Year: 1872

"Gaorge Somers earns only three
dollars p


You are right"


'And yet lie lives, and does not run in
debt"


"But he is forced to denv himself many
TITLE comforts which We enjoy"


And the one great comfort which
we miqM enjoy we are throwing away"


How is that, Alice q


"Tbe comfort OF littl, sum in the
bank which we would see growing toward
the answering of future wants 2"


Albert could not, for the life of him, see
how it was to be done and Alice feared
that a lesson Of empty words might be
wasted. She kneV her husband well. She
knew that bis ambition needed a substan-
tla prop. Never, of his own accord, would
he commence TO save 10y lh'teS. he did
not estimate money in that way. Had
some kind fairy dropped into his hand a
five-t wenty bond for five hundred dollars,
be would Lave put it away gladly and
with such nest-eeg in the start be m;gh
have sought to add to tn store. But be
could see no hope in dollar DILL, and much
less could be discover the nucleus OF a
grand saving in fifty scrip,


With Alice it was diff.rent. From her
meagre earnings as school teacher she had,
in less than five years, saved up three
hun1red dollars and the fist savings she
had put nv had been silver dime. She
knew what tile by little could do, and
she was determined II show it to her
husbanA. She must be patient and per-
>evering and these qualities she possessed
in all eminent degree. 1t was to be the
grand undertaking Of these first years OF
her welded lite, and to do it she would
bend every available energy. She planned
that, if possible, she would get hold Of thar
odd fifty cents every day or If she could
dot do that, she would do the best she
could.


Generous frank, loyal and loving, Albert
was an easy prey to the wiles Of a wife as
oval and as loving as himself He gave her
money when she asked tor 1t and she
asked for it when she though he had
any to give.


And here let me say that Alice knew
hcr husband would not run in debt. That
was an evil they had both array"d them
selves against IN the outset. Wuen Albert's
purse was emp1y he bought nothing and
wheu it was full he was apt to buy more
han be needed. Alice knew all this and
governed herself accordingly.


II think" said Alice, one evening,
''that ! must fix over my old brown
cashmere for winter. should like new
one but don't suppose you can afford
it"


Albert looked grieved. The idea that
he could not afford his wife new dress !


But tor such an one as she wanted
it would cost twenty FIVE or thirty dollars.


eff you want it. get it ~ said Albert
emphatically. q will let you have
twenty dollars from this months pay, and
the balance You shall have next month"


Alice got the thirty dollars, but she did
not get the new dress. BY the outlay OF
five dollars for new trimming she cOntriv
d to fix over the brown cashmere 50 that
it looked every bit rs good a. new.


And so Alice worked. Sometimes she
isked her husband for ten cents some
times. for fifty cents, sometimes. for
dollar: and sometimes, for more and al
the end of year, upon carefully reckon
ing NJ, she found that she had managed
To get hold of rather more than her fifty
cents a day but she had done it by
lenying herself of many things, some OF
which We're really needful.


The result of the first years effort
inspired Alice with new life and vigor.
She had saved up one hundred and fifty
dollars, and had invested ii it government
bonds. Through the influence of a dear
friend who was in large banking esGah-
Eshment, and TO whom she had contided
her secret, she was enabled to get the
bonds at their face value.


1t was only little at time-sometimes
a very litte-but even penny dropped
into the strong box was so much gained.
-Only little,-but those Titles, multi
piled by other Titles, grew amazingly.
The huSbandman who should set himself
down by hill of corn, and wait to
see the tender blade put forth, would be
wearied and disheartened I; but ne knows
if he plants the tiny seed, and cultivAtes
4s he ought, that the. harvest of golden
grain will come at length.


Albert and Alice were married in the
>priug of 1866 1t was on an evening OF
August. 1870, that Albert come home out
If sorts. He had been notified that he
must leave the cottage. They must give
ND the plea, ant home, and lose the little
garden they had cultivated with 50 much
tondness aid care.


" The owner wishes to SELL" lie eX-
plained " and he has had an offer. He
asks two thousand dollars, and must have
five hundred down"


Aice's eyes cleaned with radiant light.


She had been thinking for some time
that she must let her husband into her
secret. It had begun to wear upon her.
And now the time had come as though
by providential interpositiOn.


She did not make scene. She would
not add to the denouement by any by-play.
She simply got up and went away to her
cabinet, and when she care back she
brought a little book il her hand


Albert" said she, let's you n e
buy the cottage"


Albert looked at her in amazement {;
and directly it flashed upon him that
there was too much solemnity in her look
md tone for badinage. Something that
he had noticed during the past months
came back to him, and he trembled with
the weight of suspence that tell upon him.


Alice saw and understood. At first the
great food almost overcame her, and she
was forced to rest. and wipe her eyes,
before she could proceed. And then she