River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1886-02-25

\ orthhelG IL Wsg not e particularly
inviting spot that she gsEed upon. and
i8r s moment her face fell During
tha two years that it had stood tenant
less the village children had used the
yard as a playground The window
panes We're broken, the grass nearly
destroyed. and the ground strewn with
sticks, stones and Old ban clubs But
On "A second survey her face frightened.
AZ least She had home Tor herself and
children, and there was d good school
IN the village. From thc FIVE hundred
dollars received after her husband 5
death, she had enough 10 pay the cx-
penses Of the Journey and leave three
hundred. OF that she had paid Que
hundred and ClghG tallars for the
place, one hundred was placed la the
bank, and the remaining twenty was
for immediate use. u believe / will
venture 20 spend five dollars on the
house now, and the rest must be done
as | earn the money, thought Mrs.
Weston. one dollar bought glass
enough to supply the broken paues.
Uncle John, when Mrs. Weston
spoke to him ia regard 10 some shingles
to mend few spots in the roof. said
that he mad a part of a bunch that he
would not Use, and that she was wei
come 10 them, and the next day
brought them over, bringing a ladder
on his next visit. and neatly patched
the roof. lie also gave her an excel
lent recipe for a whitcwash that she
applied both outside and in. the materi-
al for making costing "A few cents less
than dollar, Her house was now
sweet and clean. and her next work
was the yard The sticks and stones
were removed and the yard was care
fully rakcd. Wild clcmatis struggling
for life beside he fence was carefully
removed and planted at the little front
porch \ Hover bed was made, and
the two or three flower roots still alive
placed in IT, Aunt Mary gave her
some seeds and promised rs soon rs it
was a little warmer some slips from
her house plants Uncle John brought
over grape vino he said his garden
was full, and that branch had fallen
down and rooted apd it seemed too bad
to throw 1T away. Mrs. Weston
thanked him heartily. aud planted II at
the back IF the house facing the east
The sprouts were cut away from the
foot Of the few plum and cherry trees
in the garden. The currant bushes
were scarcely more than roots, but She
carefully divided them aud set them Ih
mn ORDERLY row al he side Of the fence
One dollar hired "A man 20 pillow and
drag the garden. Il was almost too
small 20 dignity by tho name garden
bat bY borough cultivation she meant
il 10 weld a nice quantity of vegetables
for their use She bought "a hen Of her
next neighhOr a few days after her
arrival at Mortified, and now her hen
was clucking 10 brood OF dOwny
chickens, in coop il one corner Of the
yard. The coop was of her own manu-
factme, one of the boxes in which her
goods were brought. with a side re-
moved and narrow Stats nailed across.
One bright afternoon in June II ucle
John came up the street and, pausing.
leaned upon the gate, while he took
careful survey Of the house and its sur
roundingS We'll Well'' he soliiO-
,uized "shc has improved the looks Of
the place | guess III 20 in and talk
to her He was quite right, the place
did look much better II was an cN-
ceedingly pleasant sight that lovely
afternoon. The house shOue dazzling
IL white from its coat of whitewash:
the clemati, was reaching up graceful
arms over the little porch; rose bush
was putting out fragrant buds: the
flowers in the new bed were beginning
to bloom: the grass, as If grateful for
little attention, had nearly covered TIE
whole yard with SIT turf. and only
two or three small bare spots were
visible. Ia front Of the house two large
apple trees furnished pleasant shade,
and gave the completing touch tcjhe
picture.
And 50 You don't feel sorry that
YOU came to Northticld?" Uncle John
asked.
NO indeed. ] do not. have sue
ceeded far better than | dared to
hope, was the reply.
Yes. il you wanted to sell this place
YOU could get ut least seventy dollars
mole than YOU paid fOI il.
II was not thinking anything about
the value OF the place. for don it care
to sell But have work steadily, ]
have been able 10 meet expenses, aud
to add q few comforts to the house.
Ny children are at school, they love
their teacher and are progressing as
well as could wish. Our garden will
soon be help to us; the children DO a
large part of the work. Saturdays and
out of school hours. ! guess we snail
have some plums and apples; it looks
favorable now. Next week | am going
to do some painting on the inside wood
work. | am not engaged 10 work ut
any place, and all the leisure time |
have | employ in work To make our
home pleasant. | bought a quantity of
white lead and intend to paint the sit
ting room white. | shall add a very
small quantity Of lampblack, 10 make
a light gray for the bedrooms. and a
little more to make n darker shade for
the kitchen. TO paint the whole room
will not cost over q dollar in paint.
believc-not much over, at any rate |
shall apply it myself.
Mr. Wentworth and his wife are
coming soon TO see Us" Uncle John
said, as he departed; they will be
over to see YOU while they are here
''Do YOU know, Uncle John said, a
couple of weeks later, as he was taking
Mr. and Mrs. Wentworth to the depot,
on their departure from Mortified.
'.that woman only had three hundred
dollars money capital, but in common
sense, energy and snap she has
more capital than many who count
capital BY thousands, National
,Sf0cEjHau and Farmer.