The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1866-01-17
have pretty dress. Poor Papa has to
work hard

WOrk UdTu.
"The words smote me to the heart. /
could not afford a dollar to dress my
little girl, but I could afford any amount
for the useless entertainment Of others |!
The dollar which my needy wife could
not get, when she asked for it, paid
away almost twice told for nothing. But
it learned NE lesson. | opened my
eyes, and kept them open. On tho very
next morning I afforded the dollar, but
I could not afford any more for the beer
man. had not dreamed of how much
was wasting, but when I stopped up
that leak, and allowcd My fuads to flow
into their proper channel, l soon found
I could afford every reasonable comfort
nv wife and children needed. So lsticS
to the principle which has proved SO
beneficial to myself and family. All
what's that? There's an animal in your
garden, Walter"
They had reached the garden fence.
and By the dim starlight, Walter could
see horned beast trampiinE amongst
his sweet corn. The bars had been left
down, and a stray COW got in. They
drove her out and then Niles wen: home.
Walter saw that the beast had done con.
siderable damage. but he was not angry,
for he had something of more importance
to think OF. lie went and sat down be-.
meath an apple tree and pondcrcd.
Bless me, if he hasn't put the ease
down about squarc!" he said to himself
at the end Of some minutes meditation.
Let ne sec" he pursued :-''Thcre's
sixty.scvcn cents. for chowder - FIFTY
cents for ale-iifty cents for soda. And
that's within the las! three days. a dol.
lar and sixty seven cents. Is i, possible!
Over a hundred dollars year! und yet
I cant afford two do!l1rs for gate, nor
i've dollars that my family may have
religious instruction for year. Whltcr
Gray-I think you had better tura over
new leaf"
And Waiter Gray did turn over new
leaf. On the very next day he did two
things, thereby astonishing two parties
lie had n new gate made for the entrance
to the garden, and thereby astoniahed
his wife, and he refused to toss up" lo'
the ale, and thereby us!ou!sEcd crowd
Of czpectaut thirsty ones. For month
he pursued this course, and By the ex.
p;ra,ion of that time he could fully ap.
p-eciate the new blessings that were
dawnins upon him. lie discovered that
he could afford everything which the
comfort Of his family demanded; and in
arriving at the result he had only to Gu
loose those things which he really eoul'
not afford 1t was a wonder to hin hoT
he could have been so foolish. Wheu
ut the end Of the year, he paid his note
and had ninc:y.two dollars left, he fel
a. first as if there was some mistake bu
when his wife went over their household
expenditures with him and showed him
that all they had needed had been
bought and paid for, he saw jnst how il
was. lie saw that for years he had beer
wasting his substance, and dcpriviu4
himself and loved ones Of the comfort:
they needed - not Intentionally, but
through tho same mistake that lead!
thousands in the same course. Bat he
did so no more. Some times, even now
Walter Gray says" Can't afford IT,
and he s,ys it very cmphatically, too
But it is not when his wife or children
ask for comfort and joy, nor yet when
the needy ask FOR help and charity-fo'
he can we'll afford all that; but it is wheE
the wild speculation, or the loose com
pauion, asked him to engage in some
game Of hazard which may rob himself
and family Of their substance. Then nc
says, "cAS'T AFFORD 1T.