The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-06-05
How 10 Earu a Home.
A STORY FOR THE HARD TINES.

STORY FOR THE HARD TINES.
| The other evening came home with o.
extra ten dollar bill in my pocket-money
that had earned by out-of doors work. Th'
fact is, I'm clerk in down town store, q
a salary Of 5000 per annum, and pretty wifi
and baby to support out Of it..
/ suppose this income will sound anna
zingly small to you two and three Thousand
dollar office-holders, but nevertheless we con
trive to live very comfortably upon it. W.
live on one floor Of an unpretending little
house, for which we pay $3.50 per annum
and Kitty, my wife, you'll understand, does
all her own work; SO that we lay up neat
little sum every year. I've got balance ot
two or three hundred dollars at the savings.
bank, the hoard of several years, and it is
astonishing how rich feel! Why,
Rothschild himself isn't a circumstance to
me!
Well, came home home with my extra
bill, and showed it triumphantly to Kitty,
who of course was delighted with my indus
try and thrift.
"Now, my love-" said I, '.just add this
to our account at the bank, and with the in
terest to the end of the year."
Forthwith l commenced casting interest,
and calcul ating in my brain. Kitty was
silent, and rocked the cradle musingly with
her foot
'I've been thinking, Harry" said she, af.
ter moments pause, that since you've got
this extra money, we might afford to buy a
new rug. This is getting dreadful shabby,
my dear.
looked dolefuly at the rug it was worn
and shabby enough, that was fact.
II can get beautiful new velvet pattern
for seven dollars resumed my wife.
"Velvet--seven dollars" groaned I.
"Well, then, a common tufted rug like this
would only cost three" said my cautious
better half, who, seeing she couldn't carry
her first ambitious point wisely withdrew her
guns.
"That's more sensible" said I swell,
we'll see about it."
"And ther's another thing want" con-
tinued my wife, putting her hand coaxingly
on my shoulder, "and it not at all extrava-
CANT either"
"What is it my lovey' asked, softening
rapidly.
II saw such lovely silk dress pattern on
Canal street this morning, and can get it
for six dollars, Harry! It's the cheapest
thing ever saw"
"But haven't you got a very pretty green
silk dress?"
"Taat old thing! Why, Harry, I've
worn it ever since we've been married"
as it soled."
"No, of course; but who wants to wear
the same green dress for ever? Everybody
knows it is the only silk have"
swell, what then -
"That's just a mans question:" pouted
Kitty. "And l suppose you have not
observed how old fashioned my bonnet is
getting"
"Yhy, thought it looked very neat and
tastful, since you pat on that black velvet
winter trimming"
"Of course-you men have no taste in
such Matters
We were silent for moment; I'm afraid
we both felt little cross aid out of humor
with one another. In fact on my journey
home had entertained serious thoughts ol
exchanging my old silver watch for more
modern time-piece of gold, and had mental
ly appropriated the ten dollars to further thai
purpose. Savings bank reflections had come
later.
AS we sat- before the fire, each wrapped in
thought, our neighbor, Mr.. Wilmot, knocked
at the door. He was employed at the store
as myself, and his wife was an old family
friend.
~ want you to congratulate me-" ht
said, taking scat. 81 haye purchased thai
little cottage out on the Bloomingdaie yoad
to-day"
"What that beautiful little wooden cot
tage with the piza and lawn and fruit gar
den behind? ?" exclaimed Kitty almost envi
ously.
'.is it possible ?" I cried. A little cottagt
home Of my own just like that had otter
admired on the Bloo,ningdale road, had al
ways been the crow1ning ambition Of my lif'
la distant and almost hopeless point, bu
noless earnestly desired.
"Why, Wilnot," said I, show did thi'
happen? You've only been in business
eight or ten years longer at salary but |
trihe larger than mine, yet could a
soon buy the mint as purchase cottage lik
that"
"Well," said my neighbor, tive have al
been working to this end for years. My
wife has darned, patched, mended, ant
saved-we have lived on plain fare, ant
done with the cheapest things But tn,
magic charm of the whole affair was tha
we laid aside every penny that was no
needed by actual, positive want. Yes,
have seen my wife lay by red coppers, on
by one.
"Times are hard, you know, just now
the owner was not what you call an econo
mical man, and he was glad to sell even at |
moderate price. So You see that even hare
times have helped me =
| When or neighbor was gone, Kitty ant
I looked meaningly at one another.