Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1893-07-17
Mr.. AtWOOd's Economy.

Il suppose" began Mr.. Atwood,
severely, "that if you were the man
and the money maker, we should
have no end of dollars and luxuries. :"
Mrs Atwood with cheeks a little
redder than usual, only looked down
III her coffee cup in silence. Scenes
similar to these were of almost daily
occurrence.
81 really don't see what you do with
tie money give you. I declare, you
ask for dollar nearly every day"
G'There are five in the family; do
you expect to have no expenses? Per-
haps, if you would economic little
yourself, we should get along BETTER"
<'Me economic! Mel"
Eyes. L don't see why all the pinch
ing should come from my side. I
need new pair of shoes. These are
really quite unfit to wear. Johnnie's
are almost as bad, and the two little
girls need some warm fannels and a
best dress apiece"
BY this time Mr.. Atwood had got
his breath.
II suppose you think I spend my
II 0aey foo2ishly, them" he said, an
gr7Iy
e-You spend it as you choose. All
men do, in measure. It is the order
of things at this time; but only ask
you TO stop and think in serious
way where good deal ofyour money
does 60"
<fWhy, for flour and coal, for pota
toes and meat, and dresses for you
and the children
Mrs. Atwood smiled.
<tFor nothing else?"
S'Why, yes; there's my own cloth
ing, to be sure; but can't go out in
public looking like a ragman; it
would kill my business. L suppose
you are thinking of my new overcoat,
but it's the best economy to get some
thing good while you are getting"
ga principle you must have for
gotten when you gave me five dollars
two years ago for my winter cloak"
ooh, we'll, You don't go out any"
esTruei"
%sYou are unreasonable, as all
women are, and you think Pm made
Of money, guess. Here's five dol
lars you can put to any use you see
fit / dare say it will go for a lace
ffounce."
efFor my new calico?" queried Mrs
Atwood, mockingly. But she picked
up the money very much as she would
have handled a snake. She thought
Of the little children and knew she
could not refuse it, ungraciously as it
had been given.
Mr. Atwood donned his new over
coat and went out at the front door
with a more than usually hard bang.
Mrs. Atwood took up the baby and
SLOW tears rolled down her cheeks
upon its little golden head.
johnnie, the handsome six year old
boy, climbed down from the table, and,
leaning on his mothers knee, gazed
IN her face lovingly.
SsWhen get to be q big man like
papa" he said, cpl give you all my
money"
Then Mrs. Atwood smiled and
brushed the tears away.
eyes, darling" she said, mamma
knows the kind of a man you will be
the kind of a man, please God, she
will try to teach you to grow into.''
Then, while washing up the break
fast dishes, she planned and planned
how best to spend that five dollars.
3'Two pairs of shoes must come out
of it III get low, cheap pair for
myself, perhaps for dollar; they
won't be very warm, but they will
cover nay feet. Then | can get John
MES for perhaps dollar and a half;
that leaves two and half for fannels
and dresses for the baby and little
Nellie Oh, dear! / did need ten dol
lars SO much, and fifteen would not
azy more than have made US comfort
able. If papa cared for his wife and
babies very much, he would not buy
City dollar suits and forty dollar
-oVercoats and ten cent cigars and all