The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1880-03-05
MONEY WE'LL SPENT; OR, A
WIFE'S SURPRISE.

"Now we are not only out of debt bu
we have got 200 ahead, and the ques
ton is how are we going to invest it ?"
Hiram Graham, sitting just outside o
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
sewing, did not answer Immediately.
"Come," he said, "let me have your opin-
ion. I'll bet you've made up your mind
what to do with it long ago. You know
the saying, man to save money and a
woman to spend it, and he laughed good
naturedly.
Yes, Mrs. Graham bpd made UP her
mind long ago The thought of 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 repair many an Old
garment that she was about to throw
away in despair; it had encouraged her
to contend with numerous sinconveniences.
But now the time had really come, she
felt 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.
"I have thought we would repaint the
house some pretty color, such as a silver
grey, and have shutters put up at the
windows the right shade of green to har-
monize with the color of the house-the
same as the green leaves of the poplar
harmonic with the soft grey of its trunk
and branches
"Why, Jennie" exclaimed Mr. Graham,
"there is a good coat of paint on the
house now. And there is no color as
durable as red, in my estimation"
"And," continued his wife, 81 would
have the yard closed in with neat
picket fence"
81 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 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 Be-
sides, these paper curtains answer every
purpose, as far as / can see. The paper
on the walls is perfectly whole. 1t is
true that you have patched it considera-
bly, but that don't show much. And as
for the carpet-why, haven't you got a
new rag carpet in the room now?"
"Yes, but that would be for the sitting
room. And / would have bay window
made off the south side of the sitting
room for house plants"
l,, 1o,,S.ha aI r,nht NJ thiS
"Now Jennie" he said, II never said
anything about it, but have always
thought it kind of foolish to spend as
much money and time as you do fussing
with flowers outdoors but when you
come to make flower beds of-that beats
me-"
"Hiram," said Mrs. Graham, "you ask
ed me for my opinion. Now please don't
interrupt me"
every we'll Go ahead"
81 would have a portico built over
where you are sitting, and woodhouse
and large cool pantry, that l need so
much, on the back of the kitchen. One
part of the woodhouse would be finished
off, where the cook stove could stand in
warm weather. 1t would be so much
cooler for us to eat in. Besides this, there
are many little adornments, such as pic
lures, etc that / would add afterward."
"Why y exclaimed Mr.. Graham, ''if we
were to go into that it would take every
cent of the money"
"Well, we earned il to invest in some
thing, didn't we?"
"It would bring us the best of all in
comes-not in dollars, but what is better
far-in JOY and happiness. Life would
have fuller and purer meaning for us
both; it would bring a higher and better
atmosphere in which to rear up our chill
dren. Even the humming bird loves to
deck its sweet little nest with pretty
mosses and lichens Ought we not TO
have as much love for home and Its
adornings as Gods dumb creatures ?"
Il have something more important TO
live for than humming bird has, said
Mr.. Graham, tartly, Il would rather leave
something more substantial to my chill
dren, 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 be is hard up nov, and
when he finds out that / can make large
payment down, l believe ] can get II
mighty reasonable. And when get that
paid for, would have one Of the best
farms in the country. Now, what do you
saw 10 that - he asked triumphantly.
at would run us right into debt again,
said Mrs. Graham.
well. supposing it did. We have
swung clear this time easy enough, and
can again. You must remember that tins
land was badly run down when ! first