The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-08-27
place was well-stocked, and the farm
ing implements were all good.

ing implements were all good.
"There were three of us-our mother,
and we two girls. 1 was then just
coming twenty, and your mother was
eighteen. l will not tell you how we
managed. At the end of the year we
had run behind-hand. II was very evil
dent that the farm would not support us
in the style in which we had been
used to live. Mother had no thought
of reducing expense by curtailing her
society enjOymcnts. and bidding fare
well to the behests of fashion. Your
mother and made old dresses over in
to new ones, but we had not the heart
to suggest such thing to mother.
81 remember well had started one
day to take from our little stronghold
twenty pounds for the purpose of pay
ing bill which was overdue. Mother
asked me how much would be left if I
took that away. / told her little over
ten pounds. Oh! not for the world
would she let me take that money. Her
dress-maker was coming on the morrow
and she must purchase trimmings, and
so on, for her new silk dress. And even
then did not attempt to thwart her;
your mother and ! saved eggs, and
made extra butter, and finally paid the
bin in that way. But other bills were
growing. However, let them 90. and
let me come to the incident / wish to
give you.
'One stormy, disagreeable day Nab
and $50 we used to call your mamma
in those days-werc ransacking papa
old desk, and by-and-by we came across
a small book that we had never before
noticed. found it, and upon opening
it. this is what read at the head of the
first page, written in papa's fullest,
roundest hand,--'Sums of money that
might have saved for my loved ones
if only could have had help
Lydia, when | had looked at the
end of that account, and had added il
up, was thunder-struck. At first /
could not believe it; the amount was
over six hundred pounds! But. mind
you, mamma did not come in for all OF
it. No, no. Nab and were down for
our share. 1 had never dreamed what
the grand parties had cost which we
used to give. and which always fretted
papa so much.
"But l won't dwell upon it. You can
imagine whether my sister and shed
any tears or not, as we looked over that
book. and thought what might have
been! But it was too late. We gave
the little book one last look; then kissed
it. and then gave it to the flames; for
we would not have had mamma see it
for the world. And we never told her
of its existence.
Lydia, l thought of that when /
heard you reading aloud to your hus-
band that poem in which occur these
lines
For of all sad words of tongue or pen,
The saddest are these: ut might have
been!''
mot long after that was married and
within year from that time the farm
was sold, and mother came to live with
me. That is all, my dear. Don't say
anything now. Take my story to bed
with you, and sleep over it."
Lydia's only response was an affec-
Tomato kiss, after which she went
quietly about her work.
On the morning of the following day,
after George had eaten his breakfast,
and had come to take his parting kiss
&olllS W tuC uuuhs tuICW
her arms around his neck. and softly
whispered
George, have slept and dreamed,
and new light has dawned upon me.
We shall not want new carpets this
year, nor shall require very much in
the way of dress. So, darling, you may
make your banking account as big as
you please"
"Lydiar'
"Hush! l mean what say l shall
be happier so. I'll tell you all about it
some time. There! One more kiss!
Now, good-byer'
And George went away to his daily
task as happy as happy could be; and
all day long he thought how he could
best make his wife understand how
truly and devotedly he loved her.
And so. too, Lydia.
And from that time she helped her
husband to provide for the future; and
when she knew that their savings in
the bank were growing into thousands,
she felt more than ever inclined to be
prudent and economical. Never mean;
never stingy; but never more an expen-
diture of her husbands hard-earned
money without return of substantial
good and benefit.