The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-05-28
we mus. do without the paper for the year


tendency to render business still more dull
not to advertise, she asked.
Nonsense! A place so well established
needs not so questionable lever to help
1t on. do not suppose that It will make
any difference, while the cost Of advcrtis-
Ing amounts to considerable ! replied,
impatiently.
But what will you do for the newsT
she ventured again.
'Oh, can get enough ofthat by the In
tercourse with others, and occasionally
buy or borrow copy
John Smyth," said my wife. now fully
aroused. u am ashamed Of you. What
too poor to take paper yourself, and yet
willing to filch Information from others
whose money Is paid for what they learn,
and at the same time defraud the honest
publisher who Is constantly laboring with
head and hands for others good. Talk
about etrenchment-you had better stop
your bills at the saloons for ale and cigars
needless expenditures for yourself alone
while the newspaper Is n perpetual intel
lectual feast for the whole family, your
self not excepted, and It costs but the
merest trine In comparison to the money
you spend every week for tobacco and
drink. You have not spoken Of the In
creased prices of these articles. Stop the
paper! indeedr and my wife jerked her
chair In not very graceful movement,
and sat with her back toward me In utter
contempt Of my penny wise and pound
foolish resolution
Now make It n point never to yield to
my wife or any of my family, III can help
IL, as in case should, would seem a
secondary consideration In my own fam
ily-a position by no means intend to
occupy; so l said nothing, but sat and
pufied my fragrant Havana. watching the
graceful folds of smoke as II wound itself
In little wreaths about my head. re-
solved that come what would, would
not yield Indulgence In the delicious weed
for the sake of newspaper.
The next day / called on my publisher,
settled my accounts, and ordered my pa
per discontinued. ....
On what groundg he asked, In some
surprise.
'Nothing,'I said, Il can't afford It, and
! walked away, leaving him to his own
reflection. ..s
Time passed on; the day on which 1t
was due could not feel quite contented
at the non-appearance Of my newspaper.
missed Its cheerful face, and the Interest
ing news Ii was wont to bring on the re-
turn OF each week, through fair weather
and foul. There were other papers about,
for bought one occasionally, but these
were published In large cities, and con-
tanned no local news of my own home.
At night when reached home, my eld-
est daughter, Mary, met me In the hall.
Where is the paper, papa" said she.
'Oh, am In such hurry to see 1t. Mat
tic Trucworth's maria ,e Is In 1t, and the
editor has published such an appropriate
verse In connection, am told
But put her aside, saying, THE paper
will not come any more, have ordered It
discontinued
why, father she exclaimed, how can
we do without it,
we must learn to do without it, 1 re-
piled as passed on to the supper room.
Aiter supper. instead Of reading to my
family, sometimes leading their minds
away off to other scenes and distant re-
gions, beautiful countries that others have
explored at great expense and some risk
of life; sometimes to the fierce fields Of
blood and carnage pictured so vlvidly that
they seemed indeed before us, while we
were safe and comfortable In our little
home: or singing over the stray waits Of
real poetry which often find their way In
to the newspaper, touching tender chord
In every heart-as was wont to dol
stretched myself upon the sofa and tried
to sleep.
Tommy whispered Mary. 'run over to
Mr.. wild's and see If you cannot borrow
his paper
But Tommy soon returned with the
answer that Mr.. Wild was reading 1t him
self.
Then 20 to Mr.. Browns, and II you
can't get his, 20 to Mr.. Gates
But Tommy was not more successful at
any of these places. Mr.. Brown had
taken his paper down town, and Mr..
Gates didn't like to lend his; though his
father took It. A disappointed sigh was
Mary's only answer.
''rhe particulars Of that murder affair
arc In the paper this week. said my wife,
with slight frown upon her brow, 'and
would really like to see it.
And Minnie Milford's new story was to
come out In this weeks paper. really
wish could borrow 1t sCmewhcre,' said
Mary.
Here, Tommy said I, taking five cents
from my pocket, "run down to the news
office and buy copy IL It's not too late,
and the publishing office shut up
Tommy soon returned out OF breath.
I've run enough after that old newspa-
per- with just touch of his fathers
spunk, and Iwont do 1t again. The pub
fishing Office was closed, and the news
Office had not a number LEFT. I would like
to find out though when that celebration
Is coming off, Nobody knows for sure
hnt tho naper Is IL I'm that fafherY he
added. The minds of all rs well rs my
sell. were on the missing paper, but was
thoroughly out Of patience with myself,
and with them Il tell you don't know
anything about It. I replied, In not very
amiable tone, fear. Seems to me you