Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-01-13
MISCELLANY Y.
A Story for Housewives.

'Ian you make me an appropriation tor
my boys new clothes, next week ?
4 am afraid not, my dear. You know |
have overdrawn already, TO pay my interest
money
Well, but you have sold your sweet po-
tatoes; you had ten dollars extra, last week,
and the money from our boarder, which
think you might give to me, as / had all
the trouble of her.
i should love dearly to give it to you,
sides, must pay for the red cow next
MONTH
'Oh dearp said the wife impaliently
there is never any money for me and my
children. don't see how the boys are GO
ing to get on much longer. There was not
single pair Of pants left over last winter,
and Harry's over-coat has been worn three
winters and is very shabby
well, / don't know what You can do
Perhaps next month 1 can give you the
money
Next month"; said the wife despairingly
TO herself, some hours afterwards. Il don't
see how can wait that loqg.' So she went
to the closet, in the little boys room, to ex-
anime the old coats and pantaloons, and see
what was TO be done.
1T is a shame said she, 'sthat | shonld
be required to mend up any of these old
things. This coat is entirely worn out in
the sleeves, and so faded and shabby; this
one has been worn by them both. | certainly
shall not mend this old sacque. have no
pieces for these pantaloons; these are too
short, anyway. All the old things put to-
gether are not worth half day of my
time, and will not last week after they are
done
But then came better thoughts. 1T is
vacation. Perhaps by school time can
have the money. Onghn't to try 10 make
some of these things do little longer
My husband is in unusual difficulty. 1t is
hard TO get money, and after all. il is no, sn
truoa .a,a.ao.. -.I.st tfrrse uttle fellows wear.
Perhaps a new patch is as much TO their
mothers credit as a new garment. There
are plenty of pieces like this brown coat.
Let me see what can do
So she sat down, ripped the back of each
sleeve, pieced them down from above the
elbow, and refaced them, and then faced the
back anew, put on the missing buttons, and
held it up. Really | did not think it would
look SO well it will last another month al
least and the pieces will soon wear the same
: color
Then she took a second one, which had
a good plain lining, and turned it complete
/. lv, put the buttons on the other side, bound
the neck and sleeves, and made it look al
good as new. An hour in the evening, spen
in making over the old caps, and the boys
: were well enough clothed for all the weeks
l before winter.
| Now, was all this Of any advantage Il
! herself? Had she not gained a victory
Yes, indeed victory over her discomfort
her impatience, her love of display, and he
! love of ease. Necessity is the mother o
invention and 'contrivance IS better than
work. are two good proverbs, worthy TO b'
in every housekeeper's vocabulary.
Here was a woman unaccustomed TO be
; inc denied what seemed TO her necessar,
4 for her wants, making little do what
: great deal would hardly have supplied, jus
a by an untoward exertion on her part, al
/ exertiou good for herself, and an exampi
a to her children. To make an old carmen
4 almost as good as a new one, is an art, am
. / Is DOsSGSSGu Dut bN iN"' N'OiiN hS's'''
housewives are equal TO it, though fey
= among thousands. This wife, when sh
b showed her husband her achievements, wit
as satisfied look as if the clothes wer
new, lightened his heart from the pain b
i felt in the denial, and made the future loo
/, brighter to him. Besides she had done goo
TO herself and she felt ii. Her resolutlo
was better than lstiessness, her conirivanc
|, above everything money could have bough
because it acted on her character. Littl
!; things form our discipline, our every-da
life leads us onward improyingly, and ever
action tells for good or evil.
: Are there not many wives and mother
who can thus tighten their husbands heart
and keep their purses heavy? Look twiC
before YOU throw it aside. Don't put tho:
old pantaloons into the rag bag or the mo
until you have patched them once NOR
Let the tuck down in the little girls dres
: Make the old ribbon trim the little bonn
again; get the boots mended; buy lit
trimming for that sacque, and 1t VIII loo
as well as new. Contrive and economic
and YOU will be happier; discipline you
self better, do more good, and set a bet''
example than if you had plenty of none
: and lived earelessly.-lhrs. NJ il. H.,
E..-,,,cr