The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-05-05
HOW TO EARN HOME; Or, A LIT
TIE STORY WITH A MORAL.
FROM LIFE ILLUSTRATES.

FROM LIFE Illustrated.
The other evening I came home with
an extra ten dollar bill in my pocket
money that | had earned by out of hours
work. The fact is, I am clerk in a
down town store, at salary of 5000 per
annum, and pretty wife and baby to
support out of it.
1 suppose this income will sound
amazingly small to your two and three
thousand dollar Office holders, but never.
theless We contrive to live very comfort
ably upon it. We live on one floor of
an uDpretending little house, for which
We pay $50 per year, and Kitty-my
wife, you'll understand-does all her
own work; SO that we lay up neat lit
tie sum every year. I've got a balance
of two or three hundred dollars at the
savings bank, the hoard of several
years, and it is astonishing how rich /
feelt Why. Rothschild himself isn't
circumstance to me
Well, came home with my extra
bill, and showed it triumphantly to
Kitty, who of course was delighted with,
my industry and thrift.
Now, my love- said I, Just add this
to our account at the bank, and with
interest at the end of the year'--
Forthwith I commenced casting in
terest and calculating in my brain. Kit
ty was silent, and rocked the cradle
musiugly with her foot.
I've been thinking, Harry she said,
after q moments pause, that since
you've got this extra money we might
afford TO buy new rug. This is getting
dreadful shabby my dear, you must see.'
I locked dolefully at the rug; is was
worn and shabby enough, that was a
fact.
Il can get beautiful new velvet pat
tern for seven dollars, resumed my
wife.
Velvet dollarsl' Z groaned l.
Well, then, common tufted rug like
this, would only cost three said my
cautious better half, who, seeing she
could not carry her first ambitious point,
wisely withdrew her guns.
That's more sensible, said I, We'll,
we'll see about it,
And there's another thing want,
continued my wife, putting her hand
coaxingly on my shoulder, and it's not
at all extravagant, either
What is it p I asked, softening rapid
".
Il saw such lovely silk dress pattern
on Canal street, this morning, and can
get it for six dollars-only six dollars,
Harry It's the cheapest thing ever
saw
But haven't you got very pretty
green silk dress p
That old thingl Why, Harry, I've
worn it ever since we've been married.
is it soiled, or ragged? p
No, of course; but who wants to
wear the same green dress forever p
Everybody knows it is the only silk I
have
We'll, what then?'
That's just mans question: pouted
Kitty. sAnd l suppose you have not
observed how old fashioned my bonnet
is gettipgl
Why, I thought it looked very nea,
and tasteful since you put on that BLACK
velvet winter trimming
'Of course-you men have no taste
in such matters
We were silent for moment; I'm
afraid we both felt little cross and out
of humor with one another. In fact, OIL
my journey home, I had entertained
serious thoughts of exchanging my old
silver watch for more modern time
piece of gold, and had mentally appro
priated the ten dollars to furthering
that purpose. Savings bank reflections
| had come later.
AS we sat before our fire, each wrap.
ped in thought, our neighbor, Mr.. VII
mot, knocked at the door. He was EN-.
ployed at the same store as myself, and
his wife was an old family friend.
Il want you to congratulate me, he
said, taking seat. 4 have purchased
that little cottage out on the Blooming
ton road to-day
what that beautiful little wooder
cottage with the piazza and lawn, auc
fruit garden behinds' exclaimed Kitty
almost enviously.
is it possible = I cried. A littl'
cottage home of my own, just like tha
I had often admired on the Blooming
dale road, had always been the on,
browning ambition of my life--a dis
tant and almost hopeless point but nj
less earnestly desired.
why, WiImot. said I, how did thi
happen? You've only been in bushes
eight or ten years longer than !, at
salary but tride larger than mine, ye
could as soon buy up the mint a
purchase cottage like that
i 'Well,' said my neighbor, I'VE hav
all been working to this end for years
My wife has darned, patched, mendet
and saved-we have lived on plain far
and done with the cheapest things. Bs