Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-06-17
RICHLY POOR.

n
When Charles Platt and Mary Dean
were married they had just three dol
lars in hand whercwith to begin life.
Charles was clerk in Il general store
in small inland town. Mary was n
farmers daughter who had taught dis
trict school for a living. They were
now both orphans, and, having known
each other for many years, had grown
into love, rather than fallen into it,
and were of the same mind that it was
better to be happy together, than un-
happy apart.
So Mary laid out her small savings in
cheap furniture for two rooms, q few
dishes, n good store of underclothes,
two calico dresses and merino and
Charles spent his on stove, q clock,
an ingram carpet, good bed for the
bedroom and suit of Sunday clothes;
this left them, as l said, three dollars;
for Charles salary was only Just in
his marriage possible.
In this little town of Durham all the
children in their early lives went to
school together. and grew up friends as
far as their natural traits permitted;
but some of the wealthy manufacturers
and professional men, when their sons
and daughters grew older, sent them to
the county town or even farther, for
better education and more polish than
they could obtain Mt home.
= When Charles and Mary were mar
ried and came into church the first
time one November day they were
nodded at and smiled to by many u
kindly face, and more than ope young
girl of her own age ran her eyes over
Mary's bridal attire in n way not alto
gether pleasant to the bride; and she
heard more than one whisper: Moth
ing but blue merinor'
Mary was u sensible girl, it is true,
but she was a girl still, and she felt hot
and uncomfortable She would have
liked a'silk dress, but she could not buy
one, and her mothers earnest advice to
her from the time she first earned II
cent had been: Don't spend money
You haven't got, Mary, or you'll buy
trouble"
There were good many other things
that were hard to bear sometimes they
seemed the harder because the poverty
was mutual. She could not 20 out
evenings, for Charles was busy in the
store. She had to give up her girlish
frolics OF nutting, rowing ON the lake.
belrying, and all such things, because
she had her work to do; and she knew
ail the time that her husband needed
air and exercise even more than she
did. One afternoon, in such mood,
she picked up her sunbonnet, put her
work into her apron, and ran out to see
an old neighbor, poor lame woman
whom she had known all her life, and
whose greatest pleasure was to have
people come in to see her, since she
could never get out to see them.
4" l didn't feel over and above cherk,
Aunt Polly" she said, $50 I thought
I'd run in and have talk with you.'
dear mep' said Aunt Polly, ~
thought you looked as bright as a but
ter-cup, Mary; ant you wellP"
Eyes, am always we'll"
- "What thing to be thankful for!'
said Aunt Polly, with half-sigh.
But sometimes | get down-hearted,
aunty; we're SO poor, and SO shut up,
somehow. l can't get out evenings,
for Charley can t leave the store, and l
hate to 60 away anywhere without him;
and then | never do 20 anywhere since
i was married, for there's work to do
at home every day."
II suppose you'd be happier if
Charles was to leave We for good an
all, then, and let you have liberty to
gop"
20, auntyv' Tears choked her voice
as she answered this seemingly cruel
question.
Mary" Aunt Polly began again
with deep earnestness, "ef you're II
Christian woman and want to live a
Christian life, jest you stop right here,
and don't count your troubles no more,
count up your mercies; it's them we
had ought to look at"
Mary colored painfully. She had not
Thought of her troubles in that light,
and, being sensible, true woman, she
went home with new resolution.
Charles Platt was not strong man.
or CHEEKY one; his tendency was to
be careful and troubled, and Mary saw
now that she had hindered not helped,
him. She was young, honest, candid
and eager to do right; she made new
resolves, and lived up To them. She
let fresh air into her house, since she
had scarcely more chance than Charles
" ~ ohl uiiu e5St lpS sHc lcp tlc SUN
shine come in, too; and the little posy-
bed by the front door was allowed her
by the landlord, since the women who
kept the milliner's shop below had no
time to use it. One neighbor and an
other gave her seeds and slips, and in
winter her east window was gay with
plants, and the south one gayer with
her fresh face and bright smile. She
made friends with everybody about her
TOR kind wori is like caress, and
she always had a friendly greeting. a
kind inquiry, or a word of sympathy
for all she met. Sometimes, Of a holi.
day, she asked a few friends to come
and spend the evening with her. She
had the courage to offer them only a
dish of apples, basket of nuts. per.
haps bowl OF popped corn. or, in su-
gar-time, ''sugaring Off" that enter
tainment peculiar TO the country oi
maple trees But her welcome was SC
warm and genial, her hospitality SC
genuine and simple. aud Charles was
always SO glad TO see all who came, that
In Vas nne of fha treats aa0arly lank af