The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-04-10
MONEY WELL SPENT.
The Story of a wlfo's Surprise.


90, i.noO ahead aui the question is ho~ ue
going a. iEtc,t il :"
Hiram iTahan. sitting ju.t outside of tie open
door. 90 eaoy the grateful cooness Of the
evening. threw aside his paper =. lao spoke. AMI
awaited his wife, reply. Ill. wife, busy o'eF her
sewing. did not answer Immediately.
"Comc.' he saii. ''lci me have your opinion
III bet yug'sc male nj your minl what o. 10 With
it long ago. You know the aging. a inan 20 save
money and wo;;an To- spend IT," and he laughed
sool na,gre,liy.
Ycs NJ. Graham had male up hs: mind long
ago. TIE thought of a time when they should be
clsar %: icbt. and uf their .urplus earning
eoui De pended for home comforts. had helped
her g. make over AMI repair many al oil garment
that shc Va. about 20 throw away in despair il
had encouraged her g. contend with nu;nberle,,
incon. .neacss. But nov the time hai really
come. she isit strange reluctance abSu: reveal
ing her thoughts.
She vas oppressed with fear that her long
cherished plans nish be ,la.hei O. the earih.-
However. she coInineneei brsveiy enough.
IL have thought wo would rspaint the house
some pretty color. sueh as silver gray. sni have
shuiir.s put ur at the Windows the right shade Of
green g. hlTmoniEe with the color Of the house
the same ih. green leaves e the poplar harmon
iSe with the soft grey of iistrunk and branches-"
'Why. Jennie. exclaimed Mr.. Graham. ''there
il god coat Of pain; IN the house now. And no
color i. a. durable red lead. in my estimation.
And continued his wife. - would have the
yard closed in With neat picket fence"
II don't see any sense in tearing down that
fence. The rail, are a, good and 'oand as they
were twsniy years ago.
please don't interrupt me. Hiram. I would
repaper the rooms. buy new ingrain carpet foT
the Jarlor and muslin curtains for the Windows.
Thur, ,leraiion What il the seuN of having
curtain IL you have shutters Bssidss these paper
curtain. answer every purpose a. far a. can see.
The paper or the walls is perfectly Shpe. IL is
true that Won have patched 10 considerably but
tina; don't .how much. And as for the carpet
Why. haven't yoa got new Fag carpet in the Tsom
now"
"Ye,. bat ths. would be for the sitting room
AMI would have bsy window made oa the south
side of the sitting room 10. house plaat,.'
Mr.. Graham isushel ogtri;h; at this.
wow. Jennie be said. Il never sai.l anything
about it b.; have al~ays thought il kind Of fool
i.h to ,l.cni a. much money ani time YOU DO
fu..ing With flower. out doors bat whsn YOU come
10 make flower. bel. of-iha; beats me ."
IIi-am. .aid Mr.. Grahatn. "you asked me
for my opinion. Now risa.e don't interrupt the.
'very well. 40 ahead
II would have = por;iro built where you
arc sitting. and = wpodhouse and a large cool pan
;r. that need nuch. IN the back of the kitchen.
0ne part %: the woolhouse would be tnishe,l of.
where the cook stove could siand in warm weather.
IL wou!l be - much cooler :sr u 70 eat in. he
sides this. there arc many little siornnents. such
a. pictures. ETC.. that I would add ansr~ari.''
why" exclaimed Mr.. Graham. ''if We were 90
60 into that il woali take every cent Of the money
"wsll. We earned il TO invest in something. ddnt
we"
"ies. but wan; 20 invest NV money in soine-
thing that uill bring soms kind Of an in-ome.'
1T would bring US the bes; Of all ineomes-no;
in dollars. but what Is better far-in joy and hap
pinsss. Life would have a fuller sni purer mean
ing for Us both IL would bring higher and bet
ter sttrcsphcre in which 10 rear up our children.
Even the hunitning bird loves 10 deck it. sweet
little nesi With pretty moses and liehens. Ought
ws no; 60 have a. iauch love for home and its
aiornin.s a Gri's dumb cTeaturss'''
Il have soms;hine Hor. iinpor,an; % live for
than huminin. bird has" said N-. Graham. tart
~. Il would rather leave someihing more sub
staniiai 10 nv children. such - boas. well titled
acres. for instance. { will tell you wha; have
been thinking of." he said. with an air Of one who
felt that the expressing of his opinion must nece.
sariiy bring conviction Of his superior Judgment.
..You know that have always wanted that forty
acre lot Of southwsirs that joins me the north.
They say he is hard up now and when he finds GU;
that I can make large payment down. believe
I can get 10 mighty reasonable. And uhen ] get
that paid for. would have one of the best farms
in the country. Now what do you say to that"
be asked. triumPhantiy.
"It would run US right in deb; again." said Mrs.
Graham.
"welI. supposiug IL did. We have svung clear
thi. time easy enough. and can again. You mus,
xemsnbsr that this land badly run down when
I srs, got bold Of IL. but the farm Is in good con
dition nOu.''
-Easy ssouShg- Mr. Graham did not rcpea,
the words aloud. Her husband did not know Of
the little sa-rfess and acts of self denial Il had
eos; her. lie never eould know IL. and therein lies
the psih0s of many . sacrifice.
The next morning Mrs.. Graham was M bettnss
and busy as usual amidst her household cares. but
- ~ eas ~ a.1 So.
under the locust tree which shaded the back door.
ehur.ing. it seemel too. as II mach Of the bright
ness hai gone out of her life. Golden dandelions
nestled 10 the grass that earpeied the yard like
stray bits 0f sunshine; they we're still bright with
the deuy freshness of early morning. To the right
there vas . low meadow laad the silver thread
that trassrsed it showed whers brook muFmured
siosg. its tiny waves sparkling the sunlight. To
the left we're feiis of grain with Firsned heads
bowed down, waiting for the sieksi. The air vas
fall Of happy sosnds; the tinkls of distant eov
BELLS the voice Of domestic fowls and the song Of
uiIi biris. Bot her great disaPPoisimsnt over
shadowsd q all.
she could think Of nothing but the great barn
like house. painted q glaring red. with il. large
shutfsriess windows. like iidiess eyes. staring out
upon the dusty highway. Inside u uas equally
barren % grace or beauty; the walls we're dingy
and unadorned By PieiaFss of any kind the fur
niture guiis'sss of paint OF yaruish; with no
NorA ot Htrratofe Notoy o. uenh"u otattc tae
weekly paper. the Bihse and an almanac. In this
stmosphere she must live here she must hence
fsrth .ork on. uhiIs mind and soul starved here.
too. she must rear her children. TO see worth and
beauty in nothing that eannos 10 repressntsd By
gold. What wonder. then. II her thoughts and
eyes vandersd. over the keias of waving grain. 10
where . stately stsne house stood an eIninsnee.
She kneu there beauty there breefes stole into
large. airy roosns. throagh lace eurtsins; thsre
wsFs rich carpets and eossly faFnituEe. and . H.
brary that almost Intellectual feast 20 iook
ai outside there usrs Pisasan; walks ani drives,