The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-03-31
sCAN,T AFFORD TT"
'tCan't afford It, Maria"

''Can't afford it, Maria"
but you might If you would only think
so, Walter" pleaded the young wife.
81 CART do it." the husband returned, very
e.nphatically. "It would cost ten or twelve
shillings, at the very lowest. to put up such
gate, and the cid bars will answer every
purpose"
"No, they won't, Walter. The neighbors'
children very often leave the bars down, and
then stray cattle come into the garden. We
may lose more than the price of the 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 a gate mads to close of
its own accord, with weight or spring"
-sliggssted the wife. "John Niles has had a
gate put up in his yard"
"But I amt Jonn Niles, my DEAR" Walt
or wished his wife to remember.
"But his family is as large as yours, and
his wages are not so high"
"Never mind about that, I tell YOU I can't
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 seme eight years; and had an inter-
esting family. He meant to provide well for
those who depended upon him, and in a
measure he did so. But there We're mary
little comforts of which he felt Obligel to de-
prive the.n-comforts which at times they
really needed, and which, in the end, might
have proved a source Of saving. And more,
too; it might have added to his own happi-
ness had he felt able to grant these little re-
quests. But he couldn't afford it; at least,
50 he thought, aad whether he thought SO
with sound judgement the sequel will
prove.
The gate which his wife had been sn anx-
ious to have put up was needed at the en-
trance 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
lashort, there were many ways in which
these bars were apt to be left down, and
Maria Gray had very often to leave her
work to drive out the cattle that had 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. She must keep her eyes upon the
spot, and see that the bars were kept shut.
Only a few days after this, Mrs. Gray
asked Der husband ifhe was going to hire a
pew in the church for the following year, and
he told he did not think he should.
"But you can hire half of one We can
have half of Mr.. Niles pew for guinea"
~ can't afford it." was Walters reply
~ should get nogreat good from the services
any way"
"Don't say so, husband. Suppose every
body should feel like that. You certainly
wouldn't wish to live, and bring up your
children, where there was no religious in
isente. And ifyou resp the benefits o
good Christian institutions, you certainly
ought to feel willing to help to suppor
them"
$50 would be willing, II could afford it
but I can't"
Mrs. Gray looked very serious, and seem
cd to hesitate, IS though there was subjec
upon her mind which she felt delicate abou