The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-06-06
BY HISE & OSMAN.
from Meals Saturday Gazette.
Poor aud Proud.
ny MRs. JANE WEAVER.


to begin the world in that way. She ia
our only daughter, and now that she is
going to be married, we must make an
effort to give her decent sel-out.'
well, Jane, and is not the furniture |
proposed sufficiently decent! You know
can hardly get along as it is, and every
cent am taking for this purpose comes
on. of the capital. A plain lwo-s'ory
house, with a single sofa, cane-boltom
chairs, and Tie chambers comfortably fur
nishcd, is set.out as good as can ai-
ford. Besides, ] don't think Merivale
would like to go into large house; I'm
sure his business will scarcely warrant
it,.
You talk as if my daughter was going
TO marry beggar, Mr.. Simpson. Re-
collect how | have toiled and shaved to
bring Ellen up respectfully, and now
when she is about 10 marry promising
young mana doctor, too-you wish to
give her mean set-out. like that of
common mechanics wife. When | was
married, ing father gave me means TO be-
gin life like lady
MIR. Simpson shrugged his shoulders.
AS usual, his wife's volubiIiiy was too
much for him: he scarcely knew what
to say. A merchant in small business,
he had struggled all his life. without get
ting ahead and, Of late, since the times
had grown so hard, was glad to make
both ends meet at New Years. Had he,
when beginning life, stiuted and adher-
ed TO ri gid system Of economy-had he
been conlented to live in a smaller house,
to sport less costly furniture, to give few.
er expensive parties, he might, by this
time, have been in comparatively easy
circumstances but the banc Of his life
was pride, and to keep up appearances
he had sacrificed wealth; so that Row,
instead Of possessing at least moderate
fortune, he was kept continually on the
rack, lest, in some of the many convul-
sions of The times, he might become
bankrupt. His wife was even more fool.
ishly proud than himself; and, once or
twice, when Mr.. Simpson, more alarm
ed than usual, would have relrencheL, she
would not hear of it.
True she would say, business may
be bad. but it cannot always remain so.
l. must get better, and then every thing
can be made square again; in the mean
time, if we retrenched, people would
talk, and your credit would suffer. No,
no. appearances must he KEEP! up; some
thing might be saved from The expenses
Of the table. The upper rooms could
60 without carpets; leave it TO me, can
shift al"ng-and don't think of losing po-
silion by moving into a smaller house
The whole married life Of Mr.. Simp-
son consequently had been a struggle be.
tween pride and poverty. A splendid
party was atoned for by weeks of self.
denial IA, the table: the cost Of a new Sc,
of mirrors for the parlour was made up
by slining the furniture Of the upper
rooms; and thousand little comforts
were sacrificed To supply the means of
going To the shore, once a-year, with the
rest of their fashionable neighbors. Nor
had time taught them lcsson.-On the
marriage of their only daughter, This i'll
judging couple were about to commit the
same error for her, which had cmbl,ered
the whole of their married life.
The dispute between Mr.. Simpson and
his wife terminated as such disputes usu-
ally did, the lady gaining her point against
her husbands better judgment, 1t was
resolved to furnish their daughters house
in style, as the mother said, proper FOR
respectable people. Brussels carpet and
mahogany chairs in the parlors, with com
mon-slaned pine bcdsleads and cheap bu-
reaus bought at auction for all the upper
rooms except one, which was furnished
in a more costly style. were to constitute
the appointments Of the new household.
The intended husband had scarcely ,ho'l
the Simpsons would give their daughter
so handsome sei-out; and was almost
inclined 10 demonstrate against 1t as un.
necessary for he saw it would entail on
him the rent Of larger house than he had
expected, or, indeed, was willing TO take.
But he, too, was not without pride and
he resolved, since her family were so
generous, TO strain point in order to
commence housekeeping in a be6ling
way. Accordingly handsome residence
was selected, which was furnished accor-
ding to the projected plan and certainly,
when the young couple moved into it af
ter their marriage, the elegance and style
of every thing in their spacious parlors
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