The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-04-15

es. mixing with society that was too
expensive for him"
Very few merchants hold out such
a reward to their clerks II they will
become saving, but there are no en-
ployers who do not look with greater
favor upon the men in their force
who are known TO be saving and
thrifty. There is an old truism that
says. ut Is not what one makes, but
what one saves, that leads to riches"
Everybody agrees with this, and con.
siders that IL applies to all the world
but himself | have known men who
had an income of $4,000 year for
twenty years or more, yet who de-
pended upon the charity Of their
friends when disability finally over
took them, while many another man
on a salary of fifty dollars a month
has paid for his modest home, given
his children a good education, and put
by little cash for his old age.
Every business man stops on Janu-
airy / of each year and takes careful
inventory Of his affairs. His books
show him the expenses of the year,
and II is rare indeed where a study OF
these does not surprise him by show
ing into what large sum little items
viii grow. If every clerk would also
scrutinize his expenditures as careful
ly for the year that Is past he would
be dull indeed If he did not gain some
new light, and rise from the task
with stronger resolutions for the flu.
ture.
knew one clerk who, at the age OF
twenty (having then been at work
eight years., was receiving a salary
Of $500 and saving nothing out of it.
He had an honest horror of debt, and
intended that his account in the ledg-
er should always show a small bal
ance in his favor but beyond this his
idea of salary was that it was just
so much money. that was his to spend
each year At the end of his TWEEN
tieth year something led him to ask
himself the question: what have
you done with your salary this year
He could make no answer lie
thought upon the subject for several
days, and finally took pencil End papcr
determined to work out a reply. He
had TOR the first time in his life be-
come thoroughly interested IN the
matter of his expenses. He figured
out that his board had coct about so
much; clothes during the year about
so much; he had sent his mother so
much, his summer vacat ion had cost
so much; and the total of these was
about 5000 Could it be possible that
he had spent $500 for anusements
and trifes?
He kept thinking over this and fin
ally said to himself. Situated as |
am ought to live on $500, and I'm go
ing to do it next year. My salary will
be $1,000. and | ought to save half of
it; I will try it, anyway"
He opened an account in a savings
bank with a deposit Of ten dollars, de-
to deposit a like amount
sach week of the year He knew that
If it was necessary he could draw out
a little TO help him over an emergen.
cy, but he was determined not to da
this if it could possibly be avoided
lie was surprised to see how much
pleasure he had in watching his ac-
count grow; but far beyond this was
the satisfaction in knowing that he
was at last making definite prepare
tons for the future. At the end OF
the year he had $500 in the bank. He
had been to the theatre but seldom;
be had not been to any dances; but
looking back, it seemed to him to
have been the pleasantest year of his
life. He had made good use of the
city library, and had extended his ac-
Quaintance into the homes of many
pleasant people His salary was in
creased, and his bank account had the
benefit of it. In a few years there
was a chance for him to get an inter
est in a good business If he could get
some help, and the men who Endorsed
for him were influenced by the sight
Of his bank book, with the story 1t
told of years of economy and good
habits.
When one mentions the matter of
saving before those who look upon
money as something to be spent with
as little delay as possible, the old
saying is at once thrown back: Bet
ter be spendthrift than a miser."
AS it there were no stopping-place be-
tween the two extremes. 1t is hardly
necessary to say that man may be
saving. economical, thrifty and prud-
net, and still never verge toward mis-
erliness. All the influences about him
are urging him to spend his income
for present pleasures, and he must de-
velop a strong will in order
to turn away from the alluring charms
of the tempter. And one who has
reached this stage will not succumb
to the temptation to be misery. No
one needs to turn to the sayings OF
Poor Richard" for arguments in fav-
or of thrift Every block in every
city has its own story of disappoint
ments and sufferings from the folly
of the improvident. And every viii
lage and every city has also its ex-
amples of the wisdom of those who
thought for the future.
If any young man will go carefully
over his personal expenses for the
present year, separating those which
were necessary from those which
were not, let him then ask himself If
these latter were worth what they
cost him If, in looking back at them,
he decides that they were poor in
vestment for they were not only CAPT
tai but what would be the interest on