The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1916-01-21

that test would result,
Nothing was said about economy
'Xt morning, and the plans went into
ect at once. Mr.. Bowser dearly
uvcs his porterhouse steak and his
roast beef and mutton. He likewise
smacked his lips over his Mocha and
Java coffee and his potatoes are al
ways mashed TO his liking. Mrs.
Bowser went over to the butcher shop
herself that day, and she asked for the
cheapest and poorest roast of beef the
butcher had in stock.
"There is to be change. eh?'' smiled
the butcher.
YES" replied Mrs. Bowser 'Mr
Bowser says am too extravagant."
"He won't say so after eating this
roast" was the remark of the butcher
as she went out
| Returning home, she said to the
cook:
MARY, / want you TO empty the cof-
J fee grounds out on dish and put
them in the oven to dry. When it is
time to make the coffee for dinner use
the old grounds"
Lord, maam," exclaimed the as
tonished cook. 'do you want to kill off
Mr.. BowserT'
mo, Mary ] just want him to see
that l am not an eXtravagant wife.
You can also boil the potatoes with
their jackets on and not peel or mash
them. For sauce we will have stewed
prunes. Mr.. Bowser, as You know,
loves lemon pie Lemon pie is very
extravagant. You might therefore
make one of cocoanut. | believe we
have part of an old cocoanut in the
house. If it has moldy taste 1t
won't make any difference. 1t is only
economy to use up old cocOanuts. That
ia all, Mary, we will have for dinner
tonight. oh. yes; you may put on
some of that cooking butter in place of
the print Print butter is too extrav-
agant for these hard times"
When Mr.. Bowser entered the hall at
9 O'Clock in the evening it had been
dark for an hour. He found the hall
almost as dark as the outside of the
house. The flame of the gas jet was
turned down until it was no larger
than a buckshot. and after winking
and blinking for spell he called out:
Mrs. Bowser, are you here?"
YES" came her answer.
"Then why in thunder and blazes
don't you have this hall lighted as 1t
should hep
She came forward, and without turn
ing up the light she said:
~ knew could save 3 cents worth
of gas by keeping it low down be-
tween and q. Three cents is cents
these hard times, and we are going to
save it
Mr.. Bowser reached up and turned
on a full light and walked down into
the basement without even "humph!'
1t was after he got seated at the table
that he looked around and said:
"You must have expected three or
four tramps to dinner this EVENING"
II have put economy into practice y
was Mrs. Bowser's reply.
ut strikes me that you have been
! making fool OF It," he grunted. but
realizing that he had been caught In
; his own trap he resolved to make the
. best of 1t. He tried in vain for five
minutes to carve the roast. He might
as well have tried to carve an old boot
leg. He held up potato on fOrl
D and looked at 1t for about fifteen sec
onds before he returned 1t to the dish
D He did not fancy that kind. The breat
t was stale and the butter was strong
e and one mouthful satisfied him. Ht
t swallowed gulp of coffee and made
: such face over 1t that Mrs. Bowse
! almost laughed aloud. The cocOanu
pie remained to be tasted and 1t fairly
Q lifted Mr.. Bowser out of his chair, liz
had part to play, however, and h'
I remained Mt the table until Mrs. Bow
J, ser had finished. Several times during
the meal she spoke of the tender roas
and fragrant coffee and how they ha'
saved at least 81 on that dinner an,
g had plenty that was good and palata
/ BILE. She likewise thanked Mr.. Bowse
s that he had put her in the way o
u practicing economy.
When they had reached the sitting
u room she struck match and Lighted
one gas jet and explained:
1Ou ulMuNS Naul Pichty Va iibA
here, but we must be careful to keel
. the gas bills down. We will therefore
do hereafter with one jet have beel
% talking with Mary this afternoon, ant
she says as long rs we are hard VI
y for money she will work for 81 weel
10 less than before. She has thrown sev
eral pals of water into the coal biz
to make the coal burn longer, and tha
y is why the room is so chilly. | an
u going to try and save half ton o
coal next week. Did you bring hom
a, box of five cent cigars, Mr.. Bowser
II want to tell you that saw junk
80 man this afternoon, and he said h
Y would give me % cents pair TO
y your old shoes. He is coming 70
u, them tomorrow"
y, MT Bowser did the only thing tina
a. a. man could do under the circum
:. =. stances and keep his self respect. II
m found his way through the semidarh
- - ness to the hall and the hatrack an
II