Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-05-24
THE SAVING GRACE
 By CHARLES CAMPBELL JONES.

It. always been a matter of pro- Iound wonder to me-" went on Home maker acridly, ''how one woman can make away with so mucn money. And you never get anything worth men, tloning for it, either. You never did get a bargain worth bringing home. AS for me, if want anything, l go and buy it at a first-class store, pay f1rst-class price, and am thus reas- onably sure of getting first-class article."
 But stores do differ in their prices," replied Mrs Homemaker patiently, "and for various reasons. Sometimes they have sale because they have too much of given article on hand, sometimes it's because they want to take stock, and sometimes it's because-oh, we'll, just because"
 That's what I thought" agreed Homemaker; just what I thought. Now, Pll betIon your trip to the city you spend more than you can afford and don't get a thing that is one bit better than may be bought here in Slowburg at the same price. You see if I'm not telling the gospel truth tool"
 Mrs. Homemaker thought silently for moment, then resolved to forego the pleasures she had expected and settle both the matter and the other member of the controversy ..
 "l want you to distinctly under stalt1, John Hezekiah Homemaker, that I do not mean to purchase a single thing in the city-not if you beg me on your pended knees. l suppose my sister will think it rather queer; she will probably figure that we are hard up this season. But 1 am coming home with nothing except a sublime consciousness that I will have no bargains for you to poke fun at"
 q would like to believe you," fin ished Homemaker; "but after living with you for fifteen years, know you to we'll. You'll bring a bargain, or you'll come home as you never come before" =
 'I don't doubt but what that would please you," flung back Mrs. Home maker. retreating to the kitchen; "then you could marry that red-head- ca Simpson HuSSy.
 Mrs. Homemaker went to the city to visit, her sister. All through the visit she refraind from purchasing a single thing at any of the stores. She saw many things that she wanted, and some that she needed; but her promise kept her hand from her purse As a further measure of pre- caution, she had come with only money for actual expenses. So on the day before she was to leave for home, her pocketbook contained carfare and twenty dollars-just her fare to Slow burg
 On this day she decided to take last trip downtown, and, because her sister was busy, she took the trip alone. She went Straight to the sy1n- dow of a little fashionable shop and gazed again at hat she had admired many times before. It was almost the exact reproduction of the crea- tion worn by Banker Gottit's wife at home, and Mrs. Homemaker knew that banker had written a check for twenty dollars in payment therefor.
 The hat in the window had been priced at twenty dollars; now, even as MTS. lOOhSN' ~ o'SA '> placed card under it which read z all to see: $1S.9S: Marked down for to-day only"
 Mrs. Homemaker looked, lonsed and was. lost Here was real barg- ain, possessing the advantage of being comparable-to her husbands en- lightment- with the hat purchased by the Banker Gottit's wife: She went in, bought and paid for the hat, had it boxed, and took it blithely to the! express office. Then she went back to her sisters. Three days later Mrs. Homemaker arrivMl home Before she got a chance to open her mouth, Home maker began,
 "Welr, it got here all in good shape, and I don't mind your spending that much money for a bonnet. But l Cant see why you couldn't wait and patronize Miss Trimem's Emporium as Mrs. Gottit did. Your hat IS enough like hers to be it's sister, and I know you didn't get it any cheap er.",> ,,,,.,.
 Mrs. Homemaker beamed. "That's inst it." she jubilated. There are good many things you don't know. ! hannen to know that Mrs. Gottit paid twenty dollars for her hat, and peg to inform you that mine-bougnt at one of the best shops in the city