The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-10-30

Pooh 2 and then he added-'Nonsense and
then he len the house,
There must be some mistake h6 said 10
himself after ho had got away from the house
and he really believed there was mistake
Have glass Of soda, Bil n Come, Tom
have glRssP
Don't care II / do said Tom and Bill.
Have some, Ned
And Ned said yes. 80 the clerk prepared
four glasses Of soda, for which Walter Gray
paid twenty-hy cents.
Let's have q game Of 'seycn-up' for the
OYSTERS said Bill, after the days work was
done.
The game was played, and Walter lost, so
he paid q dollar for four oyster suppers which
none " Them needed, aud which did them
more hurs than good.
Have a cigar, Walter? asked Tom.
Walter said, yes aud ia return he paid for
four glasses of ale.
One evening they met after work, and Ned
proposed that they should toss up 10 see
who should pay for the choNder.
Come, John-won't you come IN p he said,
addressing John Niles, who stood by.
'No--guesA not was Johns reply.
You'd better, It's only for the ehowder--
for five, II you come in
Il can't
'It's Of no use to ask him. spoke Walter,
In a rather sarcastic tone. ll1 don't spend
his money IN that wny'
Johns face flushed, and his lips trcmhled
but he restrained the biting words which
we're struggling upon hiS tongue, and turned
and len the shop,
Hes a mean fellow cried Tom, loud
enough for Niles 20 hear.
Tight rs the bark Of a tree, added Waiter,
in tone equally loud
Il. 4. Al. - l..N L. Il
not come back.
The four remaining men tossed up and
the lot lcll upon Walter and Tom. Then
they tossed Il or aud il fell upon Walter,
who pSid four rhillings for the chuwdcr.
Walter started for home about nine o'clock,
and on the way lac was overtAken with Niles.
Walter said the latter. in kind. but
parnest tone, Il want TO speak with YOU. You
have wronged me this evening, and | 1ish
YOU to understand me. For the opinions oi
I liill Smith and Ned Francis care not, but
do not wish YOU to misaprrchcnd me. We
! live too neal together, aud would not loose
your good opinion.
| 'Well-go ahead returned Walter, who
M sensible ef tit.. f,,et that his eemPsHio',
was one Of the best aud kindcst neighbors in
the world
You said ] was mean
No, ro.--twss NOT. | yho said that
'Well7-you said ] Was tight as the bark Of
/ q tree
Walter could not deny this, 90 John pro
ceedcd.-
i refused n Join you in your little game
FOR three reasons, either one of which should
have becn sufficient to deter me. Firsti ]
have resolved not to engage in any such
games of hazard. Second | did not want
any rhowdcr. And, third ] could not have
afforded TO pay for five extra suppers, If the
2 tot hatl fsllsts- li,sn ms -
} Couldn't have afforded it p replied Walter,
with "A slight tinge OF unbeief in the tone.
No. returned the other. i could not.
used to be on hand always for any such
game, and thought 'twouhl be mean 10 re-
| fuse, Tut have learned better. Let me tell
] YOU how first came to see the folly Of being
afraid to spend my money for nothing. Shall
| tell YOU"
Certainly returned Walter who already
| began 10 see something.
We'll pursued Niles, 'onr noon, ns was
going away from home. my wife asked me for
a dollar She wanted it TO buy some cloth with.
] asked her il she could not get along With
ont IL. had only three dollars with me,
and hnted to let one of themgo. She said
she really needed the cloth, but if hadn't
got the money to spare she could wait
/ knew she was disappointed, but thought
she could get along, and | went away. That
evening went into the saloon, and we had
fine social time. II cost me just one dollar
and half l paid the money willingly
WITHOUT even thought of ohjcction--and
then ] went home. When ! entered the hall
| heard my wife trying to pncify our oldest
child t1r-tfI1ttrrtIII-g tEzrf- -rrTIrrted anew
dress, which had been promised her, and she
felt badly seet,ise she had mt got it.
Wait urged my wife, rs the child sobhcd
in her disappointment. Papa hasn't got the
money now but he'll have some by.and-by,
and then you shall have a pretty dress. Poor
papa has to work hard.
The words smotc me to the heart. could
not afford q dollar to dress my little child,
but could afford any amount for the useless
entertainment of others! The dollar which
my needy wife could not get when she asked
for Il, paid AWAY almost twioe-told for moth
ing. But it learned me a lesson. l opened
my eyes, and have kept them open. On
the very next morning afforded my wife the
dollar, but could not afford any more for
the beer man. had not dreamed how much
was wasting, but when | stopped up that
leak, and allowed my funds IA flow in TO their
proper channel, soon found that could af-
lord every reasonable comfort my wife and
children needed So stick to the princi-
pie which has proved so beneficial to myself
and family. Ah-whaI's that? There's an
animal in your garden, Walter
They had reached the garden fence, and,
by the dim starlight, Walter could see
horned beast trampling amongst his sweet
corn. The bars had been eit...s! left down or
hooked down, and stray COW had got in
They drove her out, and then Niles went
home. Walter saw that the beast had done
considerable damage, but he was not angry,
for he had something of more importance to
think Of He went and sat down beneath an
apple tree, and pondrred.
Bless me, if be hasn't put the case down
about square he said to himself at the end
of some minutes of meditation. Let me see,
he pursued, there's sixty-sevcn cents for
chowdcr--6fty cents for ale---ffty for soda
And that's within the last three days. A
dollar and EixtS-sapani cents la it possible
Over hundred dollars a year And yet
,..,l, nnn,-l Inc rlrllnrn fnr rrnAn nor NNn