Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-10-20
MIS- CELLAN Y.
HARD TIMES.
ny W.. NJ. RonIxsoN.

NJ, old one is quite shabby and unit to wear
TO church."
"He must wear il ifit is. Bows are grra,
expense. certain"
"But YOU forget, husband, thn, he has
worn long time he really deserves a nc"
coe."
"Hsri times, Mrs. Browne, hard times :
Money is as tight as-as the bark to tree.
Ihlve hard work to &c, accR,, or to keep one
aner J have got IT,"
~ don't think Jesse has drawn very heavi.
" on yOur purse, for the child has had
scarcely anything this Winter" added the
wife
"Ms Browne. coal IS Eve dollars ton ,
Don't ,Tv,k OF 'uy new ear' in these hard
umes."
"Hirh. c,riaisly, but
"Ard VOID the same a cori' It's eNorbi-
aat''' interrupted Mr.. Browne, growing
warm with his subject
"Bu, the children must have boots and
shoes. and c'o,hc, iusi the same as though
r.' VI, lower. These are necessary ar'i-
elrs that cannot he dispensed with"
.,Y5u must eccnomizs, wife Mend uP the
On clothes. and send the boots 20 the shoe
maker 4 patch O, two wor't hart the looks
much. and make. them almos, a. good as
new advised Nj Browne, who ua' yerv
particular about wearing mendsi clothes him
ss'f. darn in his estimation, bcio: sufficient
o. condemn 4 coat or vest.
"I vas hoping 90 v able 20 Get the girls
r,v hrnpc,s ih.s winter, hr their presen,
r-ss have been 10 wear NO seasons already
b1,I suppose tbsv will have to so without,
continued the wife IN a love tone.
"Of course ,hev will Clarke tells me tha,
rr.r vas twelve twenty-five Yesterday, ]
wonder " hat the country is coming to-
"But he POOR will feel thc'c high prices
more ,b1r NC 60 Think how much less We
nlube frccmuolsl by ,hcm than poor vii-
rrs With large hmihe. of small children.
Ws mus, iry and bc'p sick Mr.. Wilson this
-r-h ,hc last time I was in .he had bu,
r.H u.-s,allc fre, though the dav VAS b.i.
r.-ea'1
"Shs would frs' very grateful 0r little
ur,l." rs.o.rri bsre,ulen, Mrs Browne,
vtatll given Oh, woman in question many
good dinner.
"Chry begins at home, especially when
tsr,r,sak is = shilling a pound, and other
nr1, ir proportion" replied the husband,
ls4ru- over a1l lighting a ci-'r hy the
glowing anthracite, and then, tipping hIs
..-.r sr-s 20 o. e-ty position, amused him
81 by putting o1, ;h- smoke into aeocy col
ur-s.
"W-. Browne. how much did that cigar
c-s,'' asked his wife.
Tic individual addressed didn'' appear to
p, Sensible that be had been spoken TO, until
'fsrr,,,ion had been repeated.
GLOW much dd on, cigar cost, d.i you
ass' -Four CENTS only, and cheap p,tha,. cN-
cusr- la,or' Smith saws he never had the
la,s,r &C., sgch a delicious brand before, and
7 man"
..You never smoke les, than Eve day.
a15 sometime, more :" she coutinuei, 10 the
ssns qrict way.
That's a moderate numbsr,a very moder-
a,srunber.N Mrs Browne. some make Moth
i-- of smoking dozsn. wha, would you
say i'll"
Five cigars at four cents each, amount
O. twenty cents, and seven umss twenty is 4
collar and forty Alnos, nine shilinss a
week for smoke Mr Browne
Did it ever occur to YOU iba, the money
nigh, ~ more pro6ilb'y srcr,-in rurcha'-
irr a new cap for Jesse, for instance, or
ba7.rc Mrs Wilson a few groceries every
vsskr'
NJ. Browne sudicnly be,hough, himself
Of most pTs,sin. engagement, and len the
house without answering thi. pertinent iului-
~ H., wife smiled meaniagly, and wen,
90 sewing.
She had heard a srca, deal about "harl
tine" iar several months, and had had econ.
cmy rrslcbea To her, until, prudeu, and saw
ing ., she undoubtedly was, the word had he
cone disacres,bls 10 her ears Mr browne
Wa' entirely willing to practice this cOmmsn-
iab's virtue when he could do 50 without in-
tsiisrirc With his comfort bu, unfortunately
COZ bis wife and children, this DID not often
oecor. In fact, he loved hrs ease. and would
DO Stho1t nothing tha, graIidsd his Palate,or
administered to bi, ,njoymsn, in any other
way.
His clothes mus, be Of the best material,
and made up in the most fashionable style,
70 natter vha, i, eOs, bu,Mr, Browne and
Ihr eiildrcu mlcb, wear theirs an they were
thrgld-bare. although their manufacture orig.
insly Vas no outlay to him. his wife being
handy a, her needle, ard not unwilling tn
turn tailoress or dressmlksr once or tNi,e a
wear to save eIPenie.
Bu, now Mrs. Browne queried, las she bad
ohsn done before,) whether her husband
ought not 10 economic his share-wheiher
a litils selfdenial on his part would not do
rather more good than the continual cry Of
"hard times, and you must Prle,ice economy,
my dear"
She asked herself II few practical hints
v0ulnd no, serve a good purpose in remind
ing him Ihai nrnciice Ra. bstisr ihan nrnnch-