Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-03-28
MISC ELL AN Y.
What n Pair Of AndirOns Cost.

Eete, Sdlu my uuClc, kuoChiuS tiic dsH-
es from his pipe, and laying it Oh the COR
ner of the mantle-piece, and then fixing
his eyes on the andirons, ''Pete, those and
irons cost me one thousand dollars"
Dear me !" exclaimed aunt.
%, father!" cried the girls.
''ImpoSsible p said |.
"True, yes, every word true. One thou
sand did say ?-yes, two thousand-tull
two thousand dollars"
"Well, well.' said my aunt, folding up
her knitting for the night, II should like to
know what you are about"
My uncle bent forward, and planting his
hands firmly on hispartlng knees. and with
a deliberate air, which showed that he had
no doubt of being able to prove his asser-
ton, he began:
"Well, you see, good many years age
we had pair of common old andirons.-
Your cousin Lefty said one day, Father,
don't you think those old andirons are get
ting too shabby ?'-Shabby or not, thought
they would hold up the wood as nicely as
if they were gold. So | paid no attention
to Lefty. was afraid she was growing
proud. Soon after that, Peter" continued
my uncle, turning to NE, ''youy aunt took
! it up"
.t'rhere it goes" interrupted my aunt ;
'you can't get along without dragging me
in.n
"Your aunt took it up, Peter, and she
said that our nelghbors could afford brass
andirons, and were no better off than we
we're. And she said Lefty and her sister
Jane were just getting old enough to see
company, and the stingy looking old Hndl-
roDs might hurt their market. knew that
4 women would have their own way, and
there was no use in objecting, and so got
the andirons. The price of them was four
dollars aud half"
"Ah. that is more like it" cried my
aunt. al thought you said two thousand
just now !"
-Four dollars and half. Well, the first
night after we got them, we all sat by the
warm fire, talking over the matter. Lefty
called nv attention to the hearth, the
stones of which were cracked and uneven
The hearth was entirely out of keeping
with new andirons, and thought | might
as we'll have it replaced first as last The
next day mason was sent to examine 1t.
He came in my absence, and when | re-
turned home, your aunt and your cousins
all beset me at once to have marble slab
The mason had convicted them that the
hearth would not lcok decent without mar
bic slab, aud they put their heads togeth-
er---"
"La mel" exclaimed my aunt 'there
was no putting our heads together about it.
The hearth was real worn-out thlng-not
fit for pig-pen."
They put their heads together, Peter, as
| was saying, and continued till got mar
bic hearth, which cost me twenty dollars
at least. Then thought was done with
expenses, but | thought wrong. Pretty
soon began to hear sly hints thrown out
about the brickwork round the fireplace not
corresponding with the hearth. lstood 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 IN
stead Of brick. And then the old wooden
mantle piece had become so out OF charac-
ter that it was necessary to have marble
one The cost of this was nearly one hun
dred dollars. And now, that the spirit oI
improvement had got start, there was nc
stopping place. The new marble put tc
shame the old white-washed walls, and they
must be papered. The woodwork had to
be painted, of course, and to prepare it fol
} paint, sandry repairs were necessary
: While this was going on your aunt and the
girls appeared to be quite satisfied; ano
when it was doue, they had no idea tha
the old parlor could be made to look sc
l spruce. But there was only short respite
The old rag carpet began to raise a grea
dust, and found out there would be nc
peace" -,
'Now, my dear !" said the old lady will
pleasant smile, accompanied with par
tiaI rotation of the head.
Now, father!' exclaimed the girls.
"Till got a carpet. So the new carpe
was got. That again shamed the old fur
nnure, and il had to be turned out and re
placed with new articles. Now, Peter
count up, my lad-twenty dollars for th'
| hearth, and one hundred for the mantle
aud thirty for repairs. What does tina
make ?"
Zone hundred and fifty, uncle"
"Well, fifty for paper and paint"
1.-TWO hundred"
"Then fifty fora carpet, and one hundred
for furniture"
"Three hundred and fifty"
"There's that clock, too, and the blinds
+ fifty more"
-Four hundred dollars, exactly"