Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1890-09-02
MiscELLANEoUs.
Mistaken Economy.

I'VE really must economize somehow or
other, JOSIE said my husband, Juggling Wild
iy at his whiskers.
''Yes, indeed, we must, said. wringing my
hands ''But I am sure, my dear, we are
neither of us eStravagant. We must ent we
must drink, and we must live"
Then we sat and looked at each other In a
sort of mild despair.
We had only been married six months. oba-
diah and I. We were very young. and per-
haps we had begun the world too carly. Our
relations told us we had no business to marry
but as their grntuitous opinions were all that
they had ever given DIS, or ever intended to
give us, we had not pnid much attention to
these utterances.
We had taken little ono story cottage, Just
on tile high road, which was to let cheap, he
cause there were only two rooms and e kitchen
TO it. But what did Obadiah and want with
more than two rooms and a kitchen 2 / had
the furniture which Grandmother Newcomb
had given me, and a rag carpet which my poor
mother had woven the winter before she died.
To be sure, our accommodations were not ex-
tensiye. but we did not expect to hold fashions
able receptions or to give large dinner parties.
Obadiah had plenty of work in the wooden
factory, down by the depot, aud hung ont
my little sign. "Dressmaking and Millinery, ,"
and hoped that some one would sec It, and
come in and give mo an order But no one
came had plenty of time after my house
hold duties were over In the morning, and I
couldn't be always bceswaxing the furniture
arranging the china cupboard, or polishing the
windows.
ps't tssOslld sontlsfsna a.
dollar or two of my own.
Why don't you advertise in the village pa
peper?" said old &r Meegs
Obadiah burst out laughing
Advertised" said he "why, what on earth
do you take US for. Mr.. Meggss It costs
good deal of money to ad settide"
1t costs something certainly" said SIR
Meggs, thoughtfully strolSing his chin, ''but
then it calls public attention to the particular
sort of iron you have in the fire"
"a little local paper like that, :" said Obadiah
rather contemptuously.
ITS local custom your wife wants, isn'tit7u
said Mr. Megga.
"And never did think much OF newspa-
pers," added Obadiah.
so that settled the question; and afterward,
when the foreman of the wooden faetorV cut
down the wages of the workIngmen 20 per
cent, and coal went mp. and the winter set in |
hard aud cold, and we begun TO consider the
question of how and where we could ecomo- |
tnize, the local paper was almost the first thing
upon which my husband settled.
That, al least, is an unnecessary extrava-
gance, he said.
IWiuced little. Tho BoggsVIlie HeTdId had
been my companion for moro lonely evenings
than I cared to remember
"It's only e1.50 yeRr. Obadiah aud really
it's very interesting little paper, 1 said.
Just Sl.5O too much" said my husband
curtly. 'The subscription is just out. III tell
them we won't renew it. If you care SO much
about it, Josie, you can easily borrow Mrs.
Meggs paper.
was silent I never could make Obadiah
understand the deep rooted aversion TO bor-
rowing from any one, which had inherited
from my mother.
So we gave up the weekly paper, and left of
using butter, and burned candles a penny a
pound cheaper, and sponged and cleaned
and rebound and new buttoned 0badiah's great
coat, instead of buying new ono, and left of
going to church because my old cloak was 80
shabby and couldn't afford anything better.
Aud oh, how did miss the Reradl
IF l could only get little dressmakfng TO
do" said to myself, 81 would subscribe again.
But cannot bear to ask Obadiah for cent of
his hard-earned money!
/ was sitting by the window, sad and lonely,
ono freezing February day, trying to mend an
old waistcoat of Obadiah's, so that It would
last a few days louger, when travelling ped
dler with a huge basket of china ornaments on
one arm and bundle on his shoulder knocked
at the door. BE nodded at me in an insinuat-
ing manner as answered the summons.
"Couldu't sell you anything this morning.
ma'am7" be said. with liberal display Of very
white and even teeth. Anything in the way
OF elegant mantel vases. statuettes, decorated
CHINA match boxes"
Il have no money, and do not want any of
yonr wares" I said spiritlessIy.
ssAh. but you do not know what splendid
article have here, he persisted. iooseniDg the
strap which passed across his shoulder, and
lowering the precious package to the hoor.-I
"a pair OF real yTedgewood faiences. Oh. don't
shake your head ma'am shanit ehafee Won
anything for looking at them, you know. I'm
certain you are an artist-alI the ladies' are
born aFtists-and this Is something quite out of
the ordinary run.
and with succession Of mods and grfns be
unstraPPed pair Of really very pretty blue
vases, nearly two feet high, and oruamented
with raised gaEIands in white
:'only 81 a pair. ma'am" said he. ''Dirt
cheap. It's positively giving them away &
that price"
'I have not 90 to spare, . replied iadlEsr
entity.
SIT is great bargain ma'au1,' = he insistsd.
81 40 nof asnt them sid I.
He was silent q few seconds.
'Tnn sorry, Ha'atn, = be said. They'd be a
great dee0Fstion for house like this. But II
! you really won't buy, It would be doing me q