Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1855-12-26

out oy some careless child, but the d.
rections we're there.
Lay not for yourself, treasures upon
earth, where moth and rust doth cor
rupt"
'' But lay IN for yourselves treasures
in heaven, where neither moth nor rust
doth corrupt, and where thieves do not
break through and steal"
80, Aunt Julia, is that all How does
tina; help the matter ?''
"Wait, Anna, and hear my story out
One day, as l was mourning over my
choicest blankets, eaten by the moths,
and aiming my down bed-quilts and
feather beds, which have been rendered
obsolete by the introduction of spring
matrasses; as stood ready to cry with
vexation to see my choicest articles
eaten IN the most conspicuous places, as
you have experienced tO-day, my eye
rested on an old Bible, which lay on the
top of barrel of phamplets in the garret.
1 opened it, and almost unconsciously
read the receipt for avoiding moths which
l have given you to-day. then recol-
iected that they seldom troubled the
clothing in frequent use. and that the
articles which caused me so much care
were not needed twice year. l then
thought Of Sophy Baker, with her large
family and sick husband. They had
been burned out in the Spring before,
and were just entering upon cold, long
winter of poverty. l sat down, and
writing her a note, sent her two feather
beds, and four blankets. and an old
fashioned 'coverlid' that very day and
two more blankets l dispatched to a poor
old rheumatic neighbor, whose destitu-
ton had never occurred to me before
| then began to breathe freely and be-
fore another week two more blankets had
gone to comfort tired limbs, and aching
hearts. The cast-Off coats, cloaks, and
old pieces of carpeting which had long
lain in my garret were given to the de-
serving poor. A bag of wooden stock
ings and socks, which had been kept for
cleaning brass. were sent to the charity
institution, never again to become a
temptation to the moths. 1 inquired
particularly the next year, and found
the beds and blankets were in such ex-
cellent preservation that L cheerfully
laid uP more of my surplus property,
in heaven, and out Of the way of moth
and mould. My cedar closet and trunks
hold all wish to preserve, and when
they begin to run over, commit more
articles to the keeping of my widowed
and fatherless acquaintance.
"But, Aunt Julia, yours is peculiar
case. YoI had the home made outfit
of rich rarmeT's daughter, and could
not expect to make use of it; beside the
Bible don't encourage wasting our goods
exlravagantly."
81 do think the Bible leans to what is
called the extravagant side. The rest of
the chapter following the verse have
quoted gives little encouragement to
much forethOught, either in food or raj
ment, and in another place, says: He
that hath two coats, let him impart to
him that hath none This rule leaves
very little to pack away in cedar closet.
In my opinion, Gods providence is far
from encouraging extensive accumula-
ton, either of money or possessions, es-
Pecially among Christians. Fire and
flood, drought, mildew, and moth, stand
ready to rebuke that spirit of cOvetOus-
ness which the Lord abhorreth."
"Surely, Aunt Julia, you wouldn't
have me give away the new furs you
gave me yourself last winter %
"No, my child; but let us examine for
g moment this moth-eaten pile. Here
are three coats Of your husbands, which
he could never possibly wear again"
"Those are for fishing, Aunt"
"How often does he fish ?''
"Once in four or FIVE years" said An
ma. locking slightly discounted.
"Well. here is bag of out-grown,
shrunken socks and stockings, and these
old dresses of Ada's and these over coats
Of the boys, that l heard you say were
unfit for wear, even at the play ground;
and besides 1 think you remarked that
the whole difficulty originated in an old
carpet, which has been harboring moths
many years when it might have been out
Of harm S way upon some poor widows
floor"
''Well, Aunt. believe you are half
right"
"Try my rule, Anna not after your
is ruined, but when you fud
you can spare it-even at the risk Of
sending some OF your treasure to heaven
before you have obtained all you could
from It's use. Many an old garrei have
| known to be infested with moths, ruin
ming hundreds of dollars worth of valua-
bic articles, when the whole evil might
be traced to an old coat, or carpet, self
SHY or rarelessly withheld from the