The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1904-12-22

Well, the months went by till De
cember, and the Saturday before
Christmas | went to the bank AMI
drew out my small deposits l had
Kept two acCoUnts-the cigar fund and
the table fund. ] called them. The
cigar fund was just 500. 40. and my tn.
bic fund was $2l32 Could | believe
my own eyes 1t fairly made me dizzyl
over $50 to spend for Christmas. This
was what | had been dreaming about
ever since last February,
My feet scarcely touched the pare
ment on the way home | sang all the
while | was getting supper. Would
John never come: At last | heard his
step How his feel dragged What
could be the matter:
do you know next Monday is
Christmas" asked John gloomily.
81 do" replied in so iubilant
voice that he turned and looked at me.
Susie, wish were rich"
''Why, John. aren't we comfortable,
and isn't it better to enjoy what we
have than to mourn over what we
have notE
John still looked gloomily into the
CRATE. Brown stopped me tonight TO
show me Christmas present he has
bought for his wife. Il beautiful gold
watch He has been saving up money
for it for a year Susie. YOU deserve
Christmas present if anybody does. but
see how much have to buy one with"
and he bitterly tossed his scant purse
INTO my lap, not quite $1.5O"
But, John" and ] laughed in his
face. | couldn't hold back any longer.
| threw myself into his arms and
showed him both my hands full of
money. This, John, is what You dill
not smoke, and this is what we did
not eat. We are rich. John, We don't
owe cent We have months rent
and coal paid for in advance. and we
have the whole of S5O.T2 to spend for
Christmas"
John looked ut the money. then az
me. lie couldn't speak for Il minute;
then lie said. Susie. you're a brick"
| don't believe there was ever hap
pier couple walked the streets of chi
caGo than John ana | were that even
ing when we went out to buy our
Christmas presents. Nor was there
ever Il merrier Christmas in one room
than there was in ours. How far a lii
lie money will go when one spends if
carefully! We were surprised at the
things it bought. There were some
books for John that he had been wish
ing for-he had taken to studying 9
little evenings of late-and there was n
little rocking chair for me to sit in at
my sewing, and there were Il new dress
and pair of gloves for me and set
of silver teaspoons, and there were an
oYercoat for John and a pair of slip
perS and big easy chair. and there
was fine big chicken for the Christ
mas dinner with celery and everything
TO go with it, and few candies and
nuts to make it seem like holiday.
And after everything was bought that
we had been needing we still had $500
eft
After our Christmas dinner was over
md we sat before the CRATE close to-
gether John said to me:
Susie how did you save so much
out of the $3.50 a week for the table:
You always had enough and Just TIE
right thing. l believe you could make
a feast out of nothing
"E is all due to a little management
and economy. John" | said.
Il think for the coming year would
better give you $4 a week, so you can
save still more"
That will make $25 more saved"
laughed Then | asked, John, are
you sorry you gave up smoking last
winter"
John drew me close to him as be an
swered, Susie, you have made this
Christmas worth a thousand times
more to me than years smoking"
Not l, John. l couldn't have done
1t If you hadn't quit smoking"
"And l couldn't have quit smoking u
I hadn't had you"