learned
what love is I'd rather sit in that
little seven by nine coop which Mrs.
Sand rents me for four dollars a
week (and expects 1t in advance,
too may remorsc devour her
eternally y I'd rather sill in that
cherries cage and think OF her"
Her? Do you mean Mrs Sand?
You know whom | mean," he
said, reproachlully, Miss Leigh.
The heiress?
Yes, and, Howdy, | have won
her. Ispeak of it with reverence as
a blessing undeserved, and to you
alone as my best friend, but ii is
true.
And her aristocratic family? Do
they have the remarkable penetra-
ton to approve o: her choice?
Her mother bows to me, SAID
Jack, and her uncle doesn't shoot
me. l know he wants to do it, but
never mind. | cannot expect too
much recognition Immediately. l
must get upon firm financial basis
first Don't laugh at me the rich
est men are those who began with
out a cent.
In the last three years, said |, you
have lost no opportunity OF putting
yourself into that condition so tav-
orable to the accumulation of
wealth
He did llo5tt heed my sarcasm, and
l repented it immediately =
Seeing how matters stan. sHsid l,
your Uncle David ought to help you
along. He could give you S1oo, 900
and never miss 1t.
Miss it lexclaimed Jack, you dom
know him. If he dropped a penny
into the Atlantic ocean, he would go
down to the bottom in a thousand
tathoms OF water to get it.
Well, let us hope that he may, |
said, cheerfully | believe you are
his heir.
Yes SO he says. But while he
lives | can expect nothing. He be
lleves that spare diet, thin clothes
and his own shining example are all
that | can possibly require in the
struggle for wealth. Did you ever
know man whom blind, laundering
luck had made rich who wasn't al
ways preaching patience and fru
gality to the young? Look at me,
says Uncle Dave | started at the
foot of the ladder. SO he did and
he'd have been there yet ii fate
hadn't turned the ladder upside
down.
A relative left Uncle Dave a tract
of wild land out in Indiana in the
old days. Dave tried to sell it for
nine shillings and couldn't. By and
bye somebody came along and
wanted to found town there. Dave
tried to drive him away. He
wouldn't go. A lot more men came,
and before long they'd built a city.
They encroached on Dawes land.
He didn't do anything about it, but
one day lawyer got hold of his
claim and offered to push it. He
did so and won over half a million,
though Dave nearly ruined the case
by his testimony. OF course the
lawyer expected to steal it all, but
just as lie was ready to do it, he got
converted at camp meeting in New
Jersey and turned over the whole
Doodle to its righttul possessor. In
dustry and trugality, industry and
trugality, says Uncle Dave, those
are all you need, my boy. Look at
me
Jack was beginning to look down
hearted, so | asked him about the
system OF economy of which he had
spoken in such glowing terms. He
frightened up at once.
1t was her idea, he said. | CON
fessed to her that had never learned
to save money, SO she said that she
would teach me. She bought one
of those toy banks, and every time
call she makes me put all my
small change into it except a nickel
to get home with. We're going to
open it in year, and she says that
it will surprise me to find how much
have saved.
| told Jack how glad l was that
he had at last found SOMEBODY
whose wise precepts he would obey.
| pointed out to him that Miss
Leigh's ideas were exactly in line
with the advice which | had always
given him. | said that she must be
a very sensible girl l showed him
that if he had followed my advice
earlier he might now have some
thing in the bank. | have nothing
there myself, but it was not neces
sary to say so to Jack. In short
while endeavoring to avoid an APP
pearance of egotism, | called his at
tention so the fact that primarily,
he had to thank me for everything
which would result from his present
course, unless it turned out badly.
| believe that | understand the duty
and responsibilities of friendship.
But after he had gone | began to