The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-07-05
"Silver.is Always the Cheapest"
By ELLEN ASHTON.

est"
Now Mr.. and Mrs. Aston were rich
and it was no more to them, therefore. to
give silver tea-service, than it would
lhave been for the most Of US, for myself
lparticularly,to give plain china teapot
"I'm not SO sure,' was Mr.. Alston's
answer, sthat a silver tea-service would
be the best. Ellen is not rich, neither is
her intended husband"
"The more reason we should give the
tea.service. They'll not get it for years,
if we don't give it to them. And, as l
said before, silver is always the cheapest
You can't break it, and it never wears
out"
"It's very far from being the cheapest.
Such tea-service, as you would buy,
would cost, for instance, five or six hun
dred dollars. Now the interest on six
hundred dollars would be thirty-six dol
lars every year. Thirty six dollars every
year would buy new china service every
year But even a china service would
last five or six years. So, if the six hun-
dred dollars were invested for the benefit
of Ellen, she would be able to buy new
china tea-seryice every five or six years,
and have thirty-six dollars, yearly, to
spend on something else, for the other
four or FIVE years.
"That's the way of you men" said Mrs.
Aston. you're always talking of in
vestments and interest. But l know, as
woman, that niece would rather have
the silver tea-service than the money land
so l shall give it to her.
s:As you please, my dear. You know
| leave all such things to you. The most
do is 70 advise"
So the tea-service was given to the
bride, and when Mr.. Alston saw the un-
concealed pleasure with which his niece
displayed it, he began to think that his
wife had been right, after ALL
And she was right, so far as the pres
ent was concerned. Ellen was ten times
happier, in regarding her pretty silver
tea-service, and in beholding the secret
envy of her female acquaintances, than if
the six hundred dollars, which it cost,
had been invested for her in the safest Sc
curities.
But the present is not everything in
life. Temporary qualification is often
bought at the expense of future suffering
1t vas so in Ellen's case.
The young couple had not long been al
house keeping before they discovered that
there was want Of harmony between their
silver tea-service and the china plates and
tea cups which were used with it. The
latter were but ordinary ehina-ware: moi
at all the things FOR silver tea pots. al
Ellen said; and so fine French porcelain
was substituted. When this had beer
done, the glass, which had been only press
ed glass, was soon found to be also out o
i place, and so cut glass was purchased
4 Then the table-eloths were observed t
be too coarse. 'sElegant linen, silver, fin
china, and cut glass ought always to g
together" remarked Ellen; and her hus
band, who though not rich, loved prett
things as we'll as his wife, consented to lie
her purchase some exquisite damask ia
ble-cloths. After this, it was not lon
before the chairs were seen to be to
cheap an article, and then the carpet; til
finally nothing was left in the dining
room, which ha6 been there originally
except the silver tea-service,
"How is it, Ellen" said one of tn
! brides friends, one day, sthat your dir
ing room is SO much more elegant tha
the rest of the house?. / always like
come here to tea; every thing about yor
table is so refined and choice"
: Ellen had begun before, to feel tn
!, want of harmony between her dining-roo
q and her parlor; but from this hour 81
was positively unhappy till she had begu
s to refnrnish her parlor. Her husban
who was not without sense and foresigh
itrembled at these demands on his purs
for he knew he could not afford to take
:. much money out Of his business; but E
= lens unhappiness, in the end, oyerean
: him; and beside, he trusted to make it l
i in some other way. ave can save it o
. of the household expense, l know" sa
e Ellen, and he allowed himself to be pc
lsuaded.
But they never did save it. Their pa
lor grew to be as tasteful as their dinin
!. room, and by the same process; for frsi
new carpet was bought, then new furr
ture, and finally curtains were pat up.
/, ssNo room was complete without drapery
Ellen said, "and Henkel had such love
silk rep SO wonderfully cheap" Miro
c followed. Then elegant vases and clio
for the mantel- piece. And so it went Q
for whenathe parlor had been entirely ,
fitted, the bed rooms were discovered
be unworthy of the rest of the houses "a
., their improvement began. All this tax
N the young husbands means to the utmo
= in spite of Ellen's thrift in selling the c
D articles and buying the new, as she p'
suaded herself. cat bargain
/. ''I'm afraid our niece is living too fas
NO n said Mr.. Alston, one evening to his wi
= "Her husband wears troubled look.
N they've now been married three years, ,
his credit is worse to-day than when
came to see Ellen and that ought nel
to be with married man who has r
ing family to support. They thr
out his note at the bank, this morning
~ spite of all | could say"
IL "Ellen is too fond, I'm afraid Of e
furniture replied Mrs. Alston. eS
oughtto know that one should wait TO