National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1872-09-13
Building Houses for Others.

ucciaTe III h'uioH' uiScp'lrhp'
ed - 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 anything?"
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 l haven't and what's more |
has bought the widow Carleton's
place ?"
Yes, and he's got it at bargain,
too. With what improvements he can
make. at odd hours, it will be worth
donble what he paid"
" For my part, / don't sec how he did
it he earns no more than l, and lie has
a larger family"
"Ah, my friend, but it isn't by what
he earbs, but by what he saves!"
"Well, I wouldn't be so mean and
close listed as he is, to own dozen
houses. Only last week, asked him to
join our excursion-which would only
cost him dollar-and he said he could
Mt afford it, For man that can buy a
fifteen hundred dollar house, that is put
ting it 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-and n
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 well dressed and cared for and l
have noticed that bis house Is we'll sup
piled with books and newspapers. And
when Lawrence was burned out, and
subscription was got ~ for hls benefit,
he put down five do trs. But where
are you goin~ now 2"
Only in Blatherem s moment, Just
to get glass of ale. You walk along :;
I'll overtake YOU
In few minutes, Pilikins r9ioined
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 com
pleted.
PiIikins 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,"
Pilikips stared at his friend fol a mo-
ment, without speaking.
Il ! How do you make that out !"
"Why, you patronize him, don't
You ?'
"Oh, my patronage don't amount to
much.'
Don't it. How many glasses of ale
do yon buy of hlm day."
I" Not more than three on the av-
eraPe.'
Wen call it three. then, at ten cents
a glass. 1t amounts to Just thirty cents.
You get your cigars there, l believe.
b ow many a day?'
"Not more than a couple. and ten
cent ones at that
"That makes fifty cents. Fifty cents
a day amounts to three dollars a week.
and three dollars week to one hundred
and fifty-six dollars a year
W,n I lo,1,,o
it wonld amount to half that ~ said PHI
kius, little soberly.
lyon forget that it is the dimes that
make the dollars. By your own show
ing, what you have spent for the last
ten years, for ale AMI cigars, if pat at in
terest, would not only have enabled on
TO buy the Carleton place, but left you
quite surplus besides. Now, do you
suppose what you have drank and snok
ed has done You any good ?''
81 don't think it has done me any
larm."
"Now, don't You feel hat spending
IN amount of money like that, on what
Tou hinb does you no harm, and what
1ou knoc has done you no good, is pay
ng rather dear for your whistle q {
"Whv, man." retorted Piiikins, pet. {
llantly, fiinging the stump of his cigar I
'cross the road, wouldn't you have ,
)odv have some pleasures p
L" Most certainly but l would have |
hem of the rational and enduring kind, {
md such as your wife and family can d
participate in. Now, you were telling f
he The other day that you couldn't afford $
o take one good family paper. Why, i
he amount You spend every week, for d
vhat does vou more BARN than good. I
Tould pay for the subscription q whole !
ear"
True enough. Mary has been teas 9
ng me to subscribe for the village paper :
or the last six months I
"Then why don't you do il Bv .
hat right do you deny her such an in /
ocent and rational pleasure, while you i
xpend hundred fold what it would h
Dst for your own selfish qualification ? .
low, Piikins, take my advice, and i,
lbscribe for it the first thing you do, :
nd hereafter let Blatherem build his Il
wn houses. Let the next house YOU n
ui]d he for yourself" n
There is useful lesson to lie drawn
ON the foregoing conversation, and
bich is of actual occurrence. :,
| am speaking to yOu, sir-not to your "
axt door neigbbor, though perhaps it \
NY apply equally as well to him. n
Don't deny your families the simple r
ID innocent pleasures that make home h
ch an attractive and happy place, or q,
Ill down the roof over your own head Il
build houses for other people. I,
PLUcKY A Hinsdale on ass farmer p
Gently took his usual marketing trip d'
the village. aud after he had made u