Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-04-12
Live Within Your Means.


band, taking his seat in the rocking chair as
the supper things were removed. The fire
glowing in the CRATE revealed pretty and
neatly furnished sitting room, with all the
appearance of comfort The fatiguing busi-
ness of the day was over, and he sat enjoying
what he had all day been anticipating, the
delights of his own fireside. His pretty wife,
Esther, took her work and sat down by the
table.
"Itis pleasant to have home of ones own" /"
he again said, taking a satisfactory survey of
his little quarters, The cold rain beat against
the windows and he thought he felt really
grateful for all his present comfort.
"Now, if we only had piano." exclaimed
his wife, ~-
"Give me the music of your own sweet
voice before all pianos in creation" he OBJ
served complimentary but he felt a certain
disappointment that his wife's thankfulness
did not happily chime with his own.
"Well, we want one for our friends" said
Esther.
'Let our friends come to see US, and not
to hear piano." exclaimed the husband.
"But, George, everybody has piano, now
adays- we don't go anywhere without seeing
a piano." persisted Esther.
"And yet don't know what We want one
for-for you will have no time to play on one,
and don't want to hear oue."
"Why, they are so iashionable-I think
our'-room looks nearly naked without one."
az think it looks just right"
'tI think it looks very naked-we want a
piano shockingly," protested Esther, emphati-
cally
The husband rocked violently.
s'Your lamp smokes, my dear" said he after
long pause.
sWhen are you going to get one of the new
kind of lamps / have told you dozen
times how much we need one," said Esther,
pettishly.
'These are very pretty lamps, said her hus
band. "The prettiest of the kind I ever
saw"
"But, George, do not think our room is
complete without lamp of the new style,"
said Esther, sharply.
"Thcy are SO fashionable! Why, the Nor
gans, and many others might mention, all
have them, am sure we ought to-"
1--WE ought not to take pattern by other
peoples expenses, and 1 don't see any reason
in that"
The husband moved uneasily in his chair.
eve want to live as well as Others" said
Esther.
I'VE want to live within our means, Esther
81 am sure you can afford it we'll as the
Morgans and Thorns we do not wish to ap-
pear mean"
"George's cheek crimsoned.
"Alean am not tmean !" he cried, angrily.
"Then we do not wish to appear So" said
his wife "To complete this room, aud make
it look like other peoples rooms, we want a
piano and fashionable lamps"
1--WE waut-we want ~ muttered the hus-
band, "there's no satisfying woman's wants,
do what you may" and he abruptly left the
room.
How many husbands are in similar Dis
lemma2 How many houses and husbands
are rendered uncomfortable by the constant
dissatisfaction of wife with present comforts
and present provisions How many bright
prospects for business hate ended in bank
ruptcy and ruin in order to satisfy this secret
hankering after fashionable peeessaries !
Could tho real cause of many failures be
known, it would be found to result from USE
less expenditures at home 4; expenses to answer
the demands of fashion and what people will
think.
"My wife has made my fortune" said
gentleman of great possessions, "by her thrift,
prudence, and cheerfulness when l was just
beginning"
"And mine has lost my fortune" answered
his companion, "by useless extravaganza, and
repining when | was doing well.
fuences which wife possesses over the future
prosperity of her family Let the wife know
her influence and try and use it, wisely and
we'll.
Be satisfied to commence on q small scale.
1t is too common for young house-keepers to
begin where their mothers ended. Buy all
that is necessary to work skillfully with
adorn your house with all that will make it
comfortable. Do not look at richer homes
and covet their costly furniture. If secret
dissatisfaction is ready to spring up, go step
further and visit homes of the suffering poor
behold dark, cherries apartments, insufficient
clothing, and absence of all the comfort and
refinement of social life, then return to your
own with joyful spirit. You will then be
prepared to meet your husband with grateful
heart, and be ready to appreciate the toll or
self denial which he has endured in the busi-
ness world to surround you with the delights
of home and you will be ready to cooperate
cheerfully with him in SO arranging expenses
that his mind will not constantly be harrassed
with fears lest his family expenditures may
encroach upon public payments. Be inde-
pendent young house-keeper never needed
greater moral courage than she does now to
resist the arrogance of fashion. Do not let
the AS and BIS decide what you must have,
neither let them hold the string of your purse.
You know best what you can and ought to
afford It matters little what people think,
provided you are true to yourself and family.
Woods Magazine.
SoRReW.-Sorrow sobers us and makes
the mind genial. And in sorrow We love our
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