Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-07-09
WHAT A PAIR OF ANDIRoNs COST
FROM THE PLEDGE AND STANDARD.

Peter said my uncle, knocking the ashes
from his pipe, and laying it on the corner of
the mantle piece, and then fixing his eyes on
the andirons, Peter those andirons cost me
one thousand dollars p
Dear me p exclaimed my aunt
'Oh, fatherH exclaimed the girls.
Impossible said l.
True, every word true One thousand did
say ?-yes-two thousand-full two thou
sand dollars
'Well, WE'LL said my aunt, folding up her
knitting for the night, | should like to know
what you are talking about
My uncle bent forward and planted his
hands firmly on his parted knees, and with a
deliberate air, which showed no doubt of his
being able to prove his assertion, he began:
well, you see, good many years ago,
we had pair of common old androns Your
cousin Lefty says one day, father, don't you
think those old androns are getting too shah
by" Shabby or not, thought they would
hold the wood up as nicely as if they were
made of gold So paid no attention to Lefty
was afraid she was growing proud. Soon
after that, Peter, continued my uncle, syour
aunt took it up
There it goes interrupted my aunt, you
can't get along without dragging me in
your aunt took it up, Peter, and she said
our neighbors could afford brass andirons,
and were no better off than we were And she
said Lefty and her sister Jane were just get
ting old enough to see company, and the stin-
gy looking old andirons might hurt their mar
ket.' | knew that women will have their
own way, and there was no use in Directing,
and so | got the andirons'
The price of them was four dollars and
half
'Ah, that's more like it, cried my aunt; q
thought you said two thousand dollars
My dear, | wish you would not interrupt
me. Four and a half. Well, the first night
after we had got them, as we all sat by the
warm fire talking over the matter, Lefty called
my attention to the hearth, the stones of which
were cracked and uneven. The hearth was
entirely out of keeping with the new andirons,
and | thought might as we'll have it replaced
! first as last The next day mason was sent
for to examine it. He came in my absence,
and when lreturned home your aunt and cou-
sins all beset me at once, to have a marble
slab. The mason had convinced them the
hearth would not look decent without mar
Bile slab, and they put their heads together
La, me!' exclaimed my aunt, there was
no putting any heads together about it. The
hearth was real old worn out thing, not fit
for pig-pen.'
They put their heads together, Peter, as
was saying, and continued till got marble
hearth, which cost me twenty dollars Yes,
twenty dollars, at least Then | thought |
was done with expenses, but thought wrong
Pretty soon began TO hear sly hints thrown
out about the brick work around the fre-p place
not corresponding with the hearth. | stood
out for month or two against your aunt and
the girls, but they at length got the better Of
me, and was forced to have marble instead
of brick. And then the old wooden mantel-
| piece was so out of character that it was ne
cessary to have a marble one. The cost of
all this was nearly one hundred dollars. And
now that the spirit of improvement had got a
start, there was no stopping place. The new
marble mantel put to shame the old white
washed walls, and they must be painted, of
course, and to prepare them for paint, sundry
repairs were necessary While this was 60
ing on, your aunt and the girls appeared to
be quite satisfied, and when it was done, they
had no idea the old parlor could be made to
look so spruce. But this was only short re-
spite. The old rag carpet began to raise
dust, and found there would be no peace
Now, my dear said the old lady, with
pleasing smile, accompanied with partial ro-
tation of the head
Now, father " exclaimed the girls
It'll I got new carpet. That again sha-
med the old furniture, and it had to be turned
out and replaced with new. Now, Peter,
count up, my lad-twenty dollars for the
hearth, and one hundred for the mantel-piece,
and thirty for repairs. What does that make "
One hundred and fifty, uncle