The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1860-04-07
5clrft nlisrcll0nD.
Selling old Things.

Sell that old table? No. II, not sell it =
Its only pine table, that's true and it cos
! hut eighteen shillings, twenty-five wears ago
| but your trn-dollar bill is no temptation :
And II not swap il either, for the prrtties
mahogany or cherry table that YOU can bline
| me. II 1t mas four plain turned legs, inslea,
"f pillar III the middle, with lions claws
ana II the marble top is only vanished pape
sill. VIII not sell or swap it 1t has beer
to me very profitable Investment. From
! me day 1t came home it has been earning
dividends and Increasing its own capital
MY Children made play house and drank tea
IN their toy cups under it, for which thank
the tour legs; and when they got tired of il
That way. they tn ned ii upside down, and
made iour-poS! bed with curtains or pulled
1t round the carpet tor a sleigh. Then they
climbed Oh 1t for an observatory and | never
counted the glorious romps they had round
II. And so all olong for twenty five wears i,
mas pad its dividends Of happiness to my
laMliy circle. These dividends never could
DC separated from 1t but they have become
| added to 1t, until IT'S value is not to be told in
money. 1t has had lis quiet use also; Cor
nobody could tell 1t from round table of
agate and cOrnellan, with It's salmon burdeyvd
gICen cover.
Nothing lasts forever. The top of the
table was loo>ened by the hard use it got,
| so took punch, drove III the eight penny
nails below the surface added few screws.
pultled them over, and pasted marble raucr
checkers over the top. Then it was really a
handsome table. 1t has hid hard usage
since, but bears all : and the check erl want
renewing, which Will make it worth more
yet.
MY watch is thirty years old 1t is one of
those thick silver levers. which some poor
wits call turnips." 1t has been several
times suggested to me that might exchange
1t tor thln modern gold watch which wears
easier IN the pocket. When do, you NAV
set me down for barbarian Net the best
gold and jeweled "huntcr" in existence
would tempt me to a swap. That watch
marked the time when my children were b, I'm.
an! the record is set down in the family
Bitle; 1t has licked In their ears when they
could only speak by laughing at it, and
KICK ING up their little heels. 1t has marx ed
The houIS when The doctors medicines were
TO be gwen, and counted their little pulses
when these were low al midnight. and when
The heart achcd. Ii has made many records
that are fast sealed up, to be opened only when
another time comes.
Twenty stven years have passed since my
vile ana l went Unt one evening and bought
our tca-kcttle. The fitting OF the lid was a
lIIIe imperfect, so that the escape of steam
Shook II, and caused peculiar noise, nearly
enough Resembling the chipping Of some
insects to suggest the name by which it has
now been known III the family for very LONG
TIME our 4" cricket on the hearth" Like
the table and the watch, this kettle has been
adding dividends to its capital ever since the
lirat day OF ITS purchase, and though nothing
but iron, it could not be bought for is
weight in silver. 1t has sung its song so reg
ularly and chccrfully, that not only the
kitchen, but the whole house would bc lonely
without 1t. 1t has given us It's fragrant
'lrsSIne morning and evening, and has come
almost 10 DC regarded as u living and talking
creature.
1t is never a good fortune that sells such
Old ii!enda out OF Il family, and takes in new
ones That have no history and no tongue -
In all the changes that have 50 far taken place.
have kept these silver bowls unnrokcn. and
surely no changes III the future Shall break
lhcul. CemtuIy.