The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-01-10
sEIECTED,STORY.
CAN'T AFFoRD IT!


sl,iIlinos at the very low to put up such I
rate. and the old bars W.T. Aanswer every pur
pose" >,
Children very often leaal hc bars down, ant
then stray cattle como III the garden. We
may lose more than thcS Zee OF gate IN ono
hour, if COW should haaEn 10 get III whcn
am away"
81 should like to knor Rvho leaves the bar:
down." said Walter, rcrla sEeatenlngIy. "Thc
same children might lcavef gate open"
"But we can have gata!made to close ofits
own accord, with weight or spring" sug,
gcstcd the wife, "John, NiIe' has got gate up
in his yard"
but amt John Niles,-my dcar," Walter
wished his wife to rcmembr.
"But his family is as e'as yours, and his
wages are not SO high .'fnT
Never mind about - tell you can't
afford t-at any rate % II present" And
with this Walter startepo or his work.
Walter Gray was a pM man about thirty;
an Industrious mechsed lad been married
some ciclltvears, and i've. Interesting family.
He mcaut to providcn,o &r those who de-
pended upon him. and, E 1easure lie did 50.
But there were many is comforts OF which
hcfclt obliged to dcpriI an @-comtorts which
at times they really nre2e1a which, in the
end, mirlltllavc proved soicc of saving And
more. too it miuht have jadel to his owa
happiness had he felt able sg;ant these little
requests. But he couldn't aord 1t; at least so
he thought and whether hithouSht so with
sound Judgment the sequel vii prove.
The gateHwhich Ills wife hi been so anxious
to have put up was needed t the entrance to
the garden back of the hou< where there was
only pair of short bars &c children often
came through there. alits"lnctncs left the
way open behind them. Ilshort, there were
many ways in which those frs were apt to be
lett down, and Maria GRAY lad very often to
leave her work to drive out isttle that had got
in. 1t was only by cxtrcm watchiulness on
her part that the garden w preserved. She
had spoken several tines.tolsr husband about
it. but lie felt that he couldt afford it She
must keep her eyes upon shspot, and see that
the bars were kept shut,
Only afew days tcritli|Nlrs. Gray asked
her husband ifhe was going hire pcwin the
church for the followiEa and he told her
tilatsLc did not thnlJLo
"But you can hirel on We can have
half of Mr.. Niles pcl q nca" :
81 can't afford it. IVA ters reply. 81
should get no great icni the service any
way"
.,sl2s sRsas s, S9z i!,.s5s 6; tss sss.yssay
wish to I've an|ypNging ur youtcliildrcn, where
there was no religious intneng. And if yeAd
reap the benefits f:good Chris,een institutions
YOU certainly ought to feel VI ing to help to
support thcm."
so would be willing, if loud afford it;
but can't"
Mrs. Gray looked very scrisls, and seemed
to hesitate, as though there ws subject upon
her mind, which she felt dclc$e about hroach-
ing but it had occupied her thoughts too long,
and she determined to let it ops
"Waltcr,' she said, little remnlously, but
still rcsoIutcly, "you have two SoqHds a week.
"Yes."
"And how much of that dosit take to feed
us p" Ii,
Al don't know, Pm sure. 1only know that
it takes it all to feed and clothe'ls, and pay up
the interest on the house..
~ havcnnt had new dress 81 ice last autumn;
and I was reckoning up yesterday low much
VIC had spent for the children, aad found ltto
he only three pounds for the lat ten months
| have worked over some of cousin Johns
clothes for Charles, and Lucinta jumps into
Mary's dresses as the latter outIows them.
"That's all very well" replied nv alter, little
testify. 81 understand my own business and
know Just what can afford, anl what can t.
While have the payments to- make on m!
housc mnst economize-i p.,St ccOn0mizc,
lie repeated, very decidedly.
"And l would have YOU cconoillzc,' returned
the wife; "bnt do not forget :hat all Is not
economy which many call So think that tr
hire half of John Niles pew woild be a great
source of economy in comfort an lasting good
1t would he guinea laid out to good adfah
tage-surc to return heavy Interest 20 lis al'
our children. And think it might be source
of great saving to put good gate up at the
| back -
"Stop! !" interrupted Walter, With a nervous
motioni "You'vc said enough sbout this
know my means" AZ.
"Lct nc say one word" urged Maria. lhcr
was all carncstnc$s III her tone which cause,
her husband to stop and listen; II !o" WI,
give ME Il guinea Il week lw'll agree 10 l'lr'llSl
all the provisions for the Household, and cloth
myself and children. will do This for on
year. That will leave You with seventy, pound
with which to clo;hc yourself and make you
payment on the house. On tic ltouSc yo
have only to pay twenty pounds, with Illtcres
for two years, which will leave yol twcnty-nIn
pounds for your clothes and-oh@r erprnS"S;"
"WaItcr was upon the pont/of denying TIL
result of the case, but he sax; upon a alhonent
reflection, that, from his witc's statement, I'll
deduction was correct, so he ,!cn:cd thc stale
mcnt.
"Yon cannot furnish the food aIll cloth
Yourself and children for the sub You IlaV
namcd,'' he said.
Thereupon Maria sat down and made know
f,w r,ctS to him tb,t had hccn hidden With
tue mysteries of her own housekeeping o,l
was not long in proving to him that during u!
past year, the items of expenditure within SaI
limits had not averaged guincf per wee'
Walter said "Pool ~ and then he adde
"Nonscnsem and then he left tho Qousc.
"Tboro must Lc Some mistake" lie said t
himself, after lie had got away fronl tiic mouse
and he really Ias;sSSd there was 4 h'slaNo'
sIIavc = ri ;omc, Ton
""si aDonit @ c, ID Bill.
And | N. rk prepare
cow 80 oIasl alter Gre
nLcts for the oy