North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1870-04-20
I Can do without it.

I like to hear this sentence spoken
by the fresh, rosy mouth of comely
young woman. There is something so
sensible, Independent and energetic in
those fine, simple words that should
almost feel sure that the young lady
who could clearly enunciate them in
turning her back on love of hat
which just suits her style and complex
ion, or in refusing costly and desira-
BILE dress, offered on tempting terms,
and abide by her decision in spite of
certain little regretful twinges (Which
are sure always to trouble the heart of
any woman who denies herself the buy
ing of thing, when she finds it dirt
cheap would be very likely to make a
prudent and reliable housekeeper.
81 can do without it !" IF we would
always say this when we are tempted
by some handsome or convenient article
which we do not really need, but which
we feel a desire to possess, partly be-
cause "TT is SO CHEAP what world
of trouble we might save ourselves
Mrs. Tenpence, when she goes on a
shopping expedition, is so likely to
forget that her purse hasn't so deep a
bottom as Mrs. Fivetwenty's; and so
likely to argue that it would be $50
nice" to have this dress or that cloak,
because Mrs. Fivetwenty has one just
like it. IF, on such occasions. she
would only say bravely, Il can do
without it, how much unhappiness,
how many heart-burnings, and how
many bitter tears she might save her.
self thereby.
My dear Mrs. Tenpence, don't regu-
late your expenses by those of Mrs
Fiyetwenty's. Let Mrs Fivetwenty
spend her money as suits her best, but
do YOU regulate your expenses by your
actual needs. Remember,I say ACTUAL,
and not FANCIED. needs.
If you will do this there will never
be any more occasion for mean little
subterfuges in getting money from Mr..
Tcnpence no prevaricating as to how
you have spent what you had before
no need of making seapegoat of the
household expenses" on the plea that
everything in that line is so dear
now Pho premonitory misgiyings and
frightened tremblings if the parcels
and the bills should happen to come
in while Tenpence is at home And
never any more heartsinkings and bitter
despairings over certain unpaid bills
which you hide away so carefully from
Tenpencc. Oh those bills What
terrible things they are know I'd
never have one haunting me by day and
by night like troubled spirit. Pay
ment is the only way to bury these
ghosts of past imprudence and want of
foresight I'd ten times rather 90
without an article, no matter how badly
| needed it, than not to pay upon pur-
chase. Better to say | can do without
it and l would do without it too
But I'll tell you of some things which
you cannot well afford to do without.
First of all, clear conscience
secondly, a cheerful spirit; thirdly, a
mind so habituated to cheerful self |
sacrifice that you can see Mrs. Five
twenty faant by you in the street, with
new bonnet and new dress that cost
treble and quadruple what your own
cost, and a shawl so rich that your own
well-kept wrappings look dingy and
poor in comparison, without the least
bit Of a hcart-ache, and then say pleas
antly, II can do without all that ~
And so you can, if you happen to be
the happy possessor of the three things
above specified. And if you are. T
think you'll agree with me that you
could not do without them-no. not for
the sake of the richest GRos-GRAIN
silks and Lyons velvets that were ever
imported into this country.
A homely article on homely sub
ject? A very important one, however.
Are not we, of this generation, in dan
ger of forgetting that sELF-DENIAL is
one of the virtues I don't counsel ex-
tremes in any case. But can we not
set a boundary to our wants )? Draw
line somewhere, and with one 1.-THE of
the surplus thus saved you will always
be able to do little to help those more
unfortunate than you are; and instead
of feeling the deprivation, you will
think that the happiness which results
from SAVING and GIVING is very
cheaply earned, and worth all the fine
things the money so appropriated could
buy.-Exch