The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-08-11
MR.. ATWOOD'S ECONOMY
The Experience That Proved to
Him His Selhshness.

Him His Selfshness.
81 suppose" began Mr. Atwood, Sc
verely, "that if you were the man and
the money maker, we should have no
end of dollars and luxuries."
Mrs Atwood, with cheeks little
redder than usual, only looked down in
her coffee cup in silence. Scenes SINH
lar to this were of almost daily occur
renee.
81 really don't see what you do with
the money I give you. declare, you
ask for dollar nearly every day."
s'There are five in the family; do you
expect to have no expenses? Perhaps,
if you would economize little your
self, we should get along BETTER
''Me economics! Me!'
eyes. I don't see why all the pinch
ing should come from my side. need
q new pair of shoes. These are really
quite unfit to wear. Johnnie's are al
most as bad, and the two little girls
need some warm hannels and best
dress apiece"
By this time Mr.. Atwood had got his
breath.
81 suppose you think I spend my
money foolishly, ,then," he said, angrily.
"You spend it as you choose. All
men do, in a measure. 1t is the or
der of things at this time; but only
ask you to stop and think in serious
way where good deal of your money
does 60"
'Why, for flour and coal, for pota-
toes and meat, and dresses for you and
the children
Mrs. Atwood smiled.
'For nothing else?"
"Why, yes; there's my own clothing,
to be sure; but can't go out in public
looking like ragman; it would kill my
business. suppose you are thinking
of my new overcoat; but it's the best
economy to get something good while
you are getting"
ga principle you must have forgotten
when you gave me five dollars two
years ago for my winter cloak"
"Oh, well, you don't go out any,"
"True!''
"You are unreasonable, as all women
are, and you think I'm made of money,
/ guess. Here's five dollars you can put
to any use you see fit. / dare say it
will go for lace founce."
'For my new calico%' queried Mrs.
Atwood, mockingly. But she picked
| up the money very much as she would
have handled 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 overcoat
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 up
in her face lovingly.
"When 1 get to be big man like
papa" he said, "rll 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 man, please God, she win
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.
1.-TWO pairs of shoes must come out of
it. I'll get low, cheap pair for my
self, perhaps for dollar; they won't
be very warm, but they will cover my
feet. Then l can get Johnnie's for per-
haps dollar and half; that leaves
two and a half for flannels and dresses
for the baby and little Nellie. Oh,
dear! did need ten dollars so much,
and fifteen wouldn't any more than
have made us comfortable. If papa
| cared for his wife and babies very much,
he would not buy fifty-dollar suits and
| forty-dollar overcoats and ten-cent ci-
gars and all that It's pity the tables
couldn't be turned for time"
Then, having made everything snug
and clean, she sent Johnnie off to school
with loving kiss, called in Irish Nora,
neighbor girl, to stay with the chill
dren, and started out to make her pur.
chases.
IF 1 walk there and back" she
thought, 81 shall save ten cents, and
that will pay Nora. But think OF papa
walking a mile over such streets as
these, in such shoes!" For they lived in
the suburbs, where rent was less.
The purchases had been made, and
Mrs. Atwood started homeward, tired
and faint.
'If l could only have hot cup OF
coffee nowp she thought, ':but ! don't
even dare to spend nickel. It's going
to rain, too, l believe"
And rain it did; not gentle shower,
but terrible, drenching downpour. and
she had no umbrella. The thin cloak
was soon wet through, and a more limp
and bedraggled woman could not have
been imagined than that poor mother