New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-05
roTJR HUNDRED-AND TWO.
. TALE oE MALTESE CROSS ROADS AND
NETWORK.

teSeC POSGrOnQk
an. Of the most Aourshng little villages OF Norm
.m.r,c> Ono would scarcely believe, without gen
.ns mental reserv atons the unexaggerated account
:, hov moor we were. Once, while reading hs"'
fhorne 10 Peggy, came 10 his assertion that tut
hs had been tho most obscure Of American suuo's
with q smile she observed that we resemoico nav"
thorne-witb difference, since for years we hso oee
the poorest Of American couples. OF course she ou
mean squaldly, but merely Genteclly poor We heio
our own At the mite society receptions the socaoee'
the Browning club and the other organized
OF the social and intellectual Crossrosds ne DC
sides we managed TO pay for religious prviieges-tNo
sIttngs pretty we'll out OF the draft ina p Va ,''
gallery. belonged to club-a reading ciu0-ou "ie
expense was not heavy, fifty cents year anu "o Tvs
tsurant or card rooms to tempt one 10 fur'ncr que
laws Peggy had very few gowns. and her company
lest- might easily have been better: She Wore NJ
tcwelry except her marriage ring and s'snSn o.a
cameo brooch once her grandmothers' one hhsh'
also have possessed a pretty diamond rihs' Nn"n
presented TO her Christmas But on 'e~snius ",'
I got II on the instalment plan. she insS'eu upon Tvs
return 1t bad enough, she oeciarco' W rui, III
debt for necessities, but abominaoie |" uo % io u
ur,,s As for my own dress-wen. I'm featured
IL, ,.,r. mouth and sandy hair and as We all
rnor n.rson OF that sort looks best In unostenta
lions clothes Mine were quiet as they were few
sun had q nice suit OF bach-the one In winch was
narrfed-for high festive OCCASIONS
So YOU get At my meaning. We were poor put
eoual 10 presenting fair front TO Maltese Crossroads
I am sure we cndeav0ed TO produce inc lmpres
sion that We were welltodo folks. And on the other
hand We never Haunted the slcnderncss OF our re
n,rces But by the shades of that emaciated turkey
~ Jobs how hard found 1t to make the two ends
meet clerk in the little notions store OF the
Crossroads. at an annual salary OF 1878. was not
strong: II had been, and had possessed Peggy en-
ergy Of course, might have earned more. However.
We accepted our lot with something Infinitely better
than resignation. We reckoned It a vast deal that
we had each others love- reasonably good health, and
genius for optimism in addition to 1878 year.
By way Of discoursSng the wolf that was ever near
our door. Peggy practsed all sorts OF small economies
She made and turned her gowns. She made and
her bonnets She freshened her gloves with
bread crumbs. she was her own cook, waitress. cham
bermad seamsress, aundress, teacher Of the modern
languages and professor Of painting on China. She
opened the envelopes OF the letters received taking
care not to tear any and then turned them inside out
so that they could be used again. She made her own
slippers II hadn't put my ample foot down hard, she
would also Lave made her own shoes on a last which
she bought for that purpose.
As for me, / equally intent upon keeping down
expenses. l smoked only pipe, was very particular
about wiping nv feet on the mat before entering our
house and steadily resisted the temptation TO keep
dog. play billiards, bet on elections. The only
drink besides water which ever allowed myself, was
an occasional glass of currant wine, made by Peggy
from q recipe left TO hertwas all she left TO her, ex
cept the broocb-by her grandmother Together We
diligently studied the manuals which philanthDpist
have prepared with the object Of teaching the art Of
getting along on precious little Here is list Of
some Of these works:
"How to Get Wealthy on Three Hundred Year.
How to Utilize the Other End Of Asparagus
GLOW to Make Rich Soup on Next to Nothing"
q oil TN,rka NNp I NJ
Family, to Make it Do for Two Duners. Three
breakfasts, a Lunch and a Late supper
How to Cook shin of Beef so as TO Make IL Taste
strkingly like Pate de Fos Gras."
How to Treat Sawdust so as to Render It Nutri
tious ard Tempting Article Of Food
Excerpts from Thoreau's Walden, or How to Board
and Lodge Ones self six Months for sS7 5O7
How to Serve Cold Potatoes SO That 1t viii Never
BE Suspected That They Are Not Canvasbsck Ducks"
The sulphur Trescie Treatment, How to Re
duce The Inflammation in the Appetite OF Growing
BOYS. BY Professor wackford SQueers. of Dotheboys
Hail.
Well, we had made out somehow to live move
and have our being on 1879 year for three or
four years, when one day stranger arrived al
Maltese Crossroads Presumably he was on rural
pleasure bent l encountered him the evening Of
his advent he was taking stroll The Crossroads
people are accustomed to bow pleasantly TO the
saluted this unknown. Returning the civility, he
halted and In the politest way in the world inquired
in regard to a point Of local interest gave him
the information and having All idle evening on my
hands offered to show him what best worth
seeing in romantic village. With many ex-
pressions of thanks he accepted my offer: so pretty
soon we were walking along together engaged in an
animated conversation II we were fast friends.
Such occurrences do often happen in the city but
are by no means uncommon in the morc unconven-
tonal country Before had we'll started the
stranger begged leave TO hand his card. 1t bore
this address:
Mr. AistHr McWard.
Nev-York
I didn't have card 10 hand him. ! couldn't afford
that luxury. But in distinct tone informed him
what my name was. Presently he made a chance
allusion to the metropolis / had never been there
and reasoned that there could be no harm in
adding my small stock of information in regard to
It.
"Mr. Mcward,7 began. Il am quite ignorant
OF New-York and naturally an DESTROYS of learning
all I can about so famous a capital. VIII you
permit me to ask you question or twO?'
by all means he replied. in the most cordial
manner. Pray ask me anything you choose.
shall be most happy, I'm sure, TO tell you anything
! may happen 10 know about New-YOrk'
You very good to come to the relief Of my
curiosity. First Of ALL then, should like to know
what is the present population of the city,
"Suppos" you hazard guess he suggested and
see how near you can come 10 the correct figures
After moments reflection ventured to give
1880 my estimate.
Bless my soul!7 exclaimed my companion sou
don't come within GunshOt of the real figures"
Not Then please me right
The population OF the city Of Nev.Yorkn Mr.
Auister McWaId went on according. 10 the latest
eensus-a census which took mysen-s 400"
"You mean 100000"
NO mean 400 without the thousand, Just 400,
explained Mr.. McWsrd.
He spoke In tones in which there was no uD.
certainty and the establishment produced by his words
made ne so weak that had 10 stop and SUPPORT
myself against tree. Recovering little l observed
TO Mr. McWard thai although the Information which
he impaired 10 me must be Trustworthy coming as
Il did from New-YOrker, sun 1t had staggered me