The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1884-08-08
OUR PARLOR FURNITURE.

OUh IAhLUh Il UhNlI UhEs
We had been married something
more than year. Had boarded at the
Mason House for few months, until
we were heartily sick of hotel life, and
then had reiterated to a private estab-
lishment. You know how that goes.
Life became burden. A burdenp 1
might as well call it an intolerable bore.
We grew domestic very fast. We
envied Hawkins the trim little cottage
that had been among the many gifts
bestowed upon his fair bride, and of
which neither he nor his bride seemed
particularly fond. We marveled at
their indifference to the blessing thus
forced upon them. The conclusion of
the whole matter was that we engaged
512 East Tenth street, the third house
in the white brick block on your right
as you turn off from Locust avenue. The
house would not be ready for us before
the expiration of thirty days.
In the meantime we sat down to re-
fleet, and you may rest assured that the
abstract consideration of this enterprise
was attended with no small amount of
pleasure. There were some very de-
hghtful visions OF the coming bliss,
some very sharp contrasts drawn
between our present lot and that which
was to be, and some very astonishing
calculations. AS for the last, it might
amuse you to look over the schedule of
probable expenses made out at that
time and fortunately preserved to our
fN1ft cd
of household belongings that should
constitute the original outlay it proceeds
with the items of ordinary daily ex-
pense Butter, so much per pound and
so many pounds per week lard, so and
so and so and so; potatoes, so much per
bushel and to last so long; flour, etc.,
ETC. And to the grand total were added
rent, and fuel, and light, and water, and
a servant wages.
"There, you see, wife," cried I, ''we
shall save annually an even $500 and
live as people should live. Three hun
dred the first year probably more it's
low estimate. think, my dear, we
might as well begin to talk about that
new piano"
"Oh, no." she replied, always pre-
ferring another's Joy to her own, mot
until the encyclopedia and the book
case are bought and paid for.''
"Ah, yes,' said l, that is like YOU ;
we shall discuss that matter again.
| say that you would smile if you
could see that outline of probable ex-
penses; and the effect would be height
ened not little if you should contrast
with it the itemized account kept with
scrupulous care by my wife. Suffice
it to say that neither piano nor book
case was bought out OF the first year S
savings.
But to 90 back. We had thirty DAYS
TO wait before we could get possession
Of the house. In the meantime nv
Uncle John paid us visit. Uncle John
was man well advanced in years,
lived in the West. had no family, and
had the matter of his fortune comfort
ably settled He was on his way to
Buffalo to attend a meeting of the
stockholders of the 2. N. sc Railway.
He stopped off for a day to make the
acquaintance of my wife and to see
what kind of man his nephew hal
come to be. Nothing remarkable hap
pened during his visit, and he soon re-
sumed his Journey. We told him OF
our housekeeping plans, of which he
heartily approved. And in that connec-
ton he casually remarked that as he
had not remembered us in any sub
stantial manner at the time of our mar
riage he wished to do so, if he could
find anything to suit, while he was in
the East. What he said, however, was
in such an air that at the time neither
wife nor l gave the matter second
thought.
We furnished our house simply but
comfortably. Clara, my wife's school
mate in other days, lived next door.
She is CHEEKY little body, and when il
comes to home affairs knows every
thing; so we esteemed ourselves fort
innate in being able to retain her coun-
sci She advised on the carpet-pat-
terms, the wallpaper, and even the
gas-hxtures; in short, went with us in
all our preliminary shopping 1t is as
tonishing what store of wisdom some
women carry about with them as to the
primary comforts and little luxuries
that make everyday life tolerable.
Yes, she knew everything and why il
was.so. If there was any mistake in
her counsel it consisted in the fact that
she was inclined to estimate the con-
tents of our pocket-book by those oil
her own fat one. But we succeeded in
getting through quite satisfactorily in
the first outlay. And this rather sur
prises me, as Clara was in and out con-
stantly for a week, coaxing us into what
seemed extravagances, but which we
shortly learned were necessities that we
had overlooked.
And now that we were settled and
the first blush was beginning to sub
side, we received shock of surprise
sucl as we shall not soon forget. NV
wife had left the house early in the
afternoon and had Joined her in the
evening at the house of friend where
we took tea. Circumstances made il
necessary for us to return to our own
abode at an early hour. / do not think
that it could have been as late as eight
o'clock. In the afternoons mail we
found shabby little postal-card stat
ing that at the freight depot of the G.
d NJ Road there were some six hun
dred pounds of furniture, from New
Buffalo, consigned to my address: and
that the same had been on hand for
several days, and that it would be well
for me to pay the charges and remove
the aforesaid furniture at once. NV
wife leaned OVER my shoulder and read