Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-09-08


no putting of heads together about il. The
health was d real old worn out thing not fl
for pig-pen."
"They put their Heads together, Peter, as
was saying, and continued ill we got mar
bic hearth which cost me twenty dollars--yes,
twenty dollars at least Then | thought ] was
done with expenses, bot was wrong. Soon
began to hear sly hints thrown out about the
brick-w6rk about the fireplace not correspond
ing with the hearth stood out a moment or
two against your aunt and The girls, but at
length they got the better Of the, and ] was
forced TO have 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. The new marble
mantle put to shame the old white-washed walls
and they mus, be painted of course and to
prepare them for paint, snndry repairs were
necessary. While this was going on, your
aunt and tho girls appeared to be quite satis-
fed, and when it was done they had no idea the
bid parlor could be made 10 look so spruce
But this was only short respite. The old
rag carpet began to raise dust, and found
there would DO no peace"
"Now my DEAR" said the old lady, with
pleasing smile, accompanied with partial ro-
tatign Of the head
"Now faiheri" exclaimed the girls.
"Till got new carpet. That again,
sbamed the old furniture and ii had to DO turned
ou, and replaced with new. Now, Peter. count
up, my lad-twenty dollars for the hearth, and
one hundred and thirty for the maniel piece and
4. -. L.
''One hundred aud fifty, uncle"
"Well, fifty for paper aud paint :"
"Two hundred"
"Then fifty for carpet, aud one hundred at
least for furniiurc"-
"Three hundred and ffy."
! "Ahom There's that clock, too, and the
blinds-ffty more
"Four hundred, exactly"
! Nv aunt and cousins winked st each other.
"Now,' continued my uncle, $50 much for
this one room. No sooner was the room fn-
ished than the complaints came from all quar-
iers about the dining room and entry. Long
before this had surrendered at discretion, and
handed in my Submission. The dining room
cost two hundred MORE What does that count
Peteri"
Eight hundred, uacle."
"Then the chambers-at least four hundred
TO make them chime with the down stairs"
"Twelye hundred
"Tbe outside of the house had to be re-
paired aud painted, of course. Add two ham
dred for that
"Fourteen hundred"
"Then there must be piazza in front-thaI
cost two hundred.'
Sixteen hundred
, Here my aunt began TO yawn sleepily, Lefty
, TO poke the FIRE, and Jane 10 twirl over The
! leaves Of book.
"a new carriage came next, Peter-tha
cost two hundred dollars"
Eighteen hundred"
"Then there was lawn to be laid out anC
neatly ieneed--a servant to be hired-parties
T given Observation-Disclosures and dresses a
J double the former cost, and hundred other lit
J tie expenses 10 keeping with the new order o
things. Yes, Peter, | was entirely within
! bounds when said two thousand dollars"
The opposition was silent. My aunt imme
: 6iately rose and guessed il was bedtime. wa
p lef alone with my uncle, who was not incline'
) TO drop the subject. He was a perseveriuI
0 man, and never gave up what he undertook
ill he had done the work thoroughly. So HI
: brought out his books and accounts and Sc
' about making an exact estimate Of the expon
e ses. He kept me up ill aler midnight befor'
G he got through. His conclusion was that tn
4 pair of andirons cost him twenty-five hundred
J, and hfy dollars