Page:Famous Living Americans, with Portraits.djvu/435

 412 FAMOUS LIVING AMERICANS Ledger A. You could not get this book from me for all the ledgers in the world and all the money they represent. It al- most brings tears to my eyes whenever I turn the pages of this little book ; and as I look through it I feel a sense of grat- itude I can't express. In it, back in 1855, when I began the struggle of life for myself, I set down all I earned and all I paid out. I see by it that the first three months I received only fifty dollars. Beginning January 1, New Year's day, 1856, 1 note that I received twenty-five dollars a month for my work. And this, according to Ledger A, is what I did with my money. From November, 1855, to April, 1856, 1 boarded myself, and the little items are recorded here. In that time I paid, I find, a trifle over nine dollars for clothing. My clothes were not of the most fashionable cut; I bought them of a ready-made clothier. But they were such as I could afford, and it was a great deal better than buying clothing I couldn't pay for. I note but one piece of extravagance — a pair of fur gloves for two dollars and a half. I ought to have bought mittens. During four months, in which I earned one hundred dollars, and out of which I lived and saved some money, I also gave over five and one-half dollars to Christian work. Here are the items, starting from November 25, 1855, when I gave ten cents to foreign missions. Then came these items : To Mr. Downie, one of our young ministers, ten cents. Pew rent — we called them * slips ' — one dollar. December 16, 1855, Sun- day school, five cents. For a present for Mr. Farrar, the Sun- day school superintendent, twenty-five cents. Five Points Mission, New York, twelve cents. For a little religious paper called the Macedonian^ ten cents. Present for teacher Sked, twenty-five cents. I now turn to January, 1856. On the 13th of that month I find I had something left over for good work. I find these items : Missionary work, six cents ; church poor, ten cents — all on one Sunday. February 3rd I gave ten cents to the church poor; and also to foreign missions ten cents. Going to March 2nd, I gave ten cents to the church poor ; the next day, pew rent, one dollar ; March 16th, foreign missions, ten cents ; March 21st, one dollar to Y. M. C. A. And all this
 * This little document is my first account book; I call it