The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-04-18
The Conversations of Poverty.

ne commentators OF EOVEIBXs
aa# OLE HEs=
To have just enough, and to know
that it is enough, and to be thankful
Tor it-this is the secret which the Cos
pei long ago proclaimed to mankind,
but which the wisdom of this world re-
iects with scorn. And to suppose that
a modest competence, such as modern
times would call utter poverty, has no
real charms or vivid enjoyments of its
own, is a profound mistake. It 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 tiny house, and with simple
furniture. and the whole world in front
of us, each others love sweetened ev-
cry care of life. Are we so 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 friend? How rich, too,
we thought ourselves then, if we had
once in three months a fve-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 so keen because the
pleasure was so rare. IDcessant work
brought its own reward with it never
to expect is never to be disappointed.
A certain scantiness of purse makes the
wits strangely keen in ways of laying
out money to the best advantage. You
take trouble, you make inquiries, you
hunt, and compare, and calculate and
when you have run down your game, it
seems doubIy 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
lie them? But there are real compen.
Stations for the multitude, who, so tc
speak, have to make an appetite fol
their food by first earning it an6
among the simple and innocent enjoy
ment of quiet people, none, perhaps
has more zest IN it, or reward after it
than long. days search for some spe
cial object, which they cannot civ,
more than certain sum for, and which
they know is to be had if they are no
afraid of trouble. Besides, there il
not only much happiness to be enjoyed
consistently with the circumstances. O
what is now called poverty, there il
also much happiness to be given. Til,
secret of being we'll off is to know how
to do without things. The secret O
! helping others to be well off is not thu
monopoly of those who can give grea
presents or confer big fayors F; it is aIsc
with those who can make trifles go
long way on the errands of kindness
and who can brighten their gifts will
love, if they cannot gild them Will
splendor. This age is dear in som,
things, but it is cheap in others. Al
! round, probably, it takes more to keel
a family even in the simplest fashion
than a generation ago. But life is mucI
less dull, and shut up, and common
place, and embarrassing, than it use,
to be, when there were no railways, n
cheap press, no penny postage, no ere
iquet, no Nudes library There j
more refinement in some houses,
there is more luxury in others and j
meat and rent cost more, clothes an
tea cost less. But all this bears O
the possibility of making others happ
limited as our means may be; in tn
occasions of simple hospitality, in tn
lending of books and writing of letters
and interchange of trifing but pleasan
gifts. No doubt it is delightful to n
ceiye a fifty-pound note from kin
grandmother, and to be told you are t
do with it just what you please bu
sometimes that which costs only fv
shillings gives just as much pleasure
and bright heart that loves to see
child smile may buy as many smiles 8
it wants for sixpence apiece. e..