The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1914-01-29
| TIT H FRUGAL | ? PAST As
A Pair Of Trousers Went a Long
Way In the Good Old Days.
Wall OF A MAN in A CROUCH.

His Wife's Reckless Gift to . Tramp Of
One Of His Battered castoff GAR
ments Moved Him to q Touching Dis
course on the Vice Of Extravaganza.
"a poor man came to the door this
afternoon and asked II I had any old
clothes could spare said Mrs. James.
worthy, II gave him those gray rou-
sers Of yours, as they were too badly
worn out for you to use them again.
They were all faded and full Of holes"
THE next time you undertake to dis
tribute my raiment among the prole-
tariat. Mrs. Jamesworthy," returned
her grouchy husband, you might at
least consult me. You are assuming
altogether too much when you take 1t
for granted that l am done with a
pair Of trousers. AS things are going
now in the business world find it ex.
pedient to wear such garments so long
as there is any way to fasten my sus-
penders to them. ...- - .7.~~.
"Nmes are growing worse and
worse, and the financial stringency is
breaking all records, and the man who
strives to support his family has
troubles enough without coming home
to find that the wife of his bosom has
given his purple and fine linen to some
body's wandering boy. -
II had expected to get two seasons
wear out Of those trousers. and had
a sentimental fondness for them, as l
wore those trousers on that red letter
day when, three years ago, stood tn
the White House and proudly shook
hands with the illustrious president of
this great and glorious republic. l
hoped to hand them down to my chill
dren's children. So that when l am
cold in my grave they might contem-
plate those historic trousers with
streaming eyes and recall the glorious
occasion have referred to. Now l no
longer have a souvenir of my meeting
with the president. and posterity is
robbed of a great privilege by reason
Of your needless course.
"Pd never think of giving away
anything c. yours without your ap.
prevail. Mrs. Jamesworthy. Time and
again l have been tempted to call in
some poor but respectable widow with
large family to support and give he1
your false hair. which has become ar
eyesore to me. as / find it lying around
wherever l go. but felt it would be
doing you injustice and refrained
Yet when an unknown hobo comes tt
our door asking for refreshments YOU
hand him my cherished trousers. which
are more to me than pride of ancestry
| or pomp of power.
Your action is fair sample of the
extravaganza which keeps men for
ever walking in the shadow of the
poorhouse. l have no doubt that my
| sainted mother would roll over in bel
grave if she could know Of such doings
Under her wise and skillful manage
ment my father had a chance to &C
| cumulate a few piasters for his ole
age. He wore his trousers until they
were full "f holes; then my mother
took them and half soled them anc
l
wore them for another term of years
until it was impossible to tell what
their original color might have been.
when they were too far gone fol
! further use mother made them ove]
so the older son could wear them, ant
when he had used them five or si1
| years there still was enough sound ma
terial in them to make pair for tn,
youngest son. was that younges
son. and all through my boyhood ant
| even in early manhood l was wearing
expurgated editions of my father
trousers
You may make as many faces Al
you please, Mrs. Jamesworthy, AM
point the finger Of scorn until the cow
come home. but that doesn't chang
the fact that it was economy Of thi
sort that kept our parents in ignoranc
of such things as the bankruptcy cour
and the associated charities. When
had worn those historic trousers for
few summers and winters. until the
would answer the purpose no Longer
my mother cut them up into strips an
made rag carpets Of them. and thos
rag carpets were more sensible an
more serviceable than the tailor mad
affairs you have strewn over thes
floors. $50.
"After this. please, you will call m
into executive session before givin
away any Of my habiliments. Mr.
JameswOrthv ''-Walt Mason in Oh
cago News.
His Conceit.
Able Pradt. minor light Of NJ