Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-07-21

RI Oh l. 7 PO OR
When Charles Platt and Mary Dean
were married they had jnst three dollars
in hand whereyith 70 begin life. Charles
was clerk in general store" in small
inland town. Mary was a farmers
daughter who had taught district school
for living. They were now both or
phans, 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 unhappy apart.
So Mary laid out her small savings In
cheap ftirhiture for two rooms, few
dishes; a good store of underelothes, two
calico dresses and a merino; and Charles
spent his on stove, aelock, and ingram
CARPET. a good bed for the bedroom and
a suit of Sunday clothes; this left them,
as l faid, just three dollars; for Charles
salary was only just Increased to such
small extent as made his marriage pos
sible.
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 at home.
When Charles and Mary were married
and came into church the first time
one November day they were nodded at
and smiled to by many a kindly face,
and more than one young girl OF her
own age ran her eyes over Mary's bridal
attire in way. not altogether pleasant
to the bride; and she heard more than
one whisper: Nothing but blue me-
rinoisT2 -s-
Mary was a sensible girl, it is true,
but she was girl still, and she felt hot
and uncomfortable. She would have
liked silk dress, but she could not buy
one, and her mothers earnest advice to
her from time She first earned 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 harder because the poverty was
mutual. She could not go out evenings,
for Charles was busy in the store. She
had to give up her girlish frolics of nut
ting, rowing up the lake, berrying and
all such things, because she had her
work to do; and she knew all the time
that her husband needed air and exer-
else even more than she did. One af-
ternoon in such mood, she picked uI
her sunbonnet. put her work into hel
apron, and ran out to see an old neigh
bor, poor lame woman, whom she had
known all her life, and whose greatest
her, since she could not go out to see
them.
81 didn't feel over the above chsrk
Aunt Polly she said, so thought Ia
ruin ir.s and have talk with you.
"Dear mel" said Aunt Polly, Il thO'l
you looked as bright as a butter-cup
Mary; amt you well?"
"Yes, l am always we'll
"What-a thing to be thankful forP
said Aunt Polly, with half sigh.
"But sometimes get down-hearted
aunty: we're so poor, and so shut up
somehow. can't get out evenings, fol
Charley can't leave the store, and have
to 60 away anywhere without him; ant
then never do go anywhere since
was married, for there's work to do a
home every day"
81 suppose you'd be happier if Charlie:
was to leave for good an all, then, anC
let you have your liberty to go?"
20, aunty!" Tears choked her voice a.
she answered this seemingly cruel CUES
tion.
Mary" Aunt Polly began again will
deep earnestness, "ef you're a Christian
woman and want to live Christian life
jest you stop right here, and don't coun
your troubles no more, count up you
mercies, its them we had ought to fool
at" s faf .l..a
Mary colored painfully. She had no
thought of her troubles in that light. ant
being sensible, true woman, she wen
home with new resolution.
Charles Platt was not a strong mar
or a CHEEKY one; his tendency was to b.
careful and troubled. and Mary saw now
that she had hindered, not helped him
She was young, honest, candid and ca
ger to do right; she made new resolves
and lived up to them. She let fresh ali
into her house, since she had scarcely
= mOT6 CIAtliCt llldll SudIlco W ~ Oul dIll
get it; she let the Sunshine come in, too
and the little posy bed blythe front dool
was allowed her by the landlord since
the woman who kept the milliner's shol
below had no time TO use it. One neigh
Dor and another gave her seeds and slips
and in winter her east window was g.,
with plants, and the south one gayeI
with her fresh face and bright smile
She made friends with everybody abOu
her; for kind word is like caress, anC
she always had friendly greeting. ;
kind inquiry, or word of sympathy fol
;lll she met. sometimes, of holiday
she asked few friends to spend the eve
ming with her She had the courage Il
offer them only dish of apples, bask
ct of nuts, perhaps a bowl of popped
corn, or, in sugar time, "sugaring off,
that entertainment peculiar to the coun
try of maple trees. But her welcome
was so warm and genial, her hospitality
50 genuine and simple, and Charles was
always so glad to soe all who came, thai
it was one of the treats eagerly looked
forward to by the young folks of Dur.
ham to spend an evening in those two
cheerful rooms.
BY the by the rooms grew smaller for
baby helped furnish them. hut she WAS
far more welcome than the guests even
Mary had hands and heart full now, but