Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1819-09-18


purchasing new carpet and looking
glass. l took oat my table book and
pencil, and being ready at short hand,
sketched down the following dialogue,
as it fell from the mouths OF the dispu-
tants.
Mr.. Coulter. Pray, wife, don't teaze
me any more about it now; it's high
time for me to go to work. The oxen
have been yoked up this half hour, and
the ploughing must be done.
Mrs. Coulter. You always put me of
just so--you're always in hurry when
| want to talk to you about buying any
thing. Why can't you be ike other
folks | won't be used SO, | tell you
plainly. Pm as good as my neighbors,
though | say it. Lady litter can have
her fine Turkey carpets, her fine look
ing-g lasses, her fine mahogany side
boards and bureaus, her fine China tea
sets, her fine hearth-rugs and fire-screens
and that's all well enough for her-she's
made something of--she can go and
come when she pleases, and have some
body to wait on her too-she can have
stylish company, and entertain them sty-
lishly when she's done But here am
at home above half the time, making
cheese, or butter, or bread, or pies, or
something or other. Why, no longer
ago than last Tuesday, | was caught
upon surprise by the popping in Of Mrs.
Trotter and Miss Stfeetyarp, with my
hands in tub of curds up to my elbows.
! thought | should clear go off," am
surprised, Mrs. Coulter, says Mrs. Trot-
ter, to find you making cheese, when you
are so abundantly able to hire help p
Think of that now Not but that I'm
willing to work once in while; but l
want some encouragement for it. How
do you think felt the other day, when
lady litter drove up to the door, in her
bran new tippee chaise and plated har-
ness, with servant between her feet On
a carpeted stool 81 must just run in one
moment, says she, to see how you do, and
be off again; for have fourvisits to make
yet, this afternoon, and must be home at
5 O'Clock to receive company" Icould
do no less than ask her into the parlor,
though was ashamed to have her. see it;
for, instead of having full length look
ing glass to turn herself round before,
and Turkey carpet to walk on, could
afford her nothing but plain glass to
adjust herpatches and dress, and home
made carpet to step on. | thought then,
and l think now, that it is Nighttime to
alter our old-fashioned way of living,
and be little more stylish. have but
just three carpets and four looking
glasses now in our whole house, and
they are now all out of fashion, can't
live so, and won't live so any longer
Ifyou don't buy them, willard if
Mr. c. But pray where will you get
money to pay for them? If they are pur-
chased, they must be paid for, you know;
and | have no money at command. How
much do you suppose they will cost?
Mrs. c. Cost you're always asking
about cost. What will such thing cost?
you say. Now, how can I tell +? Mrs.
Filter bought an imported caWet, the
other day, for her keeping-room, for
SOS, and glass for S6o-such are good
enough for me, though l should have
them of a different figure.
Mr.. c. You are very moderate in
your demands. Let us see-65 and Co.
that's 1873. Why that would take a yoke
of first-rate oxen, or four good cows
These are worth something but what
profit would the carpet and looking-glass
produce? The interest of the money
would amount in ten years to S75-and
if they are not really necessary, would it
not be better to content ourselves awhile
with the carpets and glasses we now
have, rather than involve ourselves in
debt? The times are pressing-money
scarce and difficult to be obtained: Be-
sides that, our circumstances are not af-
fluent-our family is numerous, and
somewhat expensive. haze no funds
to resort to, but the farm and my labor
on 1.-THE seasons are precarious, and
the crops uncertain. A loss in our stock,
or sickness in the family, would soon be
seriously felt by us. We could not
Miss Clara C. l never! Father is al
ways telling about profit and loss, and
bad crops, and sickness, and such things.
Pm sure Pm not extravagant. Think
of Rosa Tilter-she is about my age
her father bought a shawl for her last
week, that cost twelve dollars; and l ne
yer yet have had one that cost over ten.
Mr.. C. My child, if you will contrive
any way by honest employment to earn
ten dollars in twenty weeks, | will add to
it ten dollars more, and you may expend