Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-10-09
CONGRATULATIONS,
AUNT KITTY's TEA TARLE
INTRODUCTORY.
BY ICHABGD IDLE.

might interest, if BOT enlighten, your read
ers. / will premise, In the frst place, that
Aunt Kitty is maiden of mature years,
tolerable good looks, kind heart, religious,
and even when wrong weH meaHjus. |
have heard it said by some of our family
that IN her younger days, when all was
bright before her, she buried her heart is
best affections with one who in the bloom
of manhood sunk into the grave victim
of that fell destroyer consumption, and that
from that time she has declined listening
to offers of marriage Be this as it may,
there are periods when she INDUCES in
reveries, when her ever kind voice is mod
uiated into tones that strike sympathetic
chord in the hearts OF all around her, and
cause even her little pet, Ellie, to cease
her gambols lest she might disturb or an
noy dear Aunt Kitty These two and your
humble servant, together with an occasion
al visitor, comprise the family who sit
around the old fashioned tea-table.
'Ichabod,' said my aunt the ether day,
this war is terrible thing, and fear will
ruin us with taxation. Mrs d. told me
the other day that their taxes would al
most take away their income. Do you
KNOW anything about it z"
Not much aunt, | said Taxes of
course will be considerably increased, pro
Dably doubled. There is the war tax, the
tax to support those whom the soldiers
have left dependent, aud perhaps there
may be a small increase in the State tax"
" But don't the soldiers get paid ?" said
my aunt
:" Certainly they do-sl3 month and
clothing and provisions.
Then why should the county support
their families p said she
Because" ! replied, 81 large number
Of those who have gone to risk life in de-
fence Of our inestinable institutions, with
out which your property, my dear aunt,
would be insecure if not worthless, as
thousands have already found out in the
border States, are poor men who love their
homes, their wives and little ones, as much
as you do us. But for SUCH drafting
would be necessary, and in that case |
might have had to leave you and little FL
lie, and strangers attended to your business
or your broad acres left untitled. In truth,
but for you, dear aunt, | would long since
have shouldered musket and done my best
to lay low in the dust some Of the bad men
who have for years been at work to poison
the minds Of the Southern people and
bring about this wicked and causeless war"
Oon't-don't say that, Ichabod," said
my aunt, family affrighted at the idea of
my going to war. Not for thousand dol
lars would ! have you leave me and make
my house and home desert"
1t viii not" | replied, " cost you the
fttieth part Of that 20 keep m
here if our patriotic working men contin-
ne to go. Your property is assessed at
sIuOO. Now the highest tax that can be
imposed on it is p mills on the dollar
if therefore the Board of Relief was to
appropriate the whole amount for that pur-
pose, what do you suppose your tax will
be Z"
Really, Ichabod, / don't know. Mrs.
ID. said her husband told her he expected
to pay two or three hundred dollars tax
next year, and I'm sure my tax will be as
much as his"
But Mr.. D." | said, " is a great poll
tlclan, and, like the majority of such, a
great liar. Besides, he leans strongly to-
ward the southern rebels, and has more
than once justified their treason hy saving
lie would take up arms against the North
Ii he lived South-that we ought to recog-
nize the uSurping governmcnt-and that
everything done by the National Admin
lstratlon Was wrOng-in short, he lust talks
i y
Now L Will make a calculation Of what
your tax for the relief fund will be at the
highest figure. Your valuation is $1,000,
which multiplied by two and half mills
brings out seventeen dollars and fifty cents
which would he the amount of your tax
fer that fund"
q La is that all? Why, Ichabod, l
can save that much next year by not buy
ing silk dress"
Yes, aunt, and / can save that much
by wearing my present Sunday suit auoth-
or year"
And 50 can | )" said little Ellie
Nay, my children" said my aunt, ;"
there will lie no need of stintino vour.
selves | am wiser than | have been in
this matter, and It relieves me of load Of
trouble since Mrs. d. gave M such wronc
information. | will spend twice that snm
besides IL aiding ny poor neishbors whose
husbands are away in the camp Of duty
Come, Ellie, let us go and see how Mrs.
i. IS getting along She has three small
children, and gets two dollars and quar-.
ter to support herself and little ones, while
her husband is away. You know, my pet,
how the big tears rolled down her cheeks
when he bid her good by, and how your
playmate Lizzie cried to see her papa 90
perhaps never to return. Through such
as him my home is preserved and my
hearts treasures kept around me, and with
heavens aid | shall not only cheerfullv