Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1864-04-22

A. "' "'Vie III thls very room, looking UP at
.he very place where that picture now hangs,
snsusnl now pleasant it would be to have the
o'nanisnt :, ti mere and also thought how much
siueration had the most weight with me then
for Mary was precious wile. and did so much
Tor my comfort As | sat, thus ponderinp. l
TOOK out cigar, and WIS upon the point of
| lighting 1t, when rene lltsd that Mary had
asked me not to smutsN, iis- iasior, because
| the 0dor Of the tobacco ag,SsyO long TO the
curtains. was in thoughtful mood, and my
thoughts took curious turn--a new turn for
me. They ran in this way:
81 could not possibly afordi6 buy the pic
ture which my wife so much wpnted, and which
would add SO much TO the cheerful aspect of
our parlor. Ten dollars was more than had
to spare for any such purpose. | looked at the
cigar which held in my fingers and thought
what that cost. | remembered hat paid five
cents for it, and that was in the habit Of smok-
ing four or Ave Of them in day and sometimes
more. My cigars did not always cost so much
as that, hut ! did not hesitate 10 set down that
! item of expense at fifteen cents a day. This
led me to another thing drink from three
to four glasses of ale day mgaing another dali
| y item Of at least fifteen dents SO here was
an expense Of thirty cents a DIV for ale and ci-
gars. reckuned il up, and found that it am
ounled TO over two dollars week, and about
one hundred and nine dollars yearl So, in a
! little over four weeks, smoked and drank
ten dollar pictured
"'rhis led me to another thought: What
good did the cigars do M ard what good the
ale rather fancied that Ishoud be better
off without them. Not only we're they making
a bondman of me, but ] had reason to believe
that they were gradually undermining my
health sat an hour in this mood, ard when
arose, my resolution for the future was taken.
] threw my cigar away, and on the evening OF
the next day put thirty cents into hox, hav-
ing left my ale untouched, On the day follow
ing did the same, and so kept on doing. For
few week. missed DlsSk''s'ers; and there
object in view, and was firm. At the end of
a month found ten dollars in my box, and |
went and bought the picture. When saw my
wife's sparkling eye, and received her warm
kiss of thanks, had reward enough for all the
effort had made. But this reward was not all.
| not only conquered dp evil habit, and gained
thereby the means of adding new attractions to
our home but ! also improved in mental and
physical health. That was something over three
years ago. The old box is still in use, and into
ii drop my daily tribute. Thus, you see, the
pictures which adorn our walls, the ornaments
| al l.l- s..1
",on W. ,'"i'."s uru 'ne i'I'e statues IN our
io,"er Ile we !nlnss wlicil nave CHOSEN III
, ,.su y, aie una cigars. IN snort Aoher' IN ihe
eAPe"ui'uIe VI money '1r 'he pnrch"se OIL wna'
after that which satisfeth,"
Nheh hoher Leeus went TO ms nome that
e'e,ins, ne "du new ,houSh!s IN MS nina. lie
maui Gaily use OF ale ana cigars. lie mad nev-
CT 'houSh, IL any harm; ana even now ne dld
nGt ,eeurI !! IN lnaI iignt. b"t ne was 'eu 10
ask himseh II from MS limited means, MS spare
money m'gnl not ne spent lor something when
Mouiu oe OF more nehehI 10 hlmseli ana iamiiy'
ne nau Sifehgh' OF nina enough 10 keep a res
oiulion wnen IT IT was once formed snd' before ne
Igsseu ms pillow on lhal hlSu'. MS resolution
lau oeeI ,aNeh' Oh !ne lonowing morning ne
piep"reu mn! DoS' WIN a hoe IN 'he Top, ana
Snes 'NIn',,S :, came h, ne ar9pneI mo II thres
channel. JJe had s,,oL al - -. "a aJ
dronL M ale ,Lronab ,hs Ia, Aro,her ~ ia, da,
nossed with tbe same resul, II came hord
bere ,yos a conAct and y s,rroalo Such ~.
rau,S No, -, ho oono,,orod 0Sr;,ho, -,
pn, Ahuor oods nas Gtn, uiS f'n, hod hoau
SET in the , nec co,rse and no woulJ nnI ,ielp
biY r,onLond ,o the oII anno,i,o ArI Lo ri.