The Lambertville press. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1858-1???, 1859-12-28

tween my love and the air; and con-
tinued.:
"WelI, then, what do you consider
the air worth 2"
81 sha'n't answer any such foolish
question for, if you 60 on with your
calculations, you'll make US out mil
lionaries "
"That's what / intend to do (; and
think | am safe in putting down the
love at a hundred thousand. Then,
there is my honor, which is worth at
least as much as the love-"
"I've no doubt of it, interrupted
my wife
For you wouldn't value the one
without the other So there you have
the sum total Of three items alone
cherubs, seventy thousand love, a
hundred thousand and honor as much
more, making the snug sum of more
than quarter of million of dollars,
to say nothing of other items that
might be mentioned, and which would
perhaps double the amount, besides
cash on hand amounting to one dollar
and seventeen cents"
paused here for my wife to appre-
ciate the full force of my reasoning (she
is little slow at 6gures) and when
she had time to turn the whole sub
ject in her mind | asked:
What have you to say to that :"
All have to say to that, replied
my wife, "is, that | wouldn't advise
you to set up a carriage on the strength
of your property. And if / thought
we were worth quarter Of that sum,
| wouldn't mend such looking stock
iEg as this" Saying which, she held
up the stocking of our eldest girl,
minus the heel and two-t thirds of the
toe, with large rent near the top of
the leg.
And then look at that, and that,
and that" she continued, as she sue
cessively presented for my inspection
the various articles which constitute
the juvenile wardrobe and | must
confess that, seen through that medium,
my imposing array of figures seemed
scarcely large enough to fill one of the
smallest rents among the multitude.
Still | fondly hoped that my calcula-
tions had had tendency to raise my
wife's spirits, and was unwilling that
she should sink back into that slough
of darning-needles and yarn. So |
continued the subject.
Clothes, my dear, especially in the
case of children, are mere matter of
form, a blind adherence to the customs
of society. If it cost more to wear
shreds and patches than whole gar
ments-if rents and rips could be rem
dered fashionable, all the world would
be out at elbows. But though society
turns up its nose at last years fashions
though love looks askance at seedy
lover, and even the Church puts its
ban on the threadbare coat. you and |
can jog on our way regardless of frowns
and favors, conscious of that hidden
treasure which gilds and brightens our
earthly existence
"And then, again, compare our
condition with that of our first parents,
when they had notice to quit from
the Great Landlord, and first com
menced housekeeping on their own ac-
count. Their wardrobe was extreme
ly limited, and I've no doubt Eve would
have been very thankful for a nine
penny calico, and Adam would not
have scorned good satinet, even though
the cut ofthe garments had been few
months Old For however rural fig
leaf suit might appear, it isnot exactly
adapted for general use, especially with
the thermometer at zero. And /
don't think that lady of your weight
in the community would appear to adj
vantage in that primitive style of dress. "
Perseverance Il" exclaimed my
wife, as she colored with indignation at
the idea, and laid down the last of the
stockings, preparatory to seeking her
nightly rest.
She never calls me Perseverance
except when she is astonished or in
dignant; and | knew by the tone of
her voice that it would be useless to
pursue the subject at present. So,
winding up my argument and the lit
tie wooden clock that graces our man
tie, l addressed myself to slumber,
while that murmured aspiration float
ed on the midnight air from my wife's
half-opened lips
"Oh, dear | wish | were rich "
TRADING HORSES. -" What do you
ask for that ere beast 2"