The Northern star, and constitutionalist. [volume] (Warren, R.I.) 1834-1837, 1837-07-15
The Button.

III IL. WELD
"I care not a buttonw No! but
button may be of more importance many
times than we are aware of. We have
known an instance where an unlucky vest
button was the u1doing" Of "a man.
He was a visionary in money matters,
schemer in things appertaining to econo-
my. shaver of flints, and collector of
rusty nails, rags, paper, and all the ct ce-
terra which are convertible into Cash. In
his earlier years he was remarkable for
the indelatigability with which he treas
ured up such small notions, and his par
ents predicted for him wealth and influ-
ence.
A copper never slipped through his
fingers except on holidays, and then
ny bit. Articles Of necessity he was
careful to purchase by barter trade, and
when this was impossible he parted with
The needlul as reluctantly as the sinner
lets 90 his hold on life. Six cents and IL
quarter, or twelve cents and halt, were
rever expended by him for less than their
positive actual value, for he said-"4 per
cent. on dollar is too much to lose"
He would walk the ice at the risk Of his
life, or row himself over the river in a
scow to evade the cone cent toll by the
law established" and tie handkerchief
about his hat to save il from shower.
He would certainly be rich, every body
was right for once; he has, but his riches
he must enjoy alone
-
Confound the quotation, we have forgot
ten the rest of it, but at any rate he is
still unmarried and likely to remain 50.
Jeptha, by patient pursuance Of the ha-
bit of frugality, had, at the age of one and
twenty, accumulated some five or six
hundred dollars, which in his hands at the
age of Two and twenty was doubled. He
had for long time been glicved at the
unnecessary outlay for expensive provis-
ions as he deemed them which he saw in
his boarding house, and was inwardly
persuaded that if he were married the sa-
wing to be- effected IN housekeeping,
mending and washing, together
perform, would make quite diminuion
in his expenses. Accordingly he fixed
his eve upon a pretty tailoress and deter
mined immediately TO commence playing
he amiable to her. Ills approaches
we're readily Understood by the lady of
he shears, and as Jeptha's property"
rad become a matter of gossip among
narriageable damsels, these approaches
we're by no means unencouraged. Jep-
ha went on swimmiugly for few months,
oing all his counting on Sabbath even
ngs, as that part of his time could he de-
oted TO no other earthly purpose, for be-
ides being prudent, Jeptha was very con-
cien,ious withal, and although ne would
ot buy hay and sell on The Sabbath, ho
would save time by driving bargain Of
his kind on that day
Things were approaching crisis. In
he eyes Of those who keep a register Of
uch affairs, Jeptha and Mary were al
cady considered as man and wife. One
light Jeplha brought to Mary vest, with
request that before the mex, Sabbath
We She would sew on button. Oh that
utton that rsscally button was to
,ake!-
Better for him had that button never
cen manufactured.
II had been Jeptha's rule heretofore to
end his apparel, 10 save expense. In
Q habit himself Of doing nothing without
,nsderatlon, he did not dream @! having
ny thing done for him without paying for
even by Mary, and had departed from
$ usual rule out of friendship loi her,
hile truth to say the recollection that
e and what she had would soon be his,
I'd its weight with him. lie did not ex-
ct her TO give him the labor, and en-
cted that the prize he paid her, would,
ie bread thrown upon the waters, return
fore many days.
After spending az much time IN conver-
lion as fear OF dcranging his rest, and
nsuming oil would permit, he rose to go
me-
"Herc, Jeplha, is our vcst,' said Ma
"Weli, that's scwcd on slick what do
u charger" inquired ho.
" Nothing" fLH - t.'
/" Notbingl" that word was poser 10
plha, who had his hsna in his pocket