The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-08-27
A WIFE'S LESSON.

George, we really must have new
carpets this year. Look at Lizzie
Moore's. DO you want your house to
look worse than our neig hbor's? Ger
tainly you can afford the expense as
well as Tom Moore can"
"For that matter, my dear, think
can afford it better than Tom can; for
he is in debt, and am not"
There! what did tell you? knew
you could afford it. And now We'll
have the carpets. Don't be mean. Don't
for mercy's sake let our rooms be a
fright to everybody any longer"
Lydia, our rooms are, at this moment
far better in every way-better furnish
ed, more tastefully and better carpeted,
and far more inviting. than were the
rooms of our parents. which you and i,
in our childhood, thought so grand.
Carpets they had none. And further,
those carpets are not worn to look bad
ly at all. Not worn spot is to be seen.
In fact. they are as good and as service
able as they were when first put down. !"
'Oh, all the color's faded from them.
One thing you can depend upon: those
things will come up, and-they won't
90 down again. and the feminine foot
came down with stamp, and the femi-
nine lips were shut with an emphatic
tightness.
Lydia, have you any idea what good
Brussels carpets will cost?"
81 don't know, and | don't care. II
we can't have 'em, we can 90 without
carpets. can stand it if you can"
Lydia, still calmly and kindly,
but with mighty struggle for self-con-
troll; you know Brussels carpeting is
not yard wide. Between thirty and
forty pounds will be the expense. You
know that l do not squander money;
have no expensive habits beyond the
absolute necessities of life. Every shil-
ling can save will 90 i'm the bank,
there to remain and accumulate until a
need OF to be otherwise met shall de-
mand rs withdrawal. Really and truly,
the money would save is for my loved
ones; that is the one thought that in
fluences me when | look to the regula-
ton of my expenses. So, my own dear
wife, it is not alone who must pay for
all the luxuries of our home; it comes
from the bank account of the family.
Don't say any more now, please; think
of it,-sleep upon it." And, thus speak
ing, he rose and left the room-and
left the house.
The speakers were George and Lydia
Darweli, husband and wife. The for
mer was thirty years of age, holding
responsible position in one of the best
and oldest city banks; the latter was
two years his junior. and one of the
very best and most skillful of house
keepers. They had been married seven
years, and had three children-three
bright-eyed. happy, healthful, laughter
loving children. the light and joy of the
home.
There had been another occupant of
the room and listener-Lydia's aunt
Georges aunt-and everybody's aunt
who knew her She was a widow;
sister of Lydia's mother; her snowy
tresses and deepening burrows indicat-
ing near approach to the late evening
of life.
Lydia, am going to tell you story
that have never yet told-something
that only your mother and myself ever
knew. And it seems to me as though
Providence had directed that / should
hear this conversation between you and
George in order that might tell you
the story. Will you hear it?"
"Of course I'll hear it, aunty. I'm
glad to hear anything that you have to
tell. always"
Ordinarily Aunt Susan talked while
her busy fingers piled the knitting
needles; but now she laid her knitting
aside, and folded her hands in her lap,
as she spoke:-
"My dear child, oh, how well re-
member the scene. conversation be-
tween my father and mother, almost
exactly like that which you and George
have Just held With a difference in
language, the spirit and meaning of the
two conversations are the same. 1t was
i'm the autumn instead of the spring,
and my mother had set her heart upon
a pony carriage, and a new set of sill
ver-mounted harness. One of our
neighbors. not so well off as father was,
had got one, and from that moment
mother was dissatisfied with her old
waggonette that had served us ever
since could remember, and which was
Just as good then as it ever was. At
any rate it was Just rs good for service.
Your mother and l were then girls of
twelve and fourteen; and we were
present when mamma gave her final
order, for an order it amounted to, just
as a want expressed by you, and adj
hered to, is an order to your loving hus-
band. Father tried ali he knew to per-
suade her away from the idea. He gave
exactly the reasons for his wish that
George gave you; and could see that
he had to struggle hard to keep the tears
from coming But mother would not
give in.
Lydia, you know father was the
first one called from our family circle.
Our neighbors had supposed him not
only fore-handed, but really wealthy;
and he ought to have saved more than
he did. He was not careless man; he
was by nature thrifty and stirring, and
had he had help he might have saved
a goodly sum. AS it was, he left the
farm free from mortgage. and there was
ready money enough to pay every debt
but not much more. After every bill
was paid, we could command about
one hundred pounds in cash-no more.
The farm was one of the best, but small.
and our buildings in good repair. The