two men
earn the same wages. What is the cause of the difference between them?

It is in this. The one man is intelligent and prudent; the other is the
reverse. The one denies himself for the benefit of his wife, his family,
and his home; the other denies himself nothing, but lives under the
tyranny of evil habits. The one is a sober man, and takes pleasure in
making his home attractive and his family comfortable; the other cares
nothing for his home and family, but spends the greater part of his
earnings in the gin-shop or the public-house. The one man looks up; the
other looks down. The standard of enjoyment of the one is high; and of
the other low. The one man likes books, which instruct and elevate his
mind; the other likes drink, which tends to lower and brutalize him. The
one saves his money; the other wastes it.

"I say, mate," said one workman to another, as they went home one
evening from their work, "will you tell me how it is that you contrive
to get on? how it is that you manage to feed and clothe your family as
you do, and put money in the Penny Bank besides; whilst I, who have as
good wages as you, and fewer children, can barely make the ends meet?"

"Well, I will tell you; it only consists in this--in _taking care of the
pennies!_"

"What! Is that all, Ransom?"

"Yes, and a good 'all' too. Not one in fifty knows the secret. For
instance, Jack, _you_ don't."

"How! I? Let's see how you make that out."

"Now you have asked my secret, I'll tell you all about it. But you must
not be offended if I speak plain. First, I pay nothing for my drink."

"Nothing? Then you don't pay your shot, but sponge upon your
neighbours."

"Never! I drink water, which costs nothing. Drunken days have all their
to-morrows, as the old proverb says. I spare myself sore heads and shaky
hands, and save my pennies. Drinking water neither makes a man sick nor
in debt, nor his wife a widow. And that, let me tell you, makes a
considerable difference in our out-go. It may amount to about
half-a-crown a week, or seven pounds a year. That seven pounds will
clothe myself and children, while you are out at elbows and your
children go barefoot."

"Come, come, that's going too far. I don't drink at that rate. I may
take an odd half-pint now and then; but half-a-crown a week! Pooh!
pooh!"

"Well, then, how much did you spend on drink last Saturday night? Out
with it."

"Let me see: I had a pint with Jones; I think I had another wi