The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-11-25
BY sYLvANUs COBB, JR.


But you might if you would only
think SO, Walter" pleaded the young
wife.
Il can't do it." the husband returned
very emphatically. cit would cost
two or three dollars, at the very lowest
to put up such gate and, the old bars
will answer every purpose"
"No they won't Walter. The neigh.
bor's children very often leave the bars
down, and then the stray cattle come
into the garden. We may lose more
than the price of gate in one hour, if
COW should happen to get in when
am away" .--
81 should like to know who leaves
the bars down." said Walter, very
threateningly. "The same children
might leave gate OPEN"
"But We can have gate made to
close of its own accord, with a weight
OF spring seggested his wife. "John
Niles has had a gate put up in his
yard"
But | amt John Niles, my dear"
Walter wished his wife to remember.
I" But his family is as large as yours,
and his wages are not so high" :
"Never mind about that. tell you
l cannot afford tat any rate, not at
present" And with this Walter started
off for his work.
Walter Gray was a young man about
thirty; an industrious mechanic; had
been married some eight years and
had an interesting family. He meant
to provide well for those who depended
upon him, and in a measure he did so.
But there were many little little comforts of
which he felt opiigeu to dennriye them
comforts which at times they really
needed, and which, in the end, might
have proved source of saving. And
more, too. 1t might have added to his
own happiness had he felt able to grant
these little requests. But he could not
afford it:-at least, so he thought; and
whether he thought so with sound
Judgment the sequel will show.
The gate which his wife had been so
anxious to have put up was needed at
the entrance to the garden back of the
house, where there was only pair of
short bars. The children often came
through there, and sometimes left the
way open behind them. In short, there
were many ways in which those bars
were apt to be left down, and Maria
Gray had very often to leave her work
to drive out the cattle that got in. 1t
was only by extreme watchfulness on
her part that the garden was preserved.
She had spoken several times to her
husband about it, but he felt that he
couldn't afford it. She must keep her
eyes upon the spot, and see that the
bars were kept shut.
Only few days after this Mrs. Gray
asked her husband if he was going to
hire pew in the church for the follow
ing year and he told her that he did
not think he should.
"But you can hire half of one.
We can have half of Mr.. Niles pew
or FIVE dollars.
l can't afford it," was Walters re-
,ly,-I should get no great good from
NC ineetinSS, any way.
"Don't say SO, husband. Suppose
very one should feel like that. You
ertainly wouldn't wish to live, and
ring up your children, where there
7as no religious influence. And if YOU
cap the benefits of good christian in
you certainly ought to feel
'llling to help support them. |,
So would be willing, if / could ]
ford it but can't" sz.gta -
Mrs. Gray looked very serious, and
.emed to hesitate, as though there
as a subject upon her mind, which |
he felt delicate about broaching; but
had occupied her thoughts too long ,
nd she was determined to let it out.
" Walter" she said, little tremu- {
usly, but still resolutely, "you have )
IN dollars week" 80
Yes"
=" And how much of that does it take s
, feed us %
81 don't know, I'm sure. I only !
now that it takes it all to feed and !
lothe us and pay up the interest on the
ouse." +,
81 haven't had a new dress since !
lst Fall: and was reckoning up yes
srday how much we had spent for the I
hildren, and I found it to be only ff. {
cen dollars for the last ten months. IL,