The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-11-09

any grog; Third, could not have afford
ed to pay for five extra suppers, il the lot
had fallen upon me-"
"Couldn't have afforded iti" repeated
Walter, with slight tinge of unbelief in
his tone.
"No," returned the other, al could
not. l used TO be always ready for any
such game, and | thought 'twould be
mean to refuse; but have learned bet
ter. Let me tell You how first came to
see the folly of being afraid to spend my
money for nothing. Shall l tell you?"
Certainly" returned Walter, who al
ready began to see something.
Well" persucd Niles, " lone noon, as
| was going away from home, my wife
asked me for five shiilings. She wanted
10 buy some cloth with it. asked her
if she could not get along without it. l
had only fifteen shilings with me, and |
hated to let one of them go. She said
she really needed the cloth, but if | had
not got the money to spare she would
wait. knew she was disappointed, but
| thought she could get along, and went
away. That evening | went into the sa-
loon; and we had fine social time. 1t
cost me just seven and six-pencc. / paid
the money willingly, without thought
of objection, and then l went home.-
When entered the hall / heard my wife
trying to pacfy our eldest child. The lit
tie thing had been expecting new dress,
which had been promised her, and she
felt badly because she had not got it.
WATT urged my wife, as the child
sobbed in her disappointment. Papa
hasn't the money now; but he'll have
some by-and-by, and then you shall have
a pretty new dress. Poor papa has to
work hard,' ..a
"The words smote me TO the heart
| could not afford five shillings 10 dress
my little child, but l could afford any
amount for the useless enjoy yment Of 9TH
ers! The crown which my needy wife
could not get when she asked for it, l
paid away, almost twice fold for nothing.
But it taught me lesson. On the very
next morning | afforded my wife the
crown, but could not afford any more
for the beer man. | had not dreamed
how much | was wasting, but when l
stopped up that leak and allowed my
funds TO flow into their proper channel, |
soon found that | could afford every rea-
sonable comfort my wife and children
neet' ed. So | stick to the principle which
has proved SO beneficial to myself and
family. All! what's that? There's an
animal in your garden, Walter"
They had reached the garden fence, and
by the dim starlight Walter could see n
horned beast tramping 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 Niles then
went homo. Walter saw the beast had
done considerable damage, but he was not
angry, for he had something Of more i'm
portance to think Of He w>nt 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 medita-
ton. "Lct me see" he pursued
There's five sbillings for spirits-four-
and. two-pence for soda-four-and-two-
pence for ale. And that's within tho last
three days. Thirteen-and-four-pence! is !
it possiblel Over twenty-five pounds n
year. And yet l can't afford five shill-
ings for gate, nor guinea that my
family may receive religious instruction
for year. Walter Gray, I think that
you had better turn oper a new leaf"
AndWalter Gray did turn overa new leaf
On the very next day ho did two things,
thereby astonishing two parties. lie had
q new gate made for the entrance TO the
garden, and thereby astonishod his wife !;
and he refused TO "toss up" for the ale,
and thereby astonished crowd ofexpect-
ant thirsty ones. For month he pur-
sue this course, and by the expiration Of
that timc he could fully appreciate the
new blessings that were dawning upon
him. He discovered that he could afford
everything which the comfort of his fam
lily demanded; and in arriving at this re.
suit, he had only to relinquish those things
which he really could not afford. 1t was
n wonder 10 him how he could have been
so foolish. When at the end of the year
he paid his note and had twenty pounds
left, he felt at first as though there must
be some mistake, but when his wife went
over their household expenditures with
him, and showed him that all that 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 dcpriving himself and loved ones of
the comforts they needed-not intention
ally, but through the same mistake that
leads thousands in the same course. But
he did so no more.
Sometimes, even now, Walter Gray
says" can't afford IT," and then he says
it emphatically, too. But it is not when
his wife or children ask for comfort and
Joy, nor yet when tho needy poor ask for
help and charity-for he can we'll afford
II that. hnt "A ie uhon fha viId enao,,la