Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-07-26
HARD TIMES.

''Jesse needs new cap Mr.. Brown.
His old one is quite shabby and unfit to
wear to church,
"He must wear it, if it is. Boys are a
great expense, certain"
''But you forget, husband, thai he has
woH it long time; he really deserves a
newone.'
''Hard times, Mrs. Brown, hard times
Money is as tight as-as the bark of a
tree. have hard work to get cent Of
to keep one after have got it.''
81 don't think Jesse has drawn very
heavily on your purse, for the child has
had scarcely anything this WINTER" added
his wife.
"Mrs. Brown, coal is ten dollars q ton
Don't speak of new caps in these hard
times"
'High, certainly, but
"And wood the same cord It's ex-
horbitant!'' interrupted Mr.. Brown.
growing warm with his subject.
"But the children must have boots and
shoes, and clothes. just the same as if fuel
were lower. These are the necessary arti-
cles that cannot be dispensed with.''
"You must economist, wife! Mend up
the old clothes. and send the boots
to the shoemaker; patch or tive
won't hurt the looks, and makes them
almost as good as new,'' advised Mr.
Brown, who was very particular about
wearing mended clothes himself, q darn,
in his estimation, being sufficient to con-
denim coat OF vest.
II was hoping to be able to get the girls
new bonnets this winter, flor their present
ones have been in wear two seasons already
but 1 suppose they will have to go with
out" continued the wife, in disappoint-
ed tone.
''Of course they will Clark tells NE
that -four was twelve twenty-five barrel
Yesterday. I wonder what the country is
coming to ~
''But the poor will feel these hard times
more than we do. Think how much less
we shall be incommoded by them than
poor widows, with large families of chill
dren. We must try and help sick Mrs.
Wilson this month, the last time was in
to see her, she had but miserable fire,
though the day was bitter cold. She
would feel very grateful for little wood,''
rejoined benevolent Mrs. Brown, who had
given the woman in question many good
dinner.
s'Charity begins at home, especially
when beefsteak is shilling pound, and
other meats accordingly" replied the hus-
band, emphatically, leaning over and light
ing cigar by the glowing anthracite,
and then tipping his chair back to an easy
easy position, he amused himself by putting
the smoke out in fleecy columns.
'sMr. Brown, how much did that cigar
cost you ?'' asked his wife.
The Individual addressed, didn't appear
to be sensible that he was spoken to until
the question was repeated.
elbow much did that cigar cost, did you
ask? -Four cents, and cheap at that. Ex-
quisite flavor! Smith says he never had
the luck to get such delicious brand be-
fore, and mean
s'You never smoke less than five day,
husband, and sometimes more, she contin-
ued, in the same quiet way.
"That's very moderate number, very
moderate, Mrs. Brown. Some people make
nothing of smoking a dozen. What would
you say if IL
give cigars day, at four cents each,
amount to twenty cents, and seven times
twenty is dollar and forty. Did it ever
occur to you that the money might be
more proftably spent in purchasing a new
cap for Jesse, for instance, or in buying a
few groceries for Mrs. Wilson every
week."
Mr.. Brown suddenly bethought himself
of pressing engagement, and left the
house without answering the pertinent in
quiry. She smiled meaningly and went on
sewing. She had heard a great deal about
"hard times'' for sever al months, and had
economy preached to her, until, prudent
and saving, as she undoubtedly was, the
word had become disagreeable to her ears
Mr.. Brown was entirely willing to prac'
tice this commemorate virtue when he
could do SO without interfering with his
own comfort; but, unfortunately for his
wife and children, this did not often oc-
cur. In fact he loved his ease, and would
do without nothing that gratified his pal
ate. or administered to his enjoyment in
any other way. His clothes must be OF
the best material, and made up in the
most fashionable style, no matter what
! they cost; but Mrs. Brown and the chill
dren might wear theirs until they were
threadbare, although their manufacture
originally was no outlay to him., his wife
being ''handy' with her needle, and moi
unwilling to turf. taiioress or dressmakel
once or twice year to save expense. bu'
now Mrs. Brown queried, as she had Otter
done before, whether her husband ought
not to economic his share whether lit
tIe accidental on his part would not d.
father more good than the continual CRY
of "Hard times, and You must practice
economy my dear,'
She asked herself it few practical hint
would not serve good purpose in remind
| ing him that practice was better thar