Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-08-12
BETTER THAN GOLD OR LANDS,

BETTER THAN GOLD OR LANDS.
''Now we are not only out of debt, but
we have got a thousand dollars ahead
and the question is how are we going tc
invest it?'
Hiram Graham, sitting just outside OF
the open door to enjoy the GOODNESS OF
the summer evening, threw aside his
paper as he spoke and awaited his
wife's reply. His wife, busy over hen
sewing, did not answer Immediately.
Come" he said, let me have yOul
opinion. III bet you have made up youl
mind what to do with it long ago. You
know the saying, "A man to save money
and a woman to spend it, and he laugh
ed gOOd-naturedly.
Yes, Mrs. Graham had made up el
mind long ago. The thought of q time
when they should be clear of debt, and
some of their surplus earnings could be
expended for home comfort, had helped
her to make over and repair many an
old garment that she was about to
throw away in despair; it had encour-
aged her to contend with numberless
Inconvenience. But now that the time
had really come, she felt reluctance
about revealing her thoughts. She was
oppressed with the fear that her long
cherished plans might be dashed to the
earth. However, she began bravely
enough:
Il have thought we could repaint the
house some pretty color, such as silver
gray and have suffers put up at the
windows the right shade of green to
harmonic with the hOuSe-the same as
the green leaves of the poplar harmo-
nize with the soft gray trunk and
branches
'Why, Jennie?" exclaimed Mr..
Graham, "there is Il good coat of paint
ON the house now. And there is no
color rs durable as red lead in my esti-
nation"
And" continued the wife. II would
have the yard enclosed in a neat picket
fence"
II don't see any use in tearing down
that fence. The rails are as good and
sound as twenty years ago"
please don't interrupt me, Hiram. |
would repaper the rooms, buy new
ingram carpet for the parlOr, and mus
III CltI AtIlIIS III lIlt NlllIlONS.
''Thunderation! What is the sense
ofhaving curtains if YOU have shutters?
Besides, the paper curtains answer
every purpose, as | can see. The paper
on the walls is perfectly whole. 1t is
true that you have patched considerably,
but that don't show much. And as for
the carpet-why haven't you got new
rag carpet In the room nOw?"
Eyes, but that wonld be for the sitting
room. And Would have II bay window
made off the south side of the sitting
room for house plants"
Mr.. Graham laughed outright at this.
Now Jennie" said he, 'Ihave never
said anything about it, but have always
thought it foolish to spend as much
money and time rs you do fussing with
flowers out of doors; but when you
come to make house flower beds-that
beats me ~
Hiram" said Mrs. Graham, you
asked me for my opinion. Now please
don't interrupt me-"
Very well, go ahead"
Il would have Il portico built over
where you are sitting, and wOodhOusC
and Il large cool pantry, that need Sc
much on the back of the kitchen. One
part of the woodhouse would be SO
much cooler for us to eat in. Besides
this, there are so many little adorn-
ments, such as pictures, etc, that
would add afterwmd."
why" exclaimed Mr.. Graham I'll
we were going into that it would take
every cent of the money"
Well we earned it to invest in some
thing, didn't we?"
Eyes, but L want to invest my money
IN something that will bring me in
some kind of an income"
1T would bring us the best of all in
comes-not in dollars, but what is bet
ter farm JOY and happiness. Life
would have n fuller and purer meaning
for us both; it would bring higher and
better atmosphere III which to rear oul
children. Even the humming-bi bird
loves to deck its sweet little nest with
pretty MOSES and lichens. Ought we
not to have as much love for our home
and Its adjoining as Gods dumb crea-
lures ?"
Il have something more important
to live for than humming- bird has,
said Mr.. Graham, tartly. Il would
rather leave something more substan-
tial to my children, such as broad, we'll
titled acres, for instance. [ will tel
you that [ have been thinking of" he
said, with an air of one who felt that
the expressing of an opinion must
necessarily bring conviction of his
u perior Judgment. You know that /
have always wanted that forty-acre lot
of South-welPs that joins me on the
north. They say he is hard up now
and when he finds out that can make
a large payment down, | believe car
get it mighty reasonable. And when
get that paid for shall have one Of
the best farms in the country. Now
what do you say to that?' he asked tri.
umphantly.
1T would run us in debt again." said
Mrs. Graham.
sWell, supposing it did? We have
swung clear this time easy enough, and
can again. You must remember thai
fhic land .,roS bnlI.- ,.,,,, J1r-,,