Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-05-07
MONEY! WE'LL SPE Il " 7 +:
Or, "A WiTe's Surprise.

Or, "a VVife'S Surprise.
Now we are not only out of debt but we
have got 81 600 ahead, and the question Is
how are we going to invest it?'
Hiram Graham, sitting just outside of the
open door, to enjoy the grateful GOODNESS of
the summer evening, threw aside his paper
as he spoke, and awaited his wifes reply.
His wife, busy over her sewing, did not an
swer 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 say
ing. a man to save money and woman to
spend it, =" and he laughed good naturedly.
Yes, Mrs. Graham had made up her mind
long ago The thought of time when they
should be clear of debt, and some of their
surplus earnings should be expended for
home comforts had helped her to make over
and repair many an old garment that she was
about to throw away i'll despair 1t had en-
couraged her to contend with numerous in
conveniences. But now that 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.
II have thought we would repaint the
house some pretty color, such as silver gray,
and have shutters put up at the windows the
right shade of green to harmonize with the
color of the house-the same as the green
leaves of the poplar harmonizes with the
soft gray 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
"Aud. continued his wife, Il would have
the yard closed in with neat picket fence
II don't see any use in tearing down that
fence The rails ure as good and sound as
they were twenty years ago
please don't interrupt me, Hiram. |
would re-paper the rooms, buy H new ingram
carpet for the parlor and muslin curtains for
the windows.
"Thunderatiou What is the sense of
having curtains if you have shutters Be
sides, these paper curtains answer every pur-
pose, as far as can see. The paper on the
walls is perfectly whole. 1t 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 tue room
now :"
Yes, but that would be for the sitting
ROOM And l would have bay window
made off the south side Of the sitting-room
for house plants
Mr. Graham laughed outright at this
Now Jennie, he said, Il never said any.
lllnk uDOul IL, Dul nhNt dlNhgh thohbhN ~
kind of foolish to spend as much money and
time as you do fussing with flower beds-that
| beats me -
Hiram, " said Mrs. Graham, you asked
me for my opinion. Now please don't inter
rupt me-
Il 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 of, where the cook stove
could stand in warm weather. Besides this,
| there are many little adornments, such as
pictures, etc., that would add afterward.'
| why" exclaimed Mr.. Graham, ''if We
were to go into that it would take every cent
of the money"
"Wen we earned it to invest in something
didn't we z"
ut would bring us the best of oil income,
| 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 children. 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 adornngs as Gods dumb creatures"
Il have something more important to live
for than humming- bird has, said Mr.. Ora
ham, tartly. Il would rather leave some
thing more substantial to my children, suct
as bonds, well titled acres, for instance.
will tell you what l 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 l have always wanted tina
forty acre lot of Southwell's that joins me OF
the north They say he is hard up now anC
| pla no 6pAg that | make larUf
payment down, / believe l can get it mighty
reasonable. And when get that paid for,
would have one of the best farms in thu
country. Now, what do you say to that =
he asked triumphantly.
1T would run us into debt again, saiC
Mrs Graham.
''well, supposing it did. We have swunl
clear this time easy enough, and can again
You must remember that this land was badl.
run down when first got hold of it, but tn,
farm is in good condition now"
Easy enough :" Mrs. Graham did not re
peat the words aloud. Her husband did no
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 sacri
fees.
The next morning Mrs. Graham was NJ
betmes and busy with her household cares
but her heart had lost its lightnessi and a
she stood churning under the locust ire
which shaded the back door it seemed, too
as if much of the brightness had gone out o
her life. Golden dandelons nestled in tn
grass that carpeted the yard like stray strip
of sunshine they we're still bright with tn
dewy freshness of early morning, To tn
right there was low meadow land the sill
yer thread that traversed it showed where
brook murmured along, its tiny waves spark
ling in the sunlight To the left were field
of grain with ripened heads bowed down
waiting for the sickle The air was full o
happy sounds the tinkle of distant coy
bells, the voice of domestic fowls and tn
song of wild birds. But her great disap
pointment overshadowed it all.
She could think of nothing but the grea
barn-like house painted glaring red, wit
its large shutterless windows like lidless eyes
stariug out upon the dusty highways. Wha
wonder, if her thoughts and eyes then wal
dered over the fields of waving grain to wher
stately stone house stood on an eminenct
She knew that there was beauty there, breeze
stole into large, airy rooms, through lac
curtains; there were rich carpets, cost
furniture, and a library that was almost
intellectual feast to look at outside ther
were pleasant walks and drives and howe
garden filled with the rarest horal treasures