, 1863-03-12
COOM WASHINGTON TERRITORY, THURSDAY MARCH H. 1862

every which way the last year. We're every one
Of US nearly naked for clothes everything we've
got is ready to drop to pieces. But what makes
you ask such question:
Because" speaking very slowly, I've been
thinking that If we could possibly make our old
clothes do this winter yet I'd take that money and
use It for something else."
"But thought you'd said, over and over again,
that il you ever got that hundred dollars, you'd
spend every cent Of it for clothes and so get good
start again"
$50 have, mother, so have, but-well, III
just tell you what started me to thinking we'd per.
haps better use il some other way. Just as got
of, this morning, found one Of old Neds shoes
was loose, so went round to the smiths to have
It fixed. Well, It was pretty early, you know, and
they hadn't much fire yet, and the shop was open
and cold, so l thought I'd run into JohnsOn's and
warm me bit They were jist sitting down to
breakfast" ....
"How is Miss johnson, father? / have never
seen her since her baby born and it must be
three weeks old now. Dear me, how time flies Its
too bad, too, when / thought so much Of her,"
"She's poorly, motherUthin as o June shad and
white as ghost, and the punest baby you ever set
eyes on. But as was saying, they was iist sitting
down to breakfast, and what do you think they
had? rye griddle-cakes and milk gravy"
"No meat or potatoes!"
"Not the first mouthfil, nor any coffee, nor any
tea, but eatniP-"
"Catnip-"
"Yes, mother, catnip. You've eat your break
fast, reckon says be, as be drew up his chair.
IF be hadn't says she, be wouldn't relish ours
much and then she turned her head away, but l
saw her wipe her eyes with her apron"
"POOr thing! but, father, always thought
johnson was good provider."
$50 he is, mother, 30 be is but Just wait till
tell you. Its hard fare,' says he, as he took up
cake. Il didn't think once could have stood It
TO have gone without meat or potatoes, or butter
or coffee for breakfast, but these hard times play
the deuce with ow'searnings' But thought
you was doing pretty well now,' says |. well, so
lam, he. Il turn away work every week, but
the trouble is, no one has anything to pay with it
all goes on to the book Well Ttell you, mother,
that made me feel uncomfortable for couldn't help
thinking of the hundred dollars owed him."
EYES, but he agreed to wait q year when you
spoke Of getting the wagon made, you know, and
he's got your note for 1t, and its bringing him in
terest all the time"
al know il, mother, but--well, Wheh got ready
to go, he went out with me, and sayshe: I've been
thinking about coming oHef ID see about that note,
neighbOr Smith. l tell you, we're pretty hard up,
just now. We aint had aspoonful Of tea or coffee,
or d bit Of meat or wheatbfead in the house. since
the baby was d week old, ana We have 70 let dll
the butter go that We thake now to pay old Gratny
Boone for taking care Of Mary fortnight. She
ought to have had help month, for she's mighty
thin this fall, but we were too poor But can't
you get trusted at the storer says l.. Yes, can,
but owe Grey fifty dollars now, and hate to ask
him to let the bill run any longer for knoIf he's
in tight place. too and then owe the butcher
ten dollars and the doctor ten, and signed ten for
the minister, and know they all want It. There's
all the debts owe in the world, and hundred
dollars would make me square, you see, and give
me little start, too; and I've been thinking If
you could pay that note now I'd throw of interest
yes and ten dollars Of the principal, for ninety
now is worth more to me than a hundred and six
will be next spring. Well, told him just how it
was-hOw we'd calculated to put that into clothes
and sich like, but be looked so sOowfu that told
him I'd speak to you about il, and II you thought
we could get along till spring with the old Clothes
why, I'd take up the note nov. What do you say,
mother"
Mrs. Smith did not answer. She dropped her
mitten and looked dreamily into the FIRE.
"We should be out Of debt then, you know, :"
said the farmer, after while and that would be
such q comfort. We've had pretty hard tussel
with the world getting all these mortgages paid Of
l reckon it'll be many long day before the old
farm gets saddled with another one but fatheF,
though mighty hard working man, was always
too easy with folks he never would say No"
Still his wife did not speak. She was thinking
Of the many, many things she had "lotted so" on
buying with that hundred dollars. The clock
struck nine.
BED time" said the farmer, giving himself q
good shake before the FIRE, and I'm ready for it,
too, for I'm about tired out. Here, mother" TAX
ing out his pOcket-bOOk and handing i to her,
"you take care Of this its mighty precious Just
now; and mind You, mother, do jist as you think
best II you've really SGT your heart on spending
it for clothes, why, take it aud buy EN-. But If,
after thinking Il all over, you find you can manage
any way to make our old ones do, why-but do jist
as you're mindt to. Idont care copper, as far as
I'm concerned, only hate to think Of Miss johnson
drinking catniptea and we owing her man."
"Sodo !, father" Mrs Smithsyoice was husky
as she spoke, and it was only Afler she had swal.
lowed hard two or three times that she was able to
add: "rl think Il all oset, father, before 60 to
sleep, aud see what can be done"
She did 90. Long after her husbands eyes were
closed in sound slunber she lay wide awake beside
him, devising, calculating, and wondering. II il
wasn't for his and Jimmys boots, and Susat's and
my shoes, do believe could manage, after all /;
but can't make over boots and shoes. Well,
wen, IN go to sleep now; perhaps can think Of
some way in the morning TO get them. Poor Mary
Johnson-drinking catnip-tea and living on rye
cakes, and her baby only three weeks old; it isn't
right" and then she said her prayers, oh how fer
vmtly! and dropped of into sleep, sweet and
sound.
Her morning work was light the next day, for she
had washed and scr Ibbed and baked and churned
on Monday, that in case her husband got his money
she could get an early start to the store. By the
time the children were of to school, and the baby
had settled himself for his morning nap, she was
at liberty to commence her rummaging She went
first to the south room" "-paror, city folks would
have called it, but she was country bred, and salts
fedwith the same quaint name her husbands mother
had given it when the house was built. Opening
the drawer Of the bureau, she commenced taking
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