Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-04-10
MlisteIIaneuus 6Ieaninqs.
what a Pair OF Andirons Cost.

dollarsV
"Dear me y exclaimed my aunt.
"Oh, father n cried the girls.
"Impossiblen said l.
True, every word true. One thousand did
! say?-yes-two thousand-full two thousand
dollars
Well, well, said my aunt, folding up her
knitting for the night, " should like to know
what you are talking about? ?"
My uncle bent forward, and planting 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
Wen, you see, good many years ago, we
had pair of common old andirons Your
cousin Lefty says one day, Father, don't you
think these old andirons are getting too shah
byY Shabby or not thought they would hold
the wood up as nicely as if they were made Of
gold. Soon after that, Peter continued, my
unle, your aunt took it up
There 1t goes" interrupted my aunt "you
can't get along without dragging me in"
Your aunt took it up, Peter, ard she said.
our neighbors could afford brass andirons, and
they were no better off than we were And
she said, Lefty and her sister Jane were lust
getnnS Old enough to see company, and the
stinSy looking andirons might hurt their mar.
ket. knew that women will have their own
way, and there is no use in Directing and so i
got the andirons
half
All, that's more like it," cried my aunt; II
thought you said two thousand dollars ?"
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
ent,reiy out Of keeping with the new andirons,
ana thought might as well have it replaced
nrst as last. The next day mason was sent
ior 10 examine it. He came in my absence
anu "hen l returned home, your aunt and
cousins all beset me at once to have a marble
sap, and they put their heads together"
La mel exclaimed my aunt there was
no putting 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 dolIars-yes.
twenty dollars, at least Then thought was
done with expenses, but ! was wrong. Soon
began to hear sly hinSs thrown out about the
brick work around the fireplace not cores
pondng with the hearth. l stood out mo
ihent or two against your aunt and the girls
Dut they at length got the better of me- and
was forced to have marble instead of brick
And then the old wooden mantlepiece was so
out OF character that it was necessary to have
marble one. The cost of all this was nearly
one hundred dollars. And now that the spirit
OF improvement had got start, there was no
stopping. The new marble mantle put to
shame the old whitewsshed walls, and they
must be painted, of course and to prepare them
Tor paint, sundry repairs were necessary. While
III Il
peared to be quite satisfied, and when it was
done, they had no idea that the old parlor could
be made to look so spruce. But this was only
short respite. The old rag carpet began to
raise dust, and / found there would be no
peace
Now, my dearl" said the old lady, with d
pleasing smile, accompanied with a partial 70
tation of the head
Now, father u exclaimed the girls
"Till | got new carpet. That, again
shamed 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 and thirty for the mantel
piece and repairs. What does that make?"
"One hundred and fifty, uncle"
Well, fifty for paper and paint?"-
1.-TWO hundred"
Then fifty for carpet, and one hundred a
least for furniture y
Three hundred and fifty"
"Aheml There's that clock, too, and the
blinds-ffty more
"Four hundred, exactly"
My aunt and cousins winked at each other
Now continued my uncle, $50 much 70
this one room. No sooner was the room finish
ed than the complaints came from all quarters
about the dining room and entry. Long befort
this had surrendered at discretion, and hand
ed in my submission. The dining room cos
two hundred more. What does that count
Peter?'
Slight hundred, unnle"
"Then the chambers-at least four hundred
TO make them chime with the down stairs"
Twelve hundred"
The outside of the house had to be repaired
and painted, Of course. Add two hundred foi
that?"
Fourteen hundred"
"Then there must be piazza in front-tha
cost two hundred"
"Sixteen hundred"
Here aunt began to yawn, Lefty to poke The
fire, and Jane to twirl over the leaves OF book
"A new carriage came next, Peters tha
cost two hundred dollars"
Eighteen hundred dollars"
"Then there was lawn TO be laid out anc
neatly fenced-a servant TO be hired-partie.
gwen occaslonally-Donnets and dresses al
double the former cost, and a hundred other
little expenses in keeping with the new order Of
things Yes, Peter, was entirely within
bounds when said two thousand dollars
The opposition was silent Ny aunt imme.
diately rose and guessed it was bedtime /
was left alone with my uncle, who was not in.
clined to drop the subject. He was perse.
verins man, and never gave up what he under
took, till he had done the work thoroughly.
So he brought ont his books and accounts, and
set about making an exact estimate Of the ex-
penses. He kept me up till after midnight, be.
fore he got through. His conclusion was, that
the pair Of andirons cost him twenty-four hun.
dred and fifty dollars.
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