The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-10-05
THE POWER OF THE PENCE.
A TRUE MANCHESTER STORY.


The Rev. ]. B. Owen, M. A, Of Bilston, in
tho course of lecture delivered in the Liver
pool Concert Hall, in connection with the
Church of England institution, upoo Popular
Insurance." related an anecdote s:eikingly IL
Illustrative of the power which lies a the hand
of the working men to promote their own social
comfort and independence, if they would only
exert it. A Manchester calico-prin2er was on
his wedding day, persuaded by his wife to al
low her two half-pints of ale Cay as her
share. He rather WINGED under tho bargain !;
for, though a drinker himself he Would have
preferred perfectly sober wife. They both
worked hard, and he, poor man, Vas seldom
out of the public-house as soon as the factory
closed. The wife and husband s&% little Of
each other except at breakfast but, as she
kept things tidy about her, and mada her stint
ed and even selfish allowance for housekeeping
meet the demands upon her, he Dever COM
planned. She had her daily pint, and he per-
haps had his two or three quarts; and Mother
interfered with the other except when at odd
times she succeeded, by dint of one little gentle
artifce or another, to win him homo an hour
or two earlier at night and now end then to
spend an entire evening in his own house..
But these were rare occasions They had been
married year; and, on the morning of their
wedding anniversary, the husband looked as
kance at her neat and comedy person with
some shade of remorSe, as he obgeroed-
Mary, wen had no HOLIDAY sia' we were
wed and only that haven't Jenny i tn
world, we'd take jaunt TO tn village to see
thee mother"
"Would'st like to go, John ~ asked she,
softly, between smile and tear, hear him
speak kindly as in old times II thee'd like
to 60 John, I'll stand treat"
"Thou stand treatD said he, With half a
sheer; has got a fortune wenchtn
Nay" said she, but I'm gotte, the pint o
ale"
Gotten what2" said he.
The pint O. alel" was the reply.
John still did not understand her, till the
faithful creature reached down a stocking from
under loose brick up the chimney and,
counting out her daily pint of ale IN the shape
of three hundred and sixty-fve threepeDces, Il.
e., "a lis 3D. put it into his hand, exclsim.
ing
"Thee shall have .he HOLIDAY john
John was ashamed, astonished, conscience
smitten charmed. He wouldn't touch it,
Hasn't thee had thy share2 Then I'll ha'
no more" said he.
They kept their wedding day with the old
| DAME and the wife's little capital was the nu-
cleus of series of investments that ultimately
sweiled into shop, factory, warehouse, country
seat, carriage; and, for sughs Mr.. Owen
knew, John was mayor of his native borough
at lask
MUTTON RATHER THAN BEEF-A PLEA FOR
| SHEEP.-We sincerely wish that the American
| people would substitute mutton for beef and
pork to much greater extent than they have
been in the habit of doing. Mutton is more
nutritious and wholesome than beef even, and
vastly more 30 than pork In fact the latter
ought not TO be eaten at al, and especially the
tat parts Where on earth are there so healthy
and obustlooking people as the English of ali
classes! 1t is not simply the fogs and humidity
OF their climate which gives them their robust
appearance and good looks; for people near
them, with climate almost like theirs look
very differently. So far as meats are concern
cd, they are mutton eaters probably more
than half the animal food consuused in Eng.
land being mutton. But it is not Merino nor
Saxony mutton-nor of the ragged, Fence Jump
ing creatures commonly kept over large dis
trlcts OF the United States. English, Scotch,
| Welsh, and Irish mutton is mainly Of improved
breeds, well bred and thoroughly cared for.
These we may have in as high perfection ss
they, by obtaining the breeds and bestowing
q little pains In their propagation and feed
ing. We are glad to know that the attention
of many of our farmers is turning to that
| branch of stock, and wa trust that the good
taste and discrimination Of consumers of meats
! will give substantial encouragement TO their
endeavors.-Am. Agrieutturist, Sept. l3.