Year: 1871

That's one good thing. 1 find L have
exactly spent all. But L can't see how
you have saved anything, We have
lived full as well, and 1 don't know
but what better than last year, when
We spent five hundred


sIts knack, Ezra said his wife,
smiling.


She was not inclined to men tion
how much she had saved. She want
ed some time or other TO surprise him
with it when it would be of some ser.
vice.


She may possibly have saved up
twenty five dollars, thought Mr.. New
ton, cor some such trife.' and so dis
missed the matter from his mind.


At the end of the second year, Mrs
Newton's savings, including the inter.
est, amounted to three hundred and
fifty dollars, and she began to feel
quite rich.


Her husband did not think to in
quire how she had succeeded, suppos-
ing as before, that it gould be but a
small sum.


However he had piece of good
news to communicate. His salary had
been increased from a thousand to
twelve hundred dollars.


He added: 'As / before allowed
you one half my income for household
expenses, it is no more than right /
should do so now. That will give you
Q better chance to save up part of ii
than before. Indeed, / don't know
how you have succeeded in saving any
thing thus far


AS before Mrs. Newton merely said
that she had saved something without
specifying the amount.


Her allowance was increased six
hundred dollars, but her expenses were
not proportionally increased at all so
that hor savings for the third year
swelled the aggregate sum in the saw
ing's bank to six hundred dollars.


Mr.. Newton, on the contrary, in
spite of his increased salary, was no
better off at the end OF the third year
than before. His expenses had in
crsased by q hundred dollars, though
he would have found it difficult to tell
in what way his comfort or happiness
had been increased.


In spite of his carelessness in re-
gard to his own affairs, Mr.. Newton
was an excellent man il regard to bu-
siness, and his services were valuable
to his employer. They accordingly
increased his salary from time to time,
till it reached sixteen hundred dollars.
He had steadily preserved the custom
Of assigning one half to bis wife for
the same purpose as heretofore, and
this had become such habit that he
never thought to inquire whether she
found it necessary to employ the whole
or not.


Thus ter years rolled away. Dur
ing all this time Mr.. Newton lived in
the same hired house, for which he
had paid an annual rent of one hun
dred and fifty dollars. Latterly, how
ever, he had become dissatisfied with
it. II had passed into the hands CT q
a new landlord, who was not disposed
to keep it in repair which he considered



About this time block of excel
lent houses were erected by capital
lists, who designed to sell or let them
as he might have an opportunity
They were more modern and Euch
better arranged than the one in which
Mr. Newton now resided, and he felt
a strong desire to move into one of
them. He mentioned it to his wife
one morning.


What is the rent, Ezra?' inquired
his wife.


1.-Two hundred and twenty-five dol
lars for the corner house; two hundred
for either of the Others


The corner house would be prefer
able, on account of the side windows


yes, and they have a large yard
besides. I think we must hire one Of
them. I guess 1 will engage one to-
day you know our year is out next
week


please wait till tomorrow before
engaging one


For what reason !?


Il should like to examine the house. ,


Very WE'LL 1 supp"se, tomorrow
will be sufficiently early


Soon after breakfast Mrs. Newton
called on Squire Bent, the owner OF
the new block, and intimated her de-
sire to be shown the corner house.
The request he readily complied with;
Mrs. Newton wss quite delighted with
all the arrangements, aad expressed
her satisfaction.


Are these houses for sale or to let p
she inquired.


Either said the owner.


The rent is. I understand, two hun
dred and twenty-five dollars


yes, 1 consider the corner house at
least twenty-five dollars more than the
rest


.And what do you charge for the
house to cash purchaser? asked Mrs.
Newton with subdued eagerness.


-Four thousand dollars cash. was
the reply; "and that is but small ad
vance upon the cost


Very we'll. I wall buy of you, ad-
ded Mrs Newton, quietly.


what did / understand you to say?
asked the Squire, scarcely believing
his ears.


4 repeat that I will buy this house
at your price, and pay you the money
within a week,


Then the house is yours. But your
husband said nothing of bis intention,
and in fact / did not know


That he had the money to invest,
[ suppose you would say. Neither
does he know it, and l must ask you
not to tell him at the present.


The next morning Mrs. Newton in
vited her husband to take u walk, but
without specifying the direction.


They soon stood in ffopt Of the