The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-04-25


many cases. Sol. 70. 3D.. .rl.ar
! was none tho worse for my walk
and 1t occurred to me to try the pennies
project again, coRxiug Jane and the CHI
dren 70 meet me halfway at night. TIL
plan worked admirably; the little one
had ten times the delight In "going atte
papa" than the finding Of treasures in hi
pockets afforded; | ate better and slep
better for the exercise four times day
lUuud the fresh air rested and refreshed
me, and it was sRch q tonic as no medi
cine had ever been. Jane, too, after on
or two evenings decided that the wal
didn't tire her as she had expected, AM
the getting the children ready was mad
up BY the pleasure It gave them. On tn
whole concluded 10 remain penniless 70
tho present. In this way my expense
were really lessened; and by way OF en-
phSsizing the benefit Of such economy Il
q practical manner, took the amour
saved at the end Of the month AM
bought q scwing.Chair for my wlle-al
article she had long desired, but whicl
VIC had never found money before 10 puE
chase. This was not using the tlrs
savings as nest egg toward our house
according to my original intention; but I
was o plan having In It more OF wisdom
and Of foresight, | considered, and th
event proved that was right.
Hitherto I had copied accounts, and ",
had compared notes without reservation
but just at this point Jane took. 10 keep
ing her own counsel, saying that compar
isOns were odious, and she would haVO
no more Of them. But at the end Of tn
the second month after my successful ex
pertinent, 10, In my corner OF the lIttlt
sitting room, the spot where l always 81
To read and write Of an evening, new
writing desk and table, all In one appear
ed Il was the most beautiful, convent
ent article, just what l wanted, and al
fitted with pens, ink, paper, blotters, per
wiper-the last James own work, aud ltht
whole, my wiEe's present. When was
woman ever outdone in such matters
Jane was out az sight and hearing when
came homo and found this surprise
awaiting me. When she finally came in
I was writing upon my new property as
calmly as If It had been mine Tor years
But Irose, gave into her hands the note
OF thanks l had pcnnCd, thus dediCating
her gift, and LETT her 10 read. yar.s d
That night We talked over our late ex-
periments; "MaY ask how your success
over our enemies was achieved" l sale
to Jane, "First, by taking account OF
stock, and then by setting out to use UP
fragment. You remember upsettlng the
work basket not long since! Well, that
suggested the plan 10 me; so lately, the
children and myself have lived on odds
and ends, in the way OF materials tor
sewing" a2.
Those were all the particulars l could
get from Jane at that lime. She would
not commit herself fully 10 q policy which
she might wish to change. so deCllcGd Il
let me further into its secrets.
But l took some observations, and VIII
what my wife had said, made out this;
our family had suffered tromthe too rigid
following Of prOVerbs-nOt SolemOn's-
but axioms growing out Of certain family
traditions. ...-,..1 n.y.. .....
One can readily imaging tho difficulty
Of carrying ont to the letter "The best Is
the cheapest" and mo good work with
out good tools, on q thousand dollars q
year. -n -7 '.a. 90
Indeed, fancy that the uuest maxim
must DO applied with caution, and due
consideration Of circumstances. And thai
oil proverbs arc framed for a general
rather than a particular direction.
Jane had been Taught by preCept and
example a kind oil thOroughuess which Is
excellent in It's way, but fatal to the peace
and comfort of q woman in ordinary cir
cumstances, II she rigidly adheres TO it
NV vile and her sisters worked with the
best materials; they must have just the
shade of cotton, silks, thread, and these
must be Just 30 fine OF so coarse. Buttons
must be OF Just the right shade and Of the
most approved style, BrRids must match
the color OF the material 10 hair. 1t wal
tho poorest economy 10 use any save the
best trimmings in garment, and the ialst
Judgment to buy anything but the besl
fabrics. So Jane, in obedience to these
msxims, had worried and fretted herself
over her work; spending time and strength
in matching and hunting over stores IN
attempts 10 match silk, buttons and braid
then working herself nearly to death
making up for loss time. BY the same
means, also, q stock Of sewing materials
accumulated upon her hands. Sometimes
a certain shade OF sewing silk was wanted
Tor o bit Of trimming, and o dozen yards
would be used, out Of one hundred; q
similar call might not come In lifetime
30 spools Of cotton would be purchased tc
hem baby's apron, and no further use
be found Tor them, &C, &c. And all the
timo the remains were gathering, buttons
BY scores Of dozens, their use gone by
with the garments for which they were
designed, lay idle upon the strings in Out
OF the way boxes, In company with bralds
gimps, Iringes and the like.
But the economical experiment must
have come from something in the air
since my foolish pride in her selfish and
nv Incidence In the matter OF walking
with my wilc's adherence to vain tradi-
tons, received o shockso nearly together
Be that as II may, wo went on, moi
without demonstrating the truth OF thai
other proverb-about tho first step beng
the one which costs. .ts .4. ....
In year we had together gained
mighty victory over "sundries" and as
we have said to each other, were laying
the foundations Of our house in earnest,
With all our self.denial and economy, We
were never so little pinched as now; therf
had never been q time since the babies
came, when an extra expense was 80 CAST
" and checrtully met. We could better
afford some little excursion, easier helE
some unusual distress, please and surprise
each other, even though we were saving
for y great object. o a.g sl.a1 .lga
We had learned, though it took D long
lesson, what is true in so many directions
that freedom comes through victories
gained over selE-indulgence. That thu
conquest Of weakness and folly is the priCG
Of liberty.
And 50, as 1 said in the beginning, my
idea Is that, with small incomes, ones only
reliance must DO on saving smNll things
And but for my wholesome dread OF pro
verbs, l should adopt as tho motto fol
Al