The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1859-03-04
THE NEWSPAPER;
OR, TIE WIFES GOOD SENSE

A SKETCH TO BE READ by TIE MAN WHO RErnrvcHEs
DY DIsCoNTISUINd HIS PArER.
| -
THE old farm house woro a quiet pleasant
look. as tho setting sun gilded its small win
dows, over which tho luxuriant grape vines
were carefully trained. In the open door
sat the farmer with II little morocco covered
/ book in his hand,o on which his attention had
been fixed for the last hour. He was man
of method and Oruer-old Richard Heath
and aside from his regular account books,
which ho always kept with scrupulous care,
he always set down ia his little book, in the
| simplest manner possible. 81 his expenses.
(nO worry complicated amount by the way. }
and all ho had received during tho year, in
tho mota,as he said, not by tho way of trado
The last account he had just reckonGd
up, aud tho result was highly satisfactory. il
one might judge from tho leasant express
sion of his face us he turned to his wife aud
addressed her by her pretty, old fashioned
name.
Miliicnnt," said he, "this has bocn a
lucky yoar. How little wo thought when
We moved to this place, twenty five years
ago, that We should ever got five hundred
| dollars year out of tho rocky barren farm. "
1T does pay for good dcal of hard
work" said she, to see how diffcreut things
look from what they did then"
Now, am going to figure up how much
wo havo spent" said MIR. Heath; "don't
make noise with your knitting needles,
cause il puts mo out"
Tho wife laid by her knitting in perfect
good humor and gazed over tho broad, rich
folds of waving grain, which grow so tall
around the laden apple trees. that thoy
looked like massive pus of foliage. Hear
| ing her own name kindly spoken led her own
| thoughts far back,to the past for after the
I lapse Of twenty five years tho simple sound
of the name she bore in her youth, means
moro,to u wife, than all the pleasing epithets
of dearest and darling, SO lavishly offered in
u long past courtship.
Very pleasant wus the retrospect to Mill.
cent Heath. Tho picture of the past had
on it some rough places, and somo hard
| trials. but no domestic strife or discomfort
marred its sunny aspect. There were smil-
ing faces on it--happy children's faces, with
out which no life picture is beautiful. Soft
blue eyes shOne with unclouded gladness,
and wavy hair floated carelessly over un.
writton foreheads. She forgot for n moment
how they were changed. and almost fancicd
horself again tho young mother and tiny
young heads nestled thore as of old.
The illusion vanished quickly, and she
sighed sho thought of her Youngest born.
reckless boy who had lett her three wears
before for homo on tho sea. Once only
had tidings reached her of tho wanderer.- -
The letter spoke of hardships and home
sickness in that light and careless way that
| reached tho mothers heart moro surely
! than repining and complaint. To know
that he suffered, with a strong heart, with
nobo and unyioIding resolution, gavo her q
feeling OF pleasure, not unminged with
pride.
Ile will. surely come back" murmured
tho atfectionate mother to herself; and
read tho paper so carefully every week that
IT ii says anything about tho ship Alfred
sailed in, shall bo suro 10 sceit."
Mrs. Heath" said her husband, inter-
rupting her meditations somewhat rudely,
"we have spent thirty dollars, moro than
usual this year; whore can it have gone to =
THE new harness" suggested Mrs. Heath;
" that don't come every year, you know"
well, there's twenty dollars accounted
for"
ave had the carriage fixed up when you
bought tho harness." continued his wife.
We'll that was eight dollars, that's twen-
ty-eight, wo don't spond that much every
year-but the other two, whoro eau they
have gone =
CHANGING his eye over tho pages of the
memorandum book. he continued
! "Ill tell you what it is the newspaper
costs Just two dollars, and We can do without
il. II isn't nything TO cat, drink or wear.
don't do anything with il. aud you only
laylt away up in your chamber. 1t may as
well be lei! out as not, and III stop my sub
scrption right away"
"Oh," SAID his wife, "you don't know how
much l set by the newspaper. i always
have sort of glad feeling when SEQ YOU
take It out ofy your hat and lay it on tho
kitchen mantlepiece, just as 90 whom some
of the children come home; and when am
! tired sit down with my knitting work and
read. can knit just as well when I'm read
ing and feel 30 cOntented. don't believe
Queen Victoria herself takes more solid
comfort than / do sitting by the east win
dow, on summer afternoon, reading my
newspaper"
But you are just as we'll off without IT,"
answered her husband, for want of anything
else to say.
~ never neglect anything else for read
ing, do :" asked Mrs. Heath, mildly.
mo, don't know as you do" answered
her husband; but it seems an extra like
shalt stop it," he added, in a tone that
showed plainly enough he wished to stop
the conversation.
Il shall take the paper" remarked bis
wife. if have to 60 out washing to pay
for IT,"
This was not spoken angrily. but so firmly
that Mr. Hath noticed il, though by no
means remarkable for discernment in most
matters. IL sounded so different from her
usual quiet, "as you think best" that he