National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1870-10-07
MY NEWSPAPER.

}ke pleasant periodical visits, like the
NE of dear frien1, bringing such "a
1Und of wit, news and general intelli-
nee, that it is always greeted with II
h1arty welcome, are withdrawn. 1t is i'll
90 sense, the light of the world-with-
0&t which the mental universe would be
~ much in darkness as the terrestrial
N0rld without the sun.
There are books, it is true, good, wise,
instructive and entertaining but they
6onot tell us what We want to know Of
pHssing events, or direct us to the best
Sces of business. Neither do they in
f0rm us who of our friends are passing
sway or getting married, or who has sail
Cd for the eastern continent, or who has
returned from tour thither, etc.
i did not think of this until had form
"a the foolish resolve not to take the paper
Another year The pressure of the times
Wns severe, business dull, my family ex-
pensive, and it really seemed necessary
~ retrench somewhere at the end of the
year So | thought as | sat alone one
evening, in dressing gown and slippers,
With my feet upon the fender. | had
my last paper in my hand, which | pc
rused with a greater degree of interest
than before it may be because | resolv-
Cd TO part with it. :" / say said | to
my wife. 1t won't do; we must curtail
our expenses, and | will begin by with
drawing my advertisement from the pa
per and ordering it discontinued. Taxes
vii soon be due which must be paid,
wood is enormously high, but we can't
do without it-nor groceries and pro-
visions, nor lights nor clothing, nor many
other incidental expenses. We have
plenty of books and magazines, old to
G1re, still they are readable, and we must
u III without the paper for a year to
ne"
R 1t is only few dollars "a year, said
w wife quietly.
81 know it, replied but every
6o1lar counts now a days.
's,H But do you not believe it will have 8
Paa ucv to render business more dul
n0k 30 advertise 2" she asked.
~ Nonsense \ place well established
needs not SO questionable a lever to hell
= on. do not suppose that it will max,
any dif1'creucc, while the cost of adver
thing amounts to considerable, | re
plied.
" But what will you do for the news 2
Tho ventured again.
Oh, | can get enough Of that by in
toxcourse with others, and occasionally
buying or borrowing copy.
h John Smith, said my wife now ful
4 " aroused, " | am ashamed of you
What ! too poor to take a paper your
se1f, and yet willing to tilch information
from others whose money is paid fo
what You learn, and at the same time de
itaud the honest publisher who is con
ss stantly laboring with head and hands fo
other good Talk about retrenchmen
you had better stop your bills mt tn
oaloon for ale and cigars-needless eN
penditures for yourself alone, while you
newspaper is a perpetual intellectual fcas
III the whole family, yourself not except
~, and it costs but the merest trifle /
eomparison with the money you spen
4 very week for tobacco and drink. Yo
I've not spoken of the increased price
Those articles Stop the paper ! ii
Nd !" And my wife ierlled her chai
.s] with not very graceful movemer
q sat with her back toward me in utte
htempt of my "penny wise an
rnnd foolish resolution.
Now | make it n point never to yiel
~ my wife or any of my family, if | ca
help it, MS in case | should | would seel
1se secondary consideration in my ow
4 lmily-a position by no means inten
~ occupy so | said nothing, but 81
md pulled my fragrant Havana, watcl
in9 the graceful folds Of smoke as tn,
wound themselves in little wrcaths abol
my head. resolved that come VIII
W0uld would not yield indulgence
the delicious weed for the sake of II new
The next dayl called on my publis
u. settled my accounts and ordered II
PAPER discontinued.
"On what ground ?' he asked in son
mrprise.
|" Nothing, said II cant afford it
nd ! walked away, leaving him to |
y q Hn reflection.
Time passed on the day on which
ns due | could not feel quite content
- the non-nppearance Of my ncwspap'
''3 IL missed the cheerful face Of the lit
k1z nrricr and the interesting news he "
,ont to bring on the return of ca
Y geck, through fair weather and fo'
IL here were other papers about, ano
ought one occasionally, but they w
Z nblished in large cities, and contain
'S % local news Of my own home.
h At night, when | reached home, !
i dest daughter, Mary, met mo in t
s4 MI
HI Where is the pnpcr, papa p 81
be. ooh, | am in such n hurry to
|N&5 Matte Trueworths marriage is
md the editor has published such
appropriate verse in connection, !
\ n bld. 3"
But put her aside, saying "'rhc
~ will not come any more. hl
fdered II discontinued "
" "Why, father" she exclaimed, oh
an We do without IL p
"Wo must learn to do without
replied, ~ passed on To- the sup,
Dom.
After supper, instead Of reading to
mily. sometimes leading their miI
Fay oil To other scenes and distant