The Forrest City times., 1893-03-31

If l need load of wood do you find it out first, or do remind you many times in every case?" Silence for little, then: ITO tramp, | fifty cents; meal for another. twenty five"
 ''Thcre is only one more item. Seven dollars for twenty-eight copies of the Morning Star. You re emem Der the mag azine contained an article supposed to advertise your business When the essay appeared it fell far short of ex- pectations, and you have the twenty eight copies. not worth the postage to send to distant friends Her husband ignored the comment What is the sum total?' "Seventeen dollars and twenty-five cents
 You may as we'll add five dollars for the Business Mems association"
 But l thought that was necessary"
 No, could do as well without. If that is all, he went on, brightening read me your list"
 Mrs. Abel turned over the leaf and read: Cream balm, of an agent, twen- ty-five cents. Couldn't bear the smell, so threw the bottle away
 Solder for tinware, fifty cents. 1 (Useless.")
 Set for marking linen (not needed), fifty cents"
 Sewing machine raffie, two tickets, fifty cents, helping an indolent, worth less woman."
 False bangs (not match), one dol lar and half.
 ''The handglass gave baby while received caller, one dollar" "Hattie's Century, torn by same dur ing another call, thirty-five cents" Powder and perforated tins one l dollar and a half Now let me add up.'
 What does that last item mean?" "I kneo you'd ask that" demurely. 'I was so vexed couldn't tell you. A gentleinanly agent rang the bell one cold rainy morning. After offering his commodity and being refused, he spoke of his wet feet. So, out of sympathy, l asked him in to the warnl fire. He talked beautifully about his mother, and admired our children. Finally he came back to his wares-boxes of pow der to put into kerosene lamps to pre- ! vent explosions. He told narrowing tales of the burning of innocent children whose mothers had neglected to pur- chase his powder. He furnished also tiny perforated strips to put on wicks l to make them last longer. In fact the saving of wiclls in nonth-he stated the amount-was remarkable. He proposed to furnish strips for our eight lamps aud two boxes of the powder for two dollars.
 II told him decidedly l could not af- ford it We'll he went on, I am nearly through with this place, am on my way to catch the eleven o'clock train to Chicago so you may have the same for one dollar and a half and l am not making one cent I can ac- count for i. in no other way except that I was tired and not on the defen- sive. for I handed him that amount which had reserved for the washer woman.
 ''IIe put powder into my oil can and oil stove, and that is all l ever used. The strips I found a nuisance, utterly useless Had the money been put into the stove I should have been equally | benefited.
 "The amount of my extravaganza is 1 six dollars and ten cents," continued the accountant; with your seventeen twenty five it makes thirty-three dol lars and thirtyfive cents. Add five dol lars for the business association and we have thirty-eight dollars and thirty five cents. which would have gone far toward filling our empty bookcase, ," ! glancing at the yawning shelves There are several articles of silver ware for the table which have tried in vain to eke out of the kitchen allow ance. There is the list of books we consider our library incomplete with out, and the portieres l have needed so long. All yesterday l studied how to glean the sum requi red for the usual monthly stipend and thus avoid touch | ing our bank deposit. At first l could find no room for retrenchment-no un- necessary outlay in either house CT table expenses"
 II should say not. No woman could be more careful of her ward robe; and yet you always look well. And, Celia, we could not have smaller grocery bill. We might possibly omit some table luxuries. but we are not extrava- gant, and prefer to live we'll"
 Mrs. Abel said, thoughtfully: ''These items just read show the only leakage. I have kept very careful accounts the | last six months, and from them select ed these ayoidable expenditures. You will notice that have in cluded nothing spent on worthy charities.
 But my dear, there is no need of