Worcester daily spy., 1859-04-16
0Nortestrr 4allp Spp.
WALTER GRAYs MEANS

addressing John Niles, who stood by.
mo, guess not, was Johns reply.
you'd better; it's only for the chowder-
for five, if you come in.
81 can't"
'Its no use to ask him." spoke Walter in a
rather sarcastic tone. "1e don't spend his
money in that way"
Johns face flushed, and his lips trembled, but
he restrained the biting words which were
struggling upon his tongue, and he turned and
left the shop.
He's a mean fellow" said Tom, loud
enough for Niles to hear
"Tight as the bark to a tree" added Walter,
in tone equally loud.
John Niles heard the remarks, but he did
not come back.
The four remaining men "tosscd up" and
the lot fell upon Walter, who paid four shillings
for the chowder
Walter started for home about nine o'clock,
and on his way he was oyertaken by Niles.
"Walter," said the latter, in kind but ear
nest tone, 81 want to speak with you. You
have wronged me this evening, and ! wish
you to understand me. For the opinions of
Bill Smith and Ned Francis | care not, but |
do not wish you to misapprehend me. We
live too near together and | would not lose
your good opinion"
"Well, go ahead" returned Walter, who
was sensible of the fact that his companion
was one of the best and kindest neighbors in
the world
"Yon said was mean"
"No, no, twas not who said that"
"Well, you said was as tight as the bark
of a tree"
Walter could not deny this, so John pro-
ceeded:
II refused to join you in your little game,
j
have been sufficient to deter me. First, have
resolved not to engage in any such games of
hazard. Second, did not want any chowder.
And third, l could not have afforded to pay for
five extra suppers, if the lot had fallen upon
me-"
Couldn't have afforded it p repeated Wal
ter, with a light tingle of unbelief in his tone
"No," returned the other, 81 could not /
used to be on hand always, for any such game,
and L thought it would be mean to refuse, but
have learned better. Let me tell you how |
first came to see the folly of being afraid to re-
fuse spending my money for nothing. Shall
tell you 2"
Certainly" returned Walter, who already
began to see something
"Well, pursued Niles, zone noon, as | was
leaving home, my wife asked me for dollar.
She wanted it to buy some cloth with. l ask
ed her if she could get along without it. l had
only three dollars with me, and l hated to let
one of them go. She said she really needed
the cloth, but if had not got any money to
spare, she could get along, and l went away.
That evening went into the saloon, and we
had fine, social time. 1t cost me just one
dollar and half. l paid the money willingly,
without even one thought of objection, and
then went home, When entered the hall,
heard my wife trying to pacify our Oldest
child. The little thing had expected "a new
dress, which had been promised her, and she
felt badly because she had not got it.
Wait, urged my wife, as the child sobbed
IN her disappointment. Papa hasn't got the
money now but he'll have some by-and by,
and you shall have pretty dress Poor papa
has to work hard
"The words smote me to the heart / could
not afford dollar to dress my little child, but
l could afford any amount for the useless en-
tertainment of others The dollar which my
needy wife could not get when she asked for
it, | paid away almost twice-fold for nothing.
But it learned me lesson. opened my eyes,
and have kept them open On the very
next morning afforded my wife the dollar,
but l could not afford any more for the beer
man. | had not dreamed how much l was
wasting, and when | stopped that leak and al
lowed my funds to flow into their proper chan
mel, / soon found that l could afford every rea-
sonable comfort my wife and children needed.
So stick to the principle which has proved so
beneficial to my wife and family. All
what's that There's an animal in your gar
den, Walter"
They had reached the garden fence, and by
the dim starlight Walter could see a horned
beast trampling among his sweet corn. The
bars had either been left down or hooked
down, and stray cow had got in. They
drove her out, and then Niles went home.
Walter saw the beast had done considerable
damage, but he was not angry, for he had
something more to think of. He went and sat
down beneath an apple tree and pondered.
"Bless me, if he 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-seven cents for
chowder-fifty cents for ale--ffty for soda
And that within the last three days. A dol
lar and sixty-seven cents Is it possible !
Over hundred dollars a year And yet
can't afford two dollars for gate, nor five dol
lars that my family may have religious in
struction for a year. Walter Gray-you had
better turn oCeT a nel0 JedfE'
And Walter Gray did turn over a new leaf.
on the very next day he did two things, there
by astonishing two parties. He had a new
gate made for the entrance to the garden, and
thereby astonished his wife and he refused to
"toss up" for the ale, and thereby astonished
a crowd of eXpectant thirsty ones. For a
month he pursued this course, and by the ex-
piration of that time he could fully appreciate
the new blessings that were dawning upon
him. He discovered that he could afford
everything which the comfort of his family
demanded; and in arriving at this result he
had only cut loose from things which he really
could not afford
1t was a wonder to him how he could have
been so foolish. When, at the end of the year
he had paid his note, and had ninety-two dol
lars left, he felt at first though there must be
some mistake put when his wife went over
their household expenditures with him, and
showed him that all they needed had been
bought and paid for, he saw just how it was.
He saw that for years he had been wasting his
substance and depriving himself and loved
ones of the comforts they needed-not inten
tionally but through the strange mistake that
leads thousands in the same course. But he
did so no more.
Sometimes, even now, Walter Gray says
"Cant afford it," and says it very emphatical-
ly, too. But it is not when his wife or chill
dren ask for comfort and joy, nor when the
needy poor ask for help and charity-for he
can well afford all that; but it is when the
wild speculation, or the loose companion asks
him to engage in some game of hazard which
may rob himself and family of their substance
Then he says-and he repeats it if need be-
CANT AFFORD 1T p