The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-12-18
MIR. WILLIAMS ECONOMY.

"Did it ever occur TO you that little
Victor is getting to be nearly three
years old?" inquired Mr.. Williams,
booking up from the newspaper which
he had not been reading for five min
htes.
4'Well," said Mrs. Williams, "as we
have been celebrating his birthday
every month since he was six months
old, and as we observed it weekly up
to that time, 1 suppose it would be
rather difficult for me not to remember
che boys age. Why?" with some con-
Germ. She had half an idea that he was
thinking of some wonderfully advan
tageous scheme for the little ones ben
eft.
WELL" said Mr.. Williams, cit seems
to me that we ought to be calculating
upon his education"
''Oh, N.Y." his wife cried, laughing.
SWhy, he isn't old enough by three
years even to go to the kindergarten"
'rI didn't mean to send him at once"
said Mr.. Williams, looking proudly at
his offspring, now engaged in the high
" educational pursuit of building a
miraculous sort of tower out of his
blocks, and knocking the edifice down
and then laughing gleefully. "Of course
he's too young for that, but it seems to
me that we ought to begin providing
for the future. We ought to start in to
lay by fund for his education. Iwant
him to attend college and all that, and
Of course that costs money, and posi-
bly, misfo1E, lne might come just at the
time when we wanted to give him edu-
cational advantages, and if we didn't
have a special fund to draw upon the
child would have to go through life IL
Nterate"
81 don't think there is any danger"
Mrs. Williams started to say, but Will
liams interrupted her.
Sometimes" he declared, 81 am
ashamed of myself for my spendthrift
habits. Every little once in awhile l
am confronted by the idea that / am
paving the way for starvation for my
family by pandering to the needless lit
tie vices which have grown up around
me. never deny myself anything, and
some time"
"Oh, you're dear old goose, and you
haven't any vices at all, and we shall
get along nicely. Don't get blue about
nothing"
@'I'm not blue; but look here" He
drew a paper from his pocl1etbook-a
paper covered with figures. Present
ing it to his wife, who was always APP
pailed at the sight of mathematical dis
plays, and never could get at the bottom
Of them, he said: "Look at that"
what is it 2" she queried, helplessly.
"The compound interest on the alb
stract to the trust deed of our house ?"
at is shaving" gloomily. 81 would
not have believed it myself. But fig
,1red it up on the train to-day, and it
shows an appalling condition. l have
squandered in the last Is years $766.50
In shaving-just plain shaving, COM
mon 15-cent shaving. No frills to it. No
hustache curling or anything of that
Bort. Isn't that scandalous, and all the
time that boy not knowing where the
money was going to come from for his
education"
'Dut,' said Mrs. Williams, che wasn't
born until three years ago."
husband insisted at is vicious waste
of money and 1 am going to correct it
as far as can"
''What are you going to do?"
81 am going to shave myself and
apply the money TO fund for little Vic
tors forthcoming education. I can do
st." o.,
The next day Mr.. Williams came
home in high citation. He had several
bunchy-loobing little bundles in his
uercoat pocket, and, unloading them
On the dining-room table, little Victor,
hs is the custom of-speculative children
Of his age. gladly seized upon them, cry
ing:
"Papa bling me this!"
Mr.. Williams, who had been hanging
up his overcoat at the moment of the
seizure, came rushing in from the hall
like full-back rushing to get punted
ball.
"Heavens and ,arthl He'll cut his
hand off with that razor. Grab him!"
he called. The baby had 0aen bowling
iy rescued from impending calamity.
Mr. Williams then explained the nature
O1 his purchases.
'"This," he said ais mug. It cost n
Eotiar. but seven shaves will save 1t
hack TO me. This brush cost another
aollar-same reckoning. The strop
cost me $3.50 and the sponge rs cents.
The shaving soap"
"Oh, now, Harryl" Mrs. Williams in
terrupted in triumph. "Now can tell
you where you wasted money for all
your good intentions. bought whole
case of soap at the department store
the other day, and Ida says it's just
magnificent. You can scour with 1t,
too
Mr.. Williams tried to explain that
1 there was some difference between
Axoaps, but she declared that hers made
vt as nice lather as one could wish.