Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Iowa) 1861-1864, 1863-02-19

al uay otiNluS III vi oio ieuSctS anu
day-books, and counting up endless
columns of figures, keeping the mind
on continued stretch for the work
ing hours of the day. He needed just
such home in which to relax himself
to keep from growing irritable, and
uusocial, and prematurely old.
As Mary and her husband sat, that
evening, by the pleasant lamp-light
he related the conversation which had
passed with Alfred Lewis. The fami-
lies had been old acquaintanccs be-
fore their removal to the city. and
each stook an interest in the others
welfare. .-
wonder" said Mary, If Fanny
would not sellher piano She told me
herself she did not open it except for
company to play, and it was of no use
to her, as the boys had no taste for
music. She was never much Of mn.
sician, and has forgotten the little she
did learn when we were at school to-
gether. | would as lief have it for
Oracle to learn on as the new one We
hoped to get her next birthday. Fan
ny's instrument is an excellent one,
and | know, if she parted with it
she would rather should have il than
any one else" #
II was decided that John should
make the proposition, at least, the
next time he met his friend, and Mary
sent an invitation to the hewises to
all come and take tea with her the
next evening.
1t was q merry little party. The
children were all so full of glee, and
Grace managed so excellently to har.
monize everything among them. The
Oldest boy was near her own age, and
baby Frank wore dresses still. They
spent the evening in the dining-room,
while the elders conversed in the par.
lor. A good, cheerful supper is a
great help to amiability. 1t puts peo
pie on good terms with themselves
and all their neighbors. Mary's tact
had Taught her that lesson long before
SO she never introduced business until
that was fairly over But when they
were all comfortably seated by the
glowing gra.c-the gentlemen in the
arm-chairs, and Fanny and.herself in
the light rockers, stitching away at
some light needlc-work-thcn the mo-
mentous questions of ways and means
were freely discussed, and some very
valuable decisions made on that we'll.
remembered evening. A bargain was
made for the piano, with the under.
standing that it might be bought
back at any time, if they chose-so il
did not seem like sacrifice altogeth.
er. With economy, they thought, they
might live on the sum it brought them
for the next three months, without
running up the accustomed terrible
bills" Mary inducted her friend into
many little mysteries of economy she
had never thought of before. Es
That old Valencia plaid of yours
would make lovely snits for Frank,
this winter. Make little open skirts
to button on white waists, and an open
jacket like the shirt. make Ncddy's
waists out Of the plaits from worn-out
shirt fronts, and finish them, about the
neck aud sleeves, with little worked
edge, or a plain, narrow ruffle. | have
bought nothing but shoes and stock.
ings for him for six months
We'll you are q manager, Mary.
| will certainly try to follow your ex'
ample. l have often wondered how
You could afford to dress your children
so handsomely"
al intend, when Neddy is older, to
cut his fathers worn-out clothing into
suits of boys clothes for him. Only
get good patters, and il is a very easy
matter. used often to help my moth
er about such work A penny saved
is two pence earned she used to say
an old-fashioned proverb quite out
of date nowadays, but as true as it
ever was"
And SO the friends spent pleasant
evening, imparting and receiving val
liable lessons in practical economy,
which gave very different coloring
to the future comfort and success in
life of one Of the parties. Though il
was working against wind and tide,
for the time, Fanny Lewis and her
husband persevered in their determi-
nation to adopt the motto of :" Pay as
you go; )" aud, before the year was
done, The habit was well established
Mr.. Lewis. too, was astonished to find
himself the possessor of handsome
surplus, which was deposited, with
great satisfaction, in the Savings
Bank, though he had always been well
assured that he could lay up nothing
for rainy day until his salary was
much Increased. ~
What an advantage it would be, if
all heads of families could adopt the
same rule of life /! What world of
harrassing care would be removed
from the mind Of both debtor and
creditor! How much more independ-
emily a man can walk the streets, who
feels that his only debts are those Of
love and goodwill to all mankind 1t
is not only an excellent worldly max
i'm, but also q Scriptural injunction,
to owe no man anything"
Says DR.. Todd, in his valuable work
for students
"All the efforts of denying your,
self the Injuries, and even the com.
forts of life, are light i'm comparison
with the burden Of owing"