Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-03-20
THE MONEY WELL. SPENT.


"
THE MONEY WELL. SPENT.
Home Comforts Better Than Too Much
Land.
snow we are not only out of debt, but
we have got 81 600 ahead, and the queS-
ton is, how are we going to invest itY
Hiram Graham, setting 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 her sewing,
did not answer Immediately.
Come" he said, "let me have your
opinion. I'll bet you've made up your
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 her
mind long ago. The thought of time
when they would be clear of debt,
and some of their surplus earnings could
be expended for home comforts, had help
ed her to make over and repair many an
old garment that she was about to throw
away i'm despair; it had encouraged her
to contend with numberless incOnven-
fences. But now the time had really
come. she felt strange reluctance about
revealing her thoughts.
She was oppressed with the fear that
her lOng-cherished plans might be dash
ed to the earth. However, she cOmmenc-
ed bravely enough.
II have thought we could repaint the
house some pretty color, such as silver
gray, and have shutters put up at the
windows the right shade of green to har-
mOnize with the house same as the
green leaves of the poplar harmonic
with the soft grey of its trunk and
branches
sWhy. Jennie" exclaimed Mr.. Graham,
"there is a good coat of paint on the
hOuse now. And there is no color as dur
able as red lead, i'm my estimation"
"And," continued the wife, Il would
have the yard enclosed with neat picket
fence
II don't see any use in tearing down
that fence. The rails are as good and
sound as they were 20 years ago"
"PIease don't interrupt me, Hiram. l
would repaper the rooms, buy new in
grain carpet for the parlOr and muslin
curtains for the windows"
"ThunderatiOn! What is the sense of
having curtains if you have shutters?
Besides, these paper curtains answer
eyery purpose, as can see. The paper
on the walls is perfectly whole. 1t is
true that YOU have patched 1T consider
ably: 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 sitting
ynon for hOnSp DIantS"
Mr.. Graham laughed outright at this.
NOW, Jennie" he said, Il never said
anything about it, but have always
thought it kind of foolish to spend as
much money and time as you do fuss
ing with flowers out of doors; but when
YOU come to make f1Ower-beds Of-that
beats mep'
Hiram" said Mrs. Graham, you ask
ed me for my opinion. Now please don't
interrupt me-"
"Very we'll, 60 ahead"
Il would have a pOrticO built over
where you are sitting, and wOOd-hOuse
and large, cool pantry, that l need so
much. on the back of the kitchen. One
part of the wOOd-hOuse would be finished
off, where the cOOk-stOve could stand In
warm weather. 1t would be so much
cooler for us to eat i'm. Besides this,
there are many little adOrnments, such
as pictures, ETC., that l would add after
ward"
"Why," exclaimed Mr.. Graham, "if we
were going into that, it would take every
cent of the money"
"Well, we earned it to invest in some
thing, didn't WEEP
"Yes, but l want to invest my money
in something that will bring me in some
kind of an income"
ut would bring us the best of all in
comes-nOt i'm dollars, but what is better
farm joy and happiness. Life would
have a fuller and purer meaning for us
both; it would bring higher and better
dren. 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 as Gods dumb creatures?"
81 have something more important to
live for than a humming-bird has," said
Mr.. Graham, tartly. II would rather
leave something more substantial to my
children, such as bonds, well-tilled acres,
for instance. Twill tell you what have
been thinking OF" he said, with an air of
one who felt that the expressing of an
opinion must necessarily bring cOnvic-
ton to his superior judgment. "YOu
know that have always wanted that 40
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 a
large payment down, believe can 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, triumphant
iy.
ut 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 enOughr' Mrs. Graham did not
repeat the words aloud. Her husband
did not know of the little sacrifices and
acts of Self-denial it had cost her. He
never could know it, and therein lies the
pathOs of many sacrifice.
The next morning Mrs. Graham was
up betime, and busy as usual amidst her
household cares, but her heart had lost
its lightness; and as she stood under the
locust-tree which shaded the back door,
churning, it seemed, too, as if much Of
the brightness had gone out of her life.
Golden dandeliOns nestled in the grass
that carpeted the yard like stray bits of
sunshine, they were still bright with the
dewy freshness of early morning. To the
right there was low meadow land; the
silver thread that traverSed 1t showed
where brook murmured along, its tiny
waves sparkling in the sunlight. To the
al .e RIr n6