Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-02-18
Money Well Spent; or Wife's Surprise

utNC SOL Cl,pOO huOhu anu luC NuCollOu 10
how are we going to invest it?
Hiram Graham, sitting Just outside of
the open door, TO enjoy the grateful cool
ness Of the summer evening, threw aside
his paper as he spoke, and awaited his
wife's reply. His wife busy over her sew
ing, did not answer Immediately.
Come, he said, let me have your opin-
ion. Ill bet you've made up your mind
what to do with it long ago. You know
the saying, man to save money and II
woman 10 spend it, and he laughed good
naturedly.
Yes, Mrs. Graham had made up her
mind long ago. The thought of a time
when they should be clear of debt, and
some of their surplus earnings could be
expended for home comforts, had helped
her to make over and redair many an old
garment that she was about to throw away
in despair; it had encouraged her to con-
tend with numerous Inconvenience. But
now the time had really come, she felt II
strange reluctance about revealing her
thoughts.
She was oppressed with fear that her
long-cherished plans might be dashed to
the earth. However, she commenced
bravely enough.
have thought we would repaint the
house some pretty color, such AS Il silver
grey, and have shutters put up at the win
dows the right shade of green TO harmon
ize with the color of the house-the same
as the green leaves of the poplar harmon
ize with the soft grey of its trunk and
branches
Why, Jennie, exclaimed Mr.. Graham,
there is IL good coat of paint on tho house
now. And there is no color rs durable as
red lead, in my estimation.
And. continued his wife. | would have
the yard clc sed in with neat picket
fence
don't see any use in tearing down that
fence. The rails are as good and sound as
they were twenty years ago
Please don't interrupt me, Hiram. |
would rcpaper the rooms, buy n new in
grain carpet for the parlor and muslin
curtains for the windows.
Thundcratien What is the sense Of
having curtains if you have shutters? Be-
sides, these paper curtains answer every
purpose, as far as l can see. The paper
on the walls is perfectly whole.-It is true
that you have patched it considerably; but
that don't show much And as for the
carpet-why, haven't you got new rag
carpet in the room nowP
Yes, but that would be for the sitting
room. And | would have bay window
made off the south side of the stting-room
for house plants.
Mr. Graham laughed outright at this.
Now, Jennie, he said, never said any
thing about it, but have always thought it
kind of foolish to spend as much money
and time as you do fussng with flowers
outdoors; but when you come to make
flower beds of-that beats me!
Hiram, said Mrs. Graham, you asked
me for my opinion. Now please don't in
terrupt me.
Very well. Go ahead.
| would have a portico built over where
you are sitting, and II woodhouse and n
large cool pantry, that | need SO much, on
the back of the kitchen. One part of the
woodhouse would be finished of, where
the cook stove could stand in warm wealth
er. 1t would be SO much cooler for us to
eat in. Besides this, there are many little
adornments, such as pictures, ets., that l
would add afterward.
Why! exclaimed Mr.. Graham, if we
were to 90 into that it would take every
cent of the money.
Well, we earned it to invest in some-
thing, didn't we?
Yes, but | 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 incomes
NOT in dollars, but what is better far
in joy and happiness. Life would have a
fuller and purer meaning for us both; it
would bring higher and better atmos-
phere in which to rear up our children.
Even the humming bird loves to deck its
sweet little nest with pretty MOSES and
lichens. Ought we not to have as much
love for home and its -adornings rs Gods
dumb creatures?
| have something more important to
live for than humming bird has,said Mr..
Graham, ,tartly, would rather leave some-
thing more substantial to my children, such
as bonds, well titled acres, for instance. |
will tell you what have been thinking of,
he said, with an air of one who felt that the
expressing of his opinion must necessarily
bring conviction of his superior judgment.
You know that have always wanted that
forty acre lot of Southwell's that joins me
on the north. They say he is hard up now
and when he finds out that ] can make Il
large payment down. believe | can get it
| -
paid lor, | would have one of the best
farms in the country. Now what do you
say to that? he asked, triumphantIy.
1t would run Us right in debt again,
said Mrs. Graham.
Well supposing it did. We have swung
clear this time easy enough,and can again.
You must remember that this land was
badly run down when first got hold of it,
but the farm is in good condition now.
Easy euough Mrs. Graham did not re-
peat the words aloud Her husband did
not know the little sacrifices and acts of
self denial it had cost her. He never
could know it, and therein lies the pathos
OF many Il sacrifice.
: The next morning Mrs. Graham was up
betimcs and busy as usual amidst her
household cares, but her heart had lost its
, llghtness ;and as she stood under the locust
tree which shaded the back door churninp.
5 it seemed too, rs if much of the brightness
E had gone out of her life. Golden dande-
S lions nestled in the grass that carpeted the
e yard like stray bits of sunshine; lhey
, were still bright with the dewy fres hness
a OF early morning. To the right there was
4 II low meadow land; the silver thread thai
traversed it showed where Il brook mur.
= INJURED along, its tiny waves sparkling in
= the sunlight. 70 the 4eft were fields of
]. grain with ripened heads bowed down
e waiting for the sickle. The air was mlI
Y of happy sounds; the tinklc of distant cow
h bells, the voice of domestic fowls and the
n song of wild birds. But her great disap.
e pointment overshadowed it all.
d She could think of nothing but the great
9 . oarn-like house, painted glaring red with
4 lis large shutterless windows, like lidless
d eyes, staring out upon the dusty highway
1t Inside 1t was equally as barren of grace or
= beauty ;the walls were dingy and unadorn.
o ed by pictures of any kind; the furniture
was gulitless OF paint or varnish; with no
n works of literature worthy of menton
+ beside the weekly paper, the Bible and nm
l. almanac. In this atmosphere she must
1t live; here she must henceforth work on n'
y while mind and soul starved; here; too
II she must rear hcr children, to see wor,h %
e and beauty in nothing that cannot be- rol ~
b presented by gold What wondar H. :,