Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1888-03-09

self ever knew. And it seems to me
that Providence had directed that l
should hear this conversation between
you and John in order that I might
tell you the story. Will you hear it ?"
"Of course, I'll hear it, aunty. I'm
glad to hear anything you have to tell
always"
Ordinarily Aunt Jane talked while
her busy fingers piled the knitting
needles; but now she laid aside her
knitting and folded her hands in her
lap as she spoke.
"My dear child, oh how we'll re-
member the scene!-aconversation be-
tween my father and mother almost ex-
actly like that which you and John
have just held. With a difference in
language the spirit and meaning OF the
conversations are the same. 1t was in
the autumn instead of the spring and
INV mother had set her heart upon a
new pony carriage and new set OF
silver-mounted harness. One OF our
neighbors, not so we'll off as our father
was, had got a new carriage and new
harness Mother saw this new turn
out for the first time at church.
"Well, mother that moment was dis
satisfied with the old double-seated
carriage that had served her ever since
1 could remember, and which was just
as good then as ever it was. At any
rate, it was just as good for service.
Your mother and l were then girls Of
II and IA; and we were present when
my mother gave her final order-an
order it amounted to-iust as want
pressed by you, and adhered to, is an
order to your loving husband. Father
tried all he knew to persuade her away
from the idea. He gave exactly the
reason for his wish that John gave you;
and 1 could see that he had to struggle
hard to keep the tears from coming.
But mother would not give in. She
got the carriage and the old one was
laid aside.
George, you know father was the
first one called from our family circle.
Our neighbors had supposed him not
only free-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 saw
ing; and had he had help, he might
have saved goodly sum. AS it was,
he left the place free from mortgage
and there was ready money to pay
every debt, but not much more. After
every bill was paid, we could command
one hundred pounds in cash-no more.
The farm was one of the best, but
small, aud our buildings in good re-
pair.
"There were three of us-our mother,
and we two girls. I was then just
20, and your mother was Is. I will not
tell you how we managed; but it was to
me very painful time Mother had
no thought of reducing our expenses by
curtailing her society enjoyments, and
bidding farewell to the behests of fash.
ion. Your mother and 1 made old
dresses into new ones; but we had not
the heart to suggest such thing tc
mother.
II remember we'll, had started one
day to take from our little stronghold
five pounds, for the purpose of paying
q bill which was overdue.
"Mother asked me how much would
be left if I took that away. I told he,
little over two pounds. Oh, not fol
the world would she let me take thai
money! Her dress-maker was coming
on the morrow and she must purchase
trimmings, and so on, for her new sill
dress. And even then I did not at
tempt to thwart her. But other bills
we're growing. However, let them 60
and let me come to the incident I wish
to give you.
zone stormy, disagreeable day
your mother and I were ran
sacking pas old desk, where he
kept his private papers and
old letters and account-books, and by
and-by we came across small book thai
we had never before noticed. It wa!
little blank book, such as traders use
for pass-books. I found it, and upon
opening it and letting the leaves slip
off my thumb, I found only four or five
of the first pages written on; and this
was what read at the head of the frs
page, written in fathers fullest, round
est hand. It was dated and then went
on:
Sums of money I might have saved
for my loved ones if only I could have
had help
ut was dated, as I very soon found
out, at the time Of the purchase of the
new carriage and the silver-mounted
harness, but he had set down many
times that had been bought before
that. Let me tell you how he wrote
down about the carriage, and that will
show you how fairly he kept the &C.