Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1893-08-10
ATWOODS ECONOMY.

the money maker, we should haye no
end Of dollars and luxuries.'
Mrs. Atwood with cheeks little rcd
der than usual, only looked down into
her coffee cup in silence. Scenes slmi-
lar to this were OF almost daily occur
renee.
4 really don't see what you do with
the money l give you. I declare you
ask for a dollar nearly every day
There are five in the family; do you
expect to have no expense? Perhaps
# you would economize a little your.
self, we should get along better.
Me economize Me-
yes. Idon't see why all the pinch
ing should come from ny side. need
a new pair of shoes, These are really
quite unfit to wear. Johnnic's are al.
most as bad, and the two girls need
some warm fannels and best dress
apiece.
By tins time Mr.. Atwood had got
his breath.
I suppose you think | spend my
money foollshly, then he SAID, angrily.
You spend i, as you choose. A Il men
40 in mcasure. II is the order of
things ut this time, but | only ask you
to stop and think IN serious way where
a good deal Of your money does 60.
Why, for -four and coal, potatoes
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 90 out IN public
locking like a ragman, it would xiii my
business. suppose YOU think Of my
new overcoat, but it, the best economy
to get something good while you are
getting
A principle you must have forgotten
when you gave me five dollars two years
ago for my winter cloak
'Oh we'll you don't 50 ont any.
True
You are unreasonable, as AL women
are, and YOU think ! IN made of money,
| | guess. Here five dollars you can
put to any use you see fit. | dare say
it will 60 for lace tlolNce.
For my lew Calico? qnorlcd Mrs.
Atwood, mockingIy. BIT she picked
up the money very mlch as she would
! have handled a snake She thought Of
/ the little children and knew she could
not retuseit, ungraciousIy as 1t had been
Given.
Mr.. Atwood donnpl his new overcoat
and went out the front door with a more
than usually hard bang.
Mrs. Atwood took mp 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, gazel up
in her face lovingly,
when | get to be a big man like
papa. he said, III give you all my
money.
Then Mrs. Atwood smiled ana
brushed the tears away.
Yes, darling, she SAID, mamma
knows the kind OF man you will be
the kind OF man, please God, she will
try to teach you to grow into.
Then while washing up the broakfas;
dishes, she planned and planned how to
spend the fye dollars best.
Two pairs of shoes must come out Of
1t. Ill get low cheap pair for myself
parhaps for dollar, they won't be very
warm, but they will coyer my feet Then
| can get Johnnie's for perhaps a dollar
and half that leaves two and IA half
for ilannels and dresses for the baby
and little Nellie. Oh, dear l did
need ten dollars so much and fifteen
would not 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 dol
lar overcoats and ten cent cigars and
all that. It's "a pity the tables couldn't
be turned for a time
Then having made everything snug
and clean, she sent Johnnie off to school
with q loving kiss, called in Irish Nora,
a neighbor girl, to stay with the chill.
dren, and started out to make her pur-
chascs.
IF | walk there and back she
thought, 4 shall saye ten cents and
that will pay Nora. Buttliuk Of papa
walking a mile oyer such streets as
these, in such shoes.
For they liyed in the suburbs where
rent was less.
The purchases had been made and