Page:Adventures in Thrift (1916).djvu/77

 at the Monday morning meeting of the Housewives' League.

"I don't quite understand why this cut, the third and fourth ribs, is twenty-three cents a pound when the Housewives' League price says twenty-one cents," she explained, proffering Mr. Dahlgren the printed sheet.

The butcher's shrewd experienced glance swept the line of quotations.

"Ah—hem—yes, I see. U'm—Quite so. Twenty-one cents to twenty-three. That's right. Twenty-three cents—and that's what we're charging you."

"But," murmured Mrs. Larry, trying to look severe, "why do you charge me the top price instead of the bottom one? I am a regular customer. I pay my bill weekly, which is as good as cash, my husband says." Being launched, she felt quite courageous. Surely this was the way Larry would talk to competing firms!

"I have been marketing here for three years and have paid you hundreds of dollars."

"I appreciate all that," said Mr. Dahlgren good-naturedly, "and I want to hold your trade;