Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-05
Mistaken Economy.

ave really must economic somewhere !"
said Obadiah, Juggling wildly at his whis-
kers.
eyes, indeed said wringing my hands,
eve must But I'm sure, Oby, dear, we
are neither of us extravaganza. We must
eat, we must drink, and we must livel"
And Obadiah and | sat and looked at
each other in a sort of mild despair
We had only been married six months,
Obadiah and |. We were very young, both
of us, and perhaps we had begun the world
too early. Our relations told us we hadn't
any business to marry; but as their gratu-
itous opinions were all that they had ever
given us, or ever intended to give us, we had
not paid much attention to these utterances.
We had taken little one-story cottage,
Just on the high road, which was to let
cheap, because there were only two rooms
and kitchen to it. But what did Oba-
diah and want with more than two rooms
and kitchen? | had the furniture which
Grandmother Newcomb had given me, and
rag carpet which my poor mother had
woven the winter before she died. To be
sure, our accommodations were not extern
sive, but we did not expect to hold fashion
able receptions, or give large dinner parties.
Obadiah had plenty of work in the wooden
factory, down by the depot, and hung out
my little sign, Dressmaking and Millin-
cry" and hoped that some one would see it,
and come in and give me an order. But no
one came. had plenty of time after my
housekeeping duties were over in the morn
ing, and couldn't be always beeswaxing
the furniture, arranging the china cupboard,
or polishing the windows.
I" wish could get some dressmaking to
do p said l, wstfully; for Obadiah's earn
ings were small, and did so long for dol
lar or two of my own.
"Why don't you advertise in the village
paper 2" said old Mr.. Meggs.
Obadiah burst out laughing.
ADVERTISED" said he. "Why, what on
earth do you take us for, MIR. Meggs 1t
costs a deal of money to advertise"
at costs something, certainly" said Mr..
Meggs, thoughtfully stroking his chin !;
"but, then, it calls public attention to the
particular sort of iron that you have in
the fire.
"a little local paper like that ?" said
Obadiah, rather contemptuously.
cts local custom that you're wife wants,
isn't it7" said Mr.. Meggs.
"And 1 never did think much of news
papers," added Obadiah.
So that settled the question; and after
ward, when the foreman of the wooden fac
tory cut down all the wages of the workmen
twenty per cent, and coal went up, and the
winter set in hard and cold, and we began
to consider the question of how and where
we could economic, the local newspapers
was almost the first thing upon which Oba-
diah settled.
"That, at least, is an unnecessary extrava-
gance," said he.
7 ry;,oaJ N l;ttla TIE Do.,,,;IIo
had been my companion for more lonely
evenings than ! cared to remember.
81 It's only dollar and half year
Obadiah" said | "and really it is very
interesting little paper"
"Just dollar and half year too much,
said my husband, CURLY. "The subscription
is Just out. I'll tell em we won't renew it
If you care so much about it, Josie, you car
easily borrow Mrs. Meggs' paper"
was silent. | never could make OBADIAH
understand the deep-rooted aversion t
borrowing which | had inherited from
my mother.
So we cut down the weekly paper, and
left off using butter, and burned candles
penny pound cheaper, and | sponged, and
cleaned, and rebound, and new.buttoneG
Obadiah's great-coat, instead of buying 9
new one, and left off going to church be
cause my old cloak was so shabby and
couldn't afford anything better.
And oh, how | did miss the Boggsville
Herald!
"lf could only get little dressmakiuf
to do" said | to myself, | would subscrib,
again myself. But | cannot bear to ash
Obadiah for cent of his hard-earnet
money"
l was sitting, very sad and lonely, on,
Enl, la, L.,x L., l.
ing to mend one of Obadiah's old waistcoats
when travelling pedler, with a huge baske
of china ornaments on one arm and bun
die on his shoulder, knocked at the door
He nodded in an insnuating manner at M
as answered the summons.
Couldn't sell you anything this morn
ing, ma'am ?" said he, with liberal dis
play OF very white and even set of teeth
"Anything in the way of elegant mante
vases, statuettes, decorated china mate
boxes"
81 have no money" said /, spiritlessly
"And do not need any of your wares"
"Ah, but you do not know what spler
did articles | have here,' he persisted, loo.
ening the strap which passed across hi
shoulder, and lowering the precious packag
carefully to the floor. A pair of real Wedg,
wood faiences. Oh, don't shake your heac
ma'am; | shan't charge you anything fc
looking at 'em, you know. I'm certai
you're an artist-all the ladies are born a.
tists-and this is really something quite o,
of the ordinary"
And with succession of mods and grin
he unwrapped pair of really very prett
blue vases nearly two feet high, and orn
mented with raised garlands in white.
ntlx civ 1nll . 4.
"Dirt cheap. It's positively giving the
away at that price"
al have no six dollars to spare" said
indifferently.
Its great bargain, ma am" he insiste
al do not want Them" said /.
He was silent for few seconds.
"Pm sorry, ma'am," said he. They'd
a great decoration for a house like thi
But if you really won't buy, it would
doing me a great favor TO allow them
stand here until tomorrow. I've got lol
tramp before me- and I'm not going TO al
place where think they'd be likely to bl
anything of this sort. I'll set em by ii
chimney-piece, maam, where they won't
in any ones way. And I'm very tired wi
carrying 'em.
felt sorry for the poor faded wretch
! made no objection. And when he W
gone, the vases did make the room 10,
wonderfully pretty. ! could not but wi
that they were mine. Obadiah percey
them at once, when he came home to tea.
"Hello 7" said he, what does this mean
So told him, adding
81 only wish that | could afford to b
them-they are so handsome"
Obadiah walked around and around the
with his hands in his pockets and his bro
knit thoughtfully.
"Yes, they're pretty" said he. "H
they're not perfect"
'Not perfect" | echoed.
Not by any means. Don't you see u
lengthwise crack down one And the e
of the little raised rosebud is Clipped off
the other. hope you didn't do it, Josie
with sudden apprehension.
ar Certainly not - cried avn
haven't so much as touched the things p
"Then | dare say its all right" said O
diah And he sat down to supper
The next day, however, my friend,
china'vender, came along, smiling and oil
quious as ever.
you left them r.
But all at once he broke out into sto
of reproach and obloquy. They had b
cracked and damaged in my care. II
we're perfact-absolutely perfect-when