Connecticut western news., 1872-09-20
BullNng Houses for Others.


 1T declare I'm almost diseeurag. ed p groaned Philikins to his friend Smith. "It's nothing but dig, dig, from morning till night, week in and week out, and nothing gained by it."
 "You don't mean to say, with your wages, that you don't lay by any ything?" "Yes, do. I think myself lucky when the year is up, if I'm clear of debt"
 "Why you've been working on good pay for more than fifteen years! You ought to have snug little homestead by this time."
 "But I haven't; and what's more never expect to have. I hear that Jones has bought the widow Carleton's place %
 "Yes, and he's got it at Q bargain, too. With what improvements he can make. at odd hours, it will be worth double what he paid.'
 " For my part, don't sec how he did 1t he earns no more than I, and he has a larger family"
 "Ah. my friend, but it isn't by what he earhs, but by what he savesw
 We'll, l wouldn't be so mean and close listed as he is, to own 6 dozen houses. Only last week, asked him to join cur excursion-which would only cost him dollar-and he said he could mt afford it. For man that can buy fifteen hundred dollar house, that is put ting 1t rather strong, should say"
 That's just the way he does it."
 What by saving the expense of the excursion ?"
 By saving that one dollar-ond Q good many more, that, with you go the same way"
 "A man must have some pleasure.
 Yes, but was it such ? By your own account, you were tired to death more so than if you had been working. You not only lost that day, but was not fit for much the day following. As for Jones being mean and close can't agree with you. His wife and children are always we'll dressed and cared for and have noticed that his house is we'll SUD- piled with books and newspapers. And when Lawrence was burned out, and a subscription was got up for h1s benefit, he put down five dollars. But where are you going now ?"
 "Only in Blatherem's moment, just d . I'll overtake you."
 In @ few minutes, Pilikins reioined Smith, and they walked along together
 The latter noticed the ends of two cigars that Philikins had thrust into his vest pocket, but said nothing.
 Soon they came in front of fine looking building, evidently just con- pleted.
 Pilikins surveyed it with an envious look.
 "That's Blatherem's new house," he said, biting off the end of his cigar.
 '' Yes and you've helped to build it."
 Pilikins stared at his friend fol mo. ment, without speaking. "Il How do you make that out r'
 "Why, VI you patronize him, don't much."
 Don't it. How many glasses of ale do you buy of him day?'
 "Not more than three on the av erage.'
 'We'll call it three, then, at ten cent. a glass. It amounts to just thirty cents You get your cigars there, I believe How many day?"
 "Not more than q couple, and ter cent ones at that.''
 "That makes fifty cents. Fifty cents a day amounts to three dollars week and three dollars week to one hundred and fifty-six dollars year.
 "Well, declare I didn't suppose it would amount to half that '' said P;li kins, little soberly.
 "You forget that it is the dimes tha make the dollars. By your own show ing, what you have spent for the las ten years, for ale and cigars, if put ct in terest, would not only have enabled yol to buy the Carleton place, but left yol quite surplus besides. Now, do ynl suppose what you have drank and smok ed has done you any good ?"
 "I don't think it has done me ap, harm"
 "Now, don't you feel ;hat spendin! an amount of money like that, on wha you think does you no harm, and wha you kno,O has done you no good, is pay ing rather dear for your whistle ?''
 "Why, man," retorted Pilikins, pet ulantly, finging the stump of his ciga across the road, wouldn't you have body have some pleasures ?"
 "Most certainly; but I would hay them of the rational and enduring kind and such as your wife and family cal participate in. Now, you were tellin, me the other day that you couldn't affor' to take one good family paper. Why the amount you spend every week, fo what does you more harm than good would pay for the subscription whol year"
 "True enough. Mary has been teas ing me to subscribe for the village pape for the last six months"
 "Then why don't you do 1t? B what right do you deny her such an in nocent and rational pleasure, while yo expend hundred fold what it woul cost for your own selfish qualification Now, Pilikins, take my advice, an subscribe for it the first thing you dc and hereafter let Blatherem build hi own houses. Let the next house yo build be for yourself"
 There is useful lesson to be draw from the foregoing conversation, an which is of actual occurrence.
 am speaking to yo~, sir-not to you next door neighbor, though perhaps may apply equally as well to him.
 Don't deny your families the simpl and innocent pleasures that make hom such an attractive and happy place, c pull down the roof over your own hea to build houses for other people.