Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1893-07-22

sSsYSs%s1 sions--of keeping books.
garments, gifts, memen-
tos and all things which belong to them,
in fact-and carefully preserving them
from year to year.
To certain extent this habit is q
good one and elnbodies the old saying.
Waste not, want not. But instead Of
teaching u child to save everything I
think it would be wiser to teach it to
waste nothing There is no economy in
saving everything Indeed | am con-
vineed by observation that the habit car
ried beyond certain limit is a foe to
progress. To save everything old, lhavo
observed, means to accumulate little
that is new.
| have an. acquaintance who never
wears out or gives away n garment. She
keeps all her dresses, hats, wraps bits
Of lace, braid and trimmings. When a
dress is out of fashion, She hangs it away
in clothespress or folds it into an old
trunk. Having followed this custom
for years and being a lady of means. her
clothespresses and trunks arc overflow
ing with old silks. satins, velyets and
laces.
Last spring when the season for new
garments arrived she brought ont and
ripped up dozen old gowns and then
purchased new panel for one. a new
waist for another, bit Of trimming to
refurbish an old jacket and new jacket
on which to use some old trimmings.
The result when completed was not graf
flying in beauty or economy, Among
the six or eight suits produced by this
melange Of old and new not one was
fresh or becoming, while the expendi-
ture had been greater than the cost Of
three brand new costumes would have
been.
have observed that the people who
save old garments in this manner never
present q fresh or attractive appearance.
and they expend more money on their
wardrobes than others who buy new.
1t is the same in the matter of house
hold possessions | visited an old house
some time ago where everything wore n
look of decay and ruin. Having occa-
sion to go into the garnet with member
of the family I discovered an immense
pile of rubbish, composed of broken old
chairs, frames of broken mirrors, dilapi-
dated washstands, ragged bed quilts.
which had been carefully washed and
laid away, and rusty and useless stove.
A chest in one corner was filed with
torn books, which had neither beginning
nor end, photographs from which tho
heads had been torn, broken backed
and dogeared album, half sheets Of
music and pasteboard boxes, some with
out covers. and other covers without
boxes.
For what in the world are you saw
ing all this rubbishg' / queried. "Why
don't you sell the rusty stove for old
iron. and the bed quilts to the raginan,
and make bonfire of the contents Of
this chest?"
The lady lifted her hands in protosta-
ton. ooh, you destructive creaturel"
she cried IAN these things may como
handy some day. | always believed In
saving everything. These pasteboarl
boxes, for instance. are handy in case
you want 20 send away photograph
and the old bed quilts would be Just the
thing to smother flames with in case Of
fire. There is nothing like economy, you
know"
But this is not economy" l insisted.
Were you TO sell all this rubbish to tho
ragman and the old iron man, it would
bring you money enough TO buy all the
photograph envelopes you desire with
ready made pasteboard backs, and hand
grenades with which TO extinguish fire"
~ never heard Of those things" sho
said.
NO" replied. People who have n
mania for accommodating old truck never
do keep up with the times"
If the mown hay were left 10 cumber
the field, no new grass could grow-and
the houses which are numbered with old
rubbish seem never to be rofurnished
and decorated. Tho mind which Is bent
on saving a lot Of useless and shabby old
things becomes shabby and useless itself
II becomes incapacitatcd from earning
and procuring the now and useful
once heard . housekecper Of a coun-
try home complain that she had no room
in the pantry 10 properly place her pans
and dishes. remarked to her that ths
two upper shelves were loaded with old
medicine bottles, empty pillboxos. bro
ken natirons and noscless teapots. and
that she had better dig hole III tho
ground and bury the whole mess, leaving
room for her necessary articles. But she
declared herself to be too Saving" 10
perform such an act. Empty bottles
often are handy. she said, "and intend
to have tho Hatirous and teapots mcnded
some day"
But you never will, said. "Peo-
pie who get In the habit Of saving broken
trash never get it mended And you win
never need more than two bottles out
of that score. You would be able 70
think more clearly. and your mind
would not become 50 tired over Your
work if you had these two shelves clean
ed off. Unconsciously 10 yourself, their
eluttered condition and the way you arc
obliged 20 crowd things ~ consequence
tax your mental powers"
| | once knew q man who spent honrs
in picking mp and Strengthening out
bent pins lie exhibited with pride
cushion filed with thepins which he had
| rescued from an ignominious fate But
he was never able 20 support bis wife
and family, and bis life. despite li1
achievements with the pins. was pitifsl
failure.
a child ought to discriminate IN what
should be saved 10 give away or sell
outgrown garments. 10 mend or destroy
broken object and to burn or put ~
the rag bag foiled. frayed, ragged oddi
and ends that can be Of DO possible
use 10 liking or country" Old and use
/ less objects nean old ard useless
thoughts. Ragged and broken objects
mean ragged and broken minds. Clothes
presses and boxes numbered with rub
bish cause the mind also 20 be numbered
and crippled in it, powers Of achieve
ment in the line Of progress. Too much
saving is a. bad as waste.
| ELLA WHETHER WILCOX.
/ A Benefactor 81 Bar Hsrbor.
/ A.. III.