The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1914-01-28
THE FRUGAL PAST
A Pair OF Trousers Went a Long
Way In the Good Old Days.
WAL or A MAN IN A CROUCH.
HE Wife's Reckless Gift to a Tramp Of
One Of His Battered CastoH Gar
nents Moved Him to a Touching Dis
course on the Vice Of Extravagancs.

SouFsc OF tHe VICE or GStaNs8sHCe'
"a poor man came to the door thi.
afternoon and asked II had any old
clothes could spare" said Mrs. james
worthy. II gave him those gray trou
sers OF yours. as they were too badly
worn out for you TO Use them again.
They were oil faded and full of holes. .
1.-THE next time you undertake to dis.
tribute my raiment among the probe
tariat. Mrs. Jamesworthy." returned
her grouchy husband. you might nj
least consult me. You are assuming
altogether too much when you take il
for granted that am done with II
pair Of trousers. As things are going
now In the business world | find IL ex-
pcdicnt to wear such garments 50 long
as there il any way to fasten my sus-
peDders to them.
"'rimes are growing worse and
worse. and the financial Stringrncy is
breaking all records. and the man who
strives 10 support his family has
troubles enough without coming home
10 find that the wife of his bosom has
given his purple and fine linen to some
body's wandering boy.
~ had expected to yet two SCISSORS
wear out Of those trousers. and | had
n sentimental fondneSS for them. as |
wore those trousers on that red letter
day when. three years ago. I stood in
the White House and proudly shook
hands with the illustriouS president of
this great and glorious republic. J.
hoped TO hand them down to my chill
dren's children. 50 that when am
cold in my grave they might conten-
plate those historic trousers with
streaming eyes and recall the glorious
occasion have referred to. Now | no
longer have souvenir of my meeting
with the president. and posterity is
robbed OF great privilege by reason
OF your Needless course.
I'D never think Of giving away
anything of yours without your APP
prOval. Mrs. Jamesworthy. Time and
again ! have been tempted to call in
s----''N f''' ''' 'NSI''Ni"'' NiIbN WIN /,
a large family to support and give her
your false hair, which has become an |
eyesore to me. as find it lying around
wherever ! 90. but felt IL would be |
doing you an injustice and refrained. |
Yet when an unknown hobo comes to |
our door asking for refreshments you
hand him my cherished trousers. which |
are more to me than pride Of ancestry |
or pOmp of power.
"four action is Il fair sample OF the /
extravaganza which keeps men for
ever walking IN the shadow OF the
poorhouSe have no doubt that my |
sainted mother would roll over in her
crave II she could know Of such doin.s.
Under her wise AMI skillful manage
ment my father had II chance to nc-
rumula!e II few pinstcrs for his old |
age lie wore his trousers until they
were full Of holes: then my mother
took them and half soled them and
made them as good as new. and ne
wore them for another term of year>
until II WAS impossible To- tell what !
their original color might have been
When they were too far gone for
further use mother made them over
80 the Older son could wear them. AMI
when he hnd used them five or six
wears there still was ennugh sound ma.
'oriai In them {" mike pair for the