Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-05-25
Poorly Rich.

EOOTly hiCHs
ny Ross TERRY COOKE.
"Oh dear, how ] do hate to be poor -
sighed Mrs. Manners, as she laid down the
fifth shirt she was making.
There are various kinds of poverty. Mrs.
Manners would have been called rich by
any shop girl in New York, but she felt
very poor and Scripture, as well as common
sense tells us that as a man "thinketh in
his heart, so he is" Her husband was
book-keeper in a great iron-manufactory;
they had no children, they were not in debt,
and on their pleasant fiat, keeping one SER
want, Mrs. Manners need not even have
made her husbands shirts if she preferred to
put them out or buy them. Still she was
unhappy; she wanted house of her own, a
sealskin sacque, velvet dress, a library full
of books, plenty of silver, china, pictures,-
for her tastes were refined as well as luxu-
rious. She was disconnected, in fact. 1t
went to John Manners heart to see the
line deepen on her white forehead and gloom
gather in her bright eyes, day by day but
he could not help it.
"Just look at Mr.. c. and Mr.. d. she
often said to him. "They began as poor
boys, and now they are rolling in money. |
am sure you're just as smart as they are,
John. Why don't we get rich p
John Manners could not answer. The
truth was such people as Mr.. c. and Mr.. ID.
are exceptional; they had remarkable bust
ness talent and great energy. John Man
ners had neither; he was rather slow
nodded man, industrious, patient, honest
and good-tempered; man most attentive
to and careful of his wife, and painfully
anxious to make her happy and contented.
Car0lipa Dart "a farmara HanOhtar "a
neighbor of Parson Manners, and when the
clergyman's son went into Thor Iron-works
instead Of studying for the ministry, every
body was surprised; but John had no wish
to be a clergyman, and he did wish to marry
Garry Dart, whom he had loved ever since
their school days. 1t had seemed great pro.
motion to Garry to leave teaching district
school and go to live in the city, when John
got rise in his salary, and could ask her to
marry him at last; and it seemed to him
nobody could be happier than he, with
enough to live on and lay by, and dear
thrifty, smiling wife to welcome him home
from work. But when the novelty wore of
Garry was by no means smiling or happy.
She had been a parsonage in Stafford, here
she was nobody. There all knew her, and
her dark red silk wedding-dress, which she
had earned by teaching was almost too gor.
geous to wear to church here it was hardly
good enough, and her bonnet was entirely
out of style. However, she had good taste
and nimble fingers, and soon wore as fash
ionable garments as other people, if they
were of poor material. But she wanted bet
ter things, and to that end saved spared
pinched in food and fire, and fretted in q
helpless sort of way, at last sending her ser
want away and undertaking the work her
SELF But city air, stairs, want of outdoor
exercise, and hard work, soon told on he
aspect at least. She grew thin and sallow
and did not like to look in the glass still
she consoled herself with thinking of tn,
handsome set OF furniture she had at las
been able to buy,-a set of heavy, carvet
walnut with damask upholstery, that filled VI
that little parlor in the most comfortles
fashion. Then John began to have dysper
STA. Why not ? She gave him the poores
sort Of meat, badly cooked bread from
cheap bakery, that of course had to be adul
terated to be sold cheaply stale vegetables
bought at half price; no fruit, eggs, fish o
savory soups; and besides these drear
meals, her dreary face at the other end O
table did not add that cheerfulness so neces
sary to assist digestion. After few year
Johns work became very much harder. TIL
heads of the firm proposed to him to hav
a clerk, but he saw here prospect TO max
more money, and, as he thought of Garry
his heart grew light, and he offered to
the extra work at night if they would Civ
him the extra salary. OF course they cor
sented. John was better fitted for thei
work than any stranger, who would have t
be taught, drilled, admitted into their pr
vate affairs, and, perhaps after all prove III
trustworthy. If Garry was lonely evening
she did not say so; it was so good 10 hay
John making more money And, as sh
was not now obliged to spend her evening
playing backgammon with him, or talkin
over the daily news, or going to the evenin
meetings of the church to which they b
longed, she had just so much more tim
and, to improve it, got copying to do frol
lawyers office. She did 80 hope the
would have house of their own some time
and If ever the lovely, rosy children she IN
with their nurses, walking out on the avenu
as she traversed 1t on her way TO get worl
sent pang of covetous admiration throue
her human heart, she sternly repressed i
children were such dreadful expense, tn,
could never afford it.
So things went on for FIVE years. Jof
grew thin and haggard every year; his ha
began to show gray threads, and his SIX
was lifeless and sallow. He never had tin
to go anywhere. If his Sunday-school ella
asked him TO 60 with them on any chur
excursion, he had no time If friend call
in on Sunday evening after church,
they had made few acquaintance, IA
asked II he were going TO some cheap CO
cert, or free lecture, the answer was invari
bly,, No, have no time have so mu,
TO do" And Garry gave the same answ,
Even on the legal holidays they took no OF
ings, except to wander up into the park,
poorest; or to attend church on Thanksgi
ing days and Christmas at some other chur
than their own, with better music and fin
decorations than they should see elsewhe
To tell the truth, most of these holidays Jo
spent on the sofa, half asleep rest was INC
TO him than pleasure. He had long be
obliged, when ten years OF married life We
over, TO give up Sunday-school and seco
service; indeed, he nodded so often duri
the morning sermon that he came home wi
very vague idea of its subject and Cal
could not help him much, for she was |
worn, sallow, weary all the time-but 81
crying out Tor money, breathing out sec
aspiration for wealth in her heart contil
ally, and speaking aloud from that alb,
dance. 1t seemed TO her the one solid 90
OF this world. OF course you couldn't ca
it TO the next, that she knew; but oh, wi
pleasure it would give her here What '
there money could not give and bring
She meant to be a good woman, she me-
TO do her duty any clothes she could
possibly cut over or turn any more she g
10 the woman who washed for her, who /
five small children she sometimes gave 81