The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1873-04-24
The Compensations of Poverty

To have just enough, and to know
that it is enough, and to be thankful
for it--this is the secret which the Cos
pei long ago proclaimed to mankind,
but which the wisdom of this world re.
jects with scorn. And to suppose that
n modest competence, such as modern
times would call utter poverty, has no
real charms or vivid enjoyments Of its
own, lisa profound mistake. 1t is full
of Joy, though of the simplest and
sweetest kind. Let some of us old
married people who, after twenty or
thirty years hard work, have a little
more to live upon than when we first
started, look back to the days long ago,
when, in a tiny house, and with simple
furniture, and the whole world in front
Of us, each others love sweetened ey.
cry care OF life. Are VIC 80 much hap.
pier now, when every half-crown does
not want such sharp looking after, than
when we had seriously to consider if we
could afford a weeks holiday, or invite
the visit of a friend2 How rich, too,
We thought ourselves then, if we had
Once in three months a tive-pound note
to spare and spend How we talked
over this way and that of doing the
best with it and at last picked up some
thing to make the little drawing-room
brighter, or perhaps bought some sec
ond hand books for the shelves. The
enjoyment was 80 keen because the
pleasure was 80 rare. Incessant work
brought its own reward with it never
to expect is never to be disappointed.
\ certain scantiness of purse makes the
wits strangely keen in why's Of laying
out money to the best advantage. You
lake trouble, you make inquiries, you
hunt, and compare, and calculate and
when you have run down your game, it
Gems doubly earned. Majestically to
walk into a shop, calmly to select the
first thing that suits you, always to have
money enough to pay for it, never to be
compelled to choose what is worse be-
cause it is cheaper, no doubt has its
advantages and who would underval-
ne them? But there are real compen-
gations for tho multitude, who, 30 to
peak, have to make an appetite for
their food by first earning it; and
among the simple and innocent enjoy
ment of quiet people, none, perhaps,
has more zest in it, or reward after it,
than a long days search for some spe-
cial object, which they cannot give
more than O certain sum for, and which
they know is to be had if they are not
nfraid Of trouble. Besides, there is
not only much happiness to be enjoyed
consistently with the circumstances of
what is now called poverty, there is
also much happiness to be given. The
ecret of being well off is to know how
10 do without things. The secret Of
helping others to be well off is not tho
monopoly Of those who can give great
presents or confer big favors it il also
with those who can make trifllcs go u
long way on the errands Of kindness,
md who can brighten their gifts with
love, if they cannot gild them with
aplendor. This ago is dear in some
things, but il is cheap in others. All
round, probably, it takes more to keep
~ family even in the simplest fashion
than n generation ago. But life IL much
less dull, and shut up, and common
place, and uninteresting, than it used
10 be, when there were no railways, no
cheap press, no penny postage, no Gro
quet, no Nudes library. There is
more refinement in some houses, if
there is more luxury in others and if
meat and rent cost more, clothes and
ten oost less. But all this bears on
The possibility Of making others happy
limited rs our means may be; in the
occasions Of simple hospitality, in the
lending Of books and writing of letters
and interchange of triHing but pleasant
lifts. No doubt it is delightful to re.
ceive n tifty-pound note from a kind
grandmother, and to be told you are tC
10 with it just what you please bu,
sometimes that which costs only five
shillings gives just Ms much pleasure
and a bright heart that loves to sec 0
child smile may buy as many smiles at
it wants for sixpence apiece.