The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-08-13

:. real shabby" said Mrs. Cartwright. q
declare! if I don't feel right down ashamed
OF it, every time 4 visitor who is anybody
calls in to see me-"
"a new one will cost -"
The husband of Mrs. Cartwright, a good
natured, compliant man, who was never
better pleased than when he could please
his wife, paused to let her finish the sen
tcnce, which she did promptly, by saying
"Only forty dollars. I've counted it all
up. 1t will take thiry-six wards. l saw
beautiful piece at Martan's-just the
thing-at one dollar yard. binding, and
other little matters, wont SO beyond three
or four dollars, and can make it myself,
you know"
Only forty dollars! Mr. Cartwright
glanced down at the carpet which Lad de-
corated the floor of their little parlor for
nearly five years. 1t had a pleasant look
i'll his eyes, for it was associated with many
pleasant memories. Only forty dollars for
new one If the cost were only five,
instead of forty, the inclination 10 Danish
this old friend TO an out-of-thc-way cham
Der would have been no stranger in the
mind of Mr.. Cartwright. But forty dol
lars was an item i'll the calculation, and to
MIR. Cartwright a serious one. Every year
he was finding it harder to meet the grad
ually increasing demand upon his purse;
for there was a astcadily progressive enlarge
ments of his family, and year after year,
the cost of living advanced. lie WAS think
ing 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 OH to things while she is here
We were married at the same time, and
hear that her husband is getting rich.
feela little pride about The matter, and don't
want her to think that, we're growing worse
off than when we began life, and can't aC-
ford to replace this shabby old carpet for a
new one"
No further argument was needed. Mr..
Cartwright had sixty dollars in one Of the
bureau drawers, fact well known 10 his
wife. And il was also well known TO her
that it was the accumulation Of very care
full sayagings, designed, when the sum
reached one hundred dollars, to cancel Il
loan made by Il friend, al time when sick
ness and death in the family had run ~
their yearly expenses beyond the years in,
come. Very dcsirious WIS Mr.. Cartwright
=. to pay off this loan, and he had felt lighter
in heart as the aggregate of his savings
came nearer to the sum required for
that purpose.
But lie had no firmncss to oppose his
wife in anything. Her wishes, in tlIis in
stance, as in many others. Ii: unwiscly
made a law. The argument about cousin
!, Sally Gray was irresistible No more than
his wifedid he wish to look poor in her eyes
and $50, for the sake Of her eyes, a new car
pet was bought, and the old one-not by
any means as worn and faded rs the lar-
;5esaage e.of bis wife indicatcd-scllt up stairs,
dosesend aAsnsLs dl4yin lie spare bed
room.
:. Not within the limit of forty dollars was
AIe expense confined, A more costly pat
g tern thapt could be obtained for one dollar
ayard tempted the eyes of Mrs. Cartwright,
i. and abstracted from her husbands savings
the sumtof fifty dollars. Mats and rugs to
q.