The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1864-03-11
Selling Old Things.

OSh ehab olu Sapio 1sO IL uOb Sell
it It's only pine table, that's true; and
lit cost but Is shillings twenty-five years
ago /; but your $40 Bills ,lo temptation
and I'll not swap it, either, for the pretti-
est mahogany or cherry table that you
bring me. If it has plain turned legs, in
stead of a pillar in the middle with a liop's
claws,and if the marble top is only var
nished paper, still I will not sell or swap
lit. 1t has been to me very profitable in
vestment. From the day it came home,
it has been earning dividends and increas-
ling its own capital. 7aa ~ -.la.i
My children made a playhouse and
drank tea in their toy cups under it, for
which thank the four legs, and when
they got tired Of it that way, turned it up
side down and made four-post bedstead
with curtains, or pulled itround the carpet
for sleigh. Then they climbed on it for
on observatory and never counted the
GLORIOUS romps they had round it.. And
also, all along, for twenty-five years, it
has paid its dividends of happiness to my
family circle. These dividends could new
er be separated from it, until itsIvalue is
not told in money. 1t has had its quiet
use, also; for no body could tell il from
a round table of agate and comedian, with
its salmon-bordered green cover.
Nothing lasts forever. The top of the
table was loosened by the hard use it got,
so took punch, drove in the eight-pen-
ny nails below the surface, added few
screws, puttied them over, and pasted mar
ble-paper checkers over the top. Thenit
was really handsome table. Il has had
hard usage since, but bears it all; and
the checkers want renewing, which will
make it worth more yet. Taa < he,a7'
My watch is thirty years old. It is
one Of those thick silver levers which
some poor wits call "turnips." Ii has
been several times suggested 20 me that I
might exchanges it for thin modern gold
watch, which wears easier in the pocket.
When / do, you may set me down for a
barbarian No, the best gold and jewel
ed "hunter" in existence would not tempt
me to swap. The watch marked the time
when my children were born, and the re-
cord is set down in the family Bible it
has licked in their ears when they could
only speak by laughing at it and kicking
up their heels. Ithas marked the hours
when the doctors medicines were to be
given, and counted their pulses when they
beat low at midnight, and the heart ached.
It.has made many records that are fast
sealed up--to be opened only when anoth-
or time comes T& 3roCE al st-n}ase
Twenty:seyep years have passed since
my wife and went out one evening and
bought tea-kettle. The fitting Of the
lid was little imperfect, SO that the es-
cape of steam shook it, and caused pc
culiar noise, nearly enough resembling the
lchirping of, some insect to Suggest The
name by which it has been known in the
family for long time--aour cricket son
the hearth" MI 81. ge4aa,
4 Like the table and the watch, the ket-
tie has been adding dividends toiits CAPT
Etal every day Since its first purchase,
and, though nothing but iron, it could
mot be bought for its weight in silver I'll
has sung 50 long, md regularly and cheer
fully, that not only the kitchen, but the
whole house would be lonely mithout it.
1t has given US its fragrant blessings,
morning and evening, and come almost TO-
be regarded as . living and baking, crea-
Iture. az. 81 bi
I 1t is never q good fortune that sells
sAch old friends out Of the family and
takes in. new ones that have, no history
and no tongue. Id all changes that have
$50 far taken place, I have kept these
silver bowls unbroken, and surely no
ohangein the future shsll break thS
Csatasy, M /