Kanawha Valley star. [volume] (Charleston, Va. [W. Va.]) 1856-1861, 1858-11-09
M isteIIanp.
CANT AFFORD IT.
4 Sketch For Every Day Life,
By sYLIvANUs coBB. ~.
Can't afford il. Maria 4,

IN d45 y.
think SO, Waller plead the young wife.
I can't do it, the husband returned.
very emphatically Ii would cost two
or three dollars, at the very lowest, to
put up such a gate. and the old bars win
answer every purpose
Z No, they won't, Walter The neigh
boris children very often leave the bars
down. and then stray cattle come into the
garden. We may lose more than the
price Of 4 gate in one hour, il a COW
should happen 10 get in when ! am away
\ a I should liket 70 know who leaves the
bars down., said Walter very threatening
~. The same children might leave
a cato OPEN
But we can have rate, made 10 close
Of lis own accord, with u weight or a
spring. suggested the wife, John
Niles has had a gate put up in his yard.
l But ] amt John Niles, my dealt
Waller wished his wife to remember.
But his farnily is as large as yours,
and his wages are not so high.
Never mind about that. / tell YOU I
can't afford it. At any rate. not al present.
And with this Walter started of for bis
work. III e
Waller Gray was young man. about
thirty i; an industrious mechanic had
been married some eight wears and had
AZ interesting family He meant 10 pro-
vide we'll for those who depended upon
him, and III 4 measure he did so, But
there were many lutte comforts Of which
Ne felt obliged 10 deprive them. comforts
which at times they really needed. and
which IN tie end. might have proved 4
source, Of saving. And more. too It
might have added happiness had be felt
able to grant theseIlittle requests. But
lie couldn't afford it.; at least, 30 lie
thought and whether he thought. SO with
sound judgement the sequel Will show. 81
The gate which Ms wife had been SO
anxious to hare putjup was needed at the
entrance ID the garden tbackof the house.
where there was only . pair of short bars.
The children often came through there,
and sometimes left theway open behind
them. In short there were many ways
In which those bars were left down. and
Maria Gray had very often to leave her
work to drive ont cattle that got in. It
was only BY extreme watchfulnesson her
part that the garden was preserved. She
had spoken several times to her husband
about ii. but hefelt that he couldn't afford
it. She must keep her eyes upon the
spot and see that the bars were kept shut,
Only d few days after this Mrs. Gray
asked her husband If lie was going to hire
a pew in the church for the following
year, and hs told her that be did not
think be should
1. But YOU can hire half of one. We
can have halfpf Mr., Niles pew for i've
dollars ri, 81,
/ cant afford Il. was Walter sreply.
"a should get no great good from the
Don say s., husband. Suppose Ave.
rybodyl should feel like that YOU GER
tainlY wouldn't wish toliye, and bring up
your children, where there was no reli-
gious influence. And if you reap the
benefits Of good christian institutions, you
certainly ought to feel willing to help
support them.
80 + would be willing. if I could af-
ford it bnt I can't
Mrs. Gray looked very serious. and
seemed to hesitate, as though there were
subject upon her mind, which she fell
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