The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1871-09-14
Thrift, or Nothing is Useless.

John Schmid was M old soldier
with wooden leg; he was so poor
that for some years he was Obliged
to solicit aims from door to door in
villages near to that in which he lived
(which was situated on the lake OF
Constance. Now, however, old John
Schmid sits at his ease in his arm.
chair q; he is in independent circum.
stances yet few people guess how he
came by his wealth. One aflirms that
he discovered a secret treasure others
have gone so far as to hint, that he
made a compact with the Evil One
When such hints are dropped in my
presence, ] fail not to reproye the
speakers. know better the means
by which the old soldier got rich, and
will tell you how it was.
John Schmid had three sons, whom
he had brought up well in spite of his
poverty; for he not only furnished
them with good advice but with 4
good example, and suffered many
priyations that he might send them to
school. One morning in spring, as
the old man was dividing among
them the bread which was to break
their fast, he said, any children, you
are now old enough to gain your own
livelihood; but you must not beg
while there are other means of OBJ
tanning it-that would be taking
bread out Of the mouths of those who
may want it more than you. Pierre"
he continued turning to the eldest,
"you are fourteen years old, and have
sharp eyes-use them to seek employ
ment. You, Gabriel, though year
younger, have strong arms-sct them
TO work. You, George, though only
eleven, have stout lcgs-prolit by
thcm."
"But what" exclaimed the three
boys at once, "what would you have
us to do?"
John Schmid answered, 81 know
that you have neither land to culti-
vatc, wood to fell, nor llocks TO tend
but there arc many things that are
thrown away az useless, but which
with little industry may be collect
cd and made profitable. By-a"d-by
| will show you how. DO not spend
the money which you will earn in
obedience to your wants, but cc0no-
mize it for the necessities of the future,
be it ever so little. Could you save
only batz day, each would amass
at the end of the year twcny-four
norins."
Upon this John Schmid set about
showing his sons how they might
earn their bread. lie desired them
to 90 in different directions to collect
the following articles first, bones, the
largest of which they could sell to
the turner's, who made them into va
rious useful and ornamental articles,
while the smaller were required by
farmers for manure. Secondly, pieces
of broken glass, to be disposed of to
the glass workers for rc-casting. AS
it was spring, he charged them to
get together all the rose leaves and cl-
der blossoms which fell in their way,
and for which the apothccarics give
good prices. lie also reminded his
sons, that by a little inquiry the chem
lists would point out what other
plants and roots they required. Up
holsters would purchase cows hair,
saddlers, coach-makcrs, and chair
makers, horse hair. Besides these
articles, he mentioned rags for paper
makers, bristles, Tor brush manuiac-
turers, quilts, pins, hedge wood, bird
weed, and several other things which
might be turned into money with no
other trouble than that of seeking out
and collecting them.
The sons did as they were desired,
under the guidance of their father.
During the spring and summer they
collected and sold with such success,
that their profits daily augmented.
When autumn came, they sought
things of different kind. Where
ever they could obtain PERMISSION
they gathered wild fruits, some Of
which could be made into vinegar
and other useful articles. From the
woods they obtained quantities of
acorns and the seeds of other species
of trees, for which they obtained a
good price sometimes from torcstCrs,
at others from grain dealers. They
also got together heaps ofhorsc-chost-
nuts, and took them to the mill to be
ground. The miller thought they
were going to cat this bitter flour,
and made himself merry at the cx-
p.nsc of their curious taste but John
Schmid's sons lc him laugh, and
took their Observation-Disclosures to the
bookbindcrs, car-board-makcrs, and
others who make use of paste, the
glutinousncss of which it increases.
Immediately after warm shower,
the Schmids sought for mushrooms,
which they disposed of to the cpl.
cures of the ncighborhood.
Having saved quantity of birch
twigs, rushcs, and osicrs, the cid man
and his sons occupied the winter
months in making brooms. chair
bottoms, and baskets, SO that their
cottage appeared both like ware
house and n workshop. In this way
the spring returned, and cid John
s,chmid thought it advisable to sec
what had been gained during the
year. On opening the box in which
the cash was deposited, he found that
each of his three sons had comtribu-