The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-03-08
A THRIFTY OLD LADY.
She Makes q Home OF what One
Family Throw AWAY.

One comes across some queer folks In New
York city, says the Brooklyn Eagle. The
queerest have seen this six months Is an
old lady who has laid up very comfortable
sum for the support Of her old age by saving
everything She found herself 20 years ago
without penny. Happily. wealthy relatives
gave her permission to come and occupy .
room on the top floor Of their big house, bot
this did not occur until she had passed thro-
ugh terrible six months in which she kept
of cold and starvation with almost infnites-
imal defenees. Suddenly transferred to the
lavish luxury OF a rich mans home, she was
shocked by what seemed to her the most tor
rible waste. Before very long her resolution
was formed. She had very nearly persisted
for want Of much less than these people
waste every month In the year, and she do
termined that she would catch up and store
the crumbs that fell unnoticed from the rich
mans table. The garrett was vacant, aud
the servants rarely went there, the family
never. This she used as her store house.
Every one was fully occupied with their own
full lives and paid little heed to her, so that
she carried on her system Of savings quite
unnoticed. Nothing In that house for 70
years was wasted. Every old match boz,
empty bottle, cork, bit Of string, scrap Of pa
per, hair combings,. rags, clippings. old
spools, bastiDg threads, out-worn garments
old pens, worn out sponges, faded ribbons
ana tattered gloves, every broken piece OF
China, empty envelopes, torn letters, old
newspapers, circulars, lost pins and hair
pins, were faithfully gathered up and stored
In long bags hung from the garrets rafters
She gathered up the ehildren's broken toys.
the family's old shoes and hats, worn UNDER
garments, handkerchiefs, frayed collars. en-
PITY bOn-b0n boxes, cast of Christmas cards.
the wire from their faded bouquets, every
single thing that was Of no more use TO them,
and each article was carefully stored during
the winter.
When summer came the splnster always
Legged to be allowed to remain In theshUuse
and look after 1t, and as soon as the family
had departed, she sorted and arranged her
winter store and began TO look for purchas-
ers Of 1t. She found just where she could
dispose OF her wares TO the best advantage.
The stock of such things In big household
mounts up every six months to something
truly astonishing, and her summer was Q
busy one In the arranging and selling OF the
wares. All this money she put In the bank,
and at the end or 10 years IL had reached
quite a hguIe' len years ago land In the
lower figure than 1t does now, and she in
vested hers there In property that was im-
| proved to certain extent. sufficient rent be-
ing paid for 1t to keep even with her taxes
| and interest In the last three years proper
| ty has risen and the old lady took advantage
| OF the boom this autumn and sold out. Then
| she took all the receipted bills for the stuff
| she had sold-every one Of which she had
| kept-to the head Of the family and said.
IL have ventured to take all that you have
thrown away for 20 years, and here Is the
/ result. This sum has been more than
| doubled by prudent investment and now
| have an income Of $500 year. l thank
/ you deeply for all your goodness and gener-
| osity. have taken little cottage In a
/ country town near New York, and thanks 70
/ the chance | had here, shall be able 70
| spend the balance of my life In comfort and
| ease" And she went. leaving the rich bank
/ or contemplating In amazement the sum OF
| money he and his family had thrown away
| In 20 years Since her departure the house.
| hold complain that they suddenly ind the
| house running over with outworn and use
| less trash that they cannot get rid OF.