Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-08-29
NJ | S { Z L L A n Y.
OTHER PEOPLES EYES.
A STORY WITH A GOOD MORAL.
BY 7. 5. ARTHUR.


"Our parlor carpet is beginning to look real
shabby" said Mrs. Cartwright. " declare, If
don't feel right down ashamed of it, every time
a visitor. who is anybody, calls in to see me-
A new one will co,t--"
The husband OF Mrs. Cartright, good ma
tured, compliant man, who was never better
pleased than wh'n he could please his wife,
paused to let her finish the sentence, which she
did promptly by saving:
"Onv forty dollars. I've counted it all up.
1t will take huty-siX yards. | saw beautiful
piece at Martin's-just the thing-at one dollar
a yard Binding aud other little matters, won't
90 beN ond three or four doll irs, and can make
il myself, you know
Only forty dollar, Mr. Cartright glanced
down at the carpet which had decorated the
floor Of their little parlor for nearly five years.
1t had a pleasant look III his eyes, for it was
suciated with many pleasant memories. Only
forty dollars for new one Ii the cost were
ouly five, Instead of forty, the inclination to ban
ish TIN, old friend to an out-ot-the-way chamber
would have been no stronger in the mind Of Mr..
Cariiight But forty dollars was an item in the
calculation. and to Mr. Cartright serious one,
Every year he was finding it harder to meet the
gradually increasing demand on his purse for
there was progressive enlargement OF his fam
IlH, dlu Nthi dlltI NtdI' lnt Nbol VI ilNlip
vanccd. He was linking of this, when his wife
said
" You know, Henry. that cousin Sally Gray
is coming here on a visit, week after next. Now,
do want TO put the very best face on TO things
while she is here. We were married at the same
time and | hear that her husband is getting rich.
| feel a little pride about the matter, and don't
want her TO think that we're growing worse of
than when we began lite, and cant afford to re-
place this shabby old carpet for new one
No further argument was needed. Mr.. Cart
wright had sixty dollars in one OF the bureau
drawers, fact well known 10 his wife. And ii
was also well known to her that it was the ac-
cumulaton of very careful savings, designed,
when the sum reached one hundred dollars, to
cancel loan made bv friend, at time when
sickness and death in the family had run up
their yearly expenses beyond the years income
Very desirou- was Mr.. Cartwright to pay off
this loan, and he had felt lighter in heart the
aggregate Of his savings came nearer and nearer
TO the sum required for that purpose.
But he had no firmness to oppose his wife in
anything. Her wishes, in this instance, as in
many others, he unwisely made law. This ar
aument about cousin Sally GRAY was irresistible
No more than his wife, did he wish to look poor
in her ewes and so, for the sake of her ewes,
new carpet was bought, and the old one-not
by any means as worn and faded as the language
Of his wife indicaled-sent up stairs, 10 do sec
0nd hand duty in the spare bed room.
Not within the limit OF forty dollars was the
expense confined. A more costly pattern than
could be Obtained for one dollar yard tempted
the ewes of Mrs. Cartwright, and abstracted from
her husbands savings the sum OF over fifty.
Mats aud rugs to 90 with the carpet were indis-
pensahle 10 give the parlor the right effect in
the ewes of cousin Sally Gray, and the purchase
of these absorbed the remainder of Mr. Cart
wright's carefully hoarded sixty dollars.
Unfortunately for tae comfortable condition
of Mrs. Cartrighl's mind, the new carpet, with
It's Haunting colors, put wholly out of counte-
nance the cane-seat chairs and modest pier table,
and gave TO the dull paper on the wall duller
aspect. Before she had scarcely noticed the
hangings on the Venetian blinds now it
SCENE as it they had lost their freshness in a
day; and the places where they were broken
ami had been sewed again, We're singuarly ap-
parent every time the eye rested upon them.
These blinds do look dreadful !" she said to
her husband, on the day after The carpet went
down. Cant You remember what they cost p
Eight dollars,' replied Mr. Cartrght,
" So much" The wife sighed MS she spoke,
"Yes, that was the price. remember it very
we'll
81 wonder what new bangings would cost p
Mrs Cartwrighl's manner grew suddenly more
cheerful, as the suggestion OF a cheaper way to
improve the windows came INTO her thought.
mot much, presume" answered her hus-
band
don't YOU think we had better have it done!"
"Yos." was the compliant answer
"Will you stop al the blind-maker's, as you
gu to the store, and tell him TO send up for them
to-day. 1t must be attended TO at once, you
know, for cousin Sally will be here ON next
Wednesday,"
Mr.. Cartwright called at the blind-maker's,
as requested, and the blind maker promised lu
send for the blinds From thence he continued
on to the store in which he was employed There
he found note on the desk, from the friend to
whom he was indebted for one hundred dollars.
Dear Cartwright" so the note ran, " If it is