Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1914-02-07
THE FRUGAL PAST
A Pair Of Trorsers went a kong
Way In the Good t0Ed Days.
WAL OF A MAN IN A CROUCH.

His Wife's Reckless Gift tosa Tramp Of
One Of His Battered castoff Gar
ments Moved Him TO a Touching Dis
course on the Vice of Extravaganza.
"A poor man came to the door this
afternoon and asked II hnd any old
clothes / could spare" said Mrs James.
worthy Il gave him those gray tr0u-
sers of yours, as they were too badly
worn out for you TO use them again
They were all faded and fun Of holes, "
The next time Won undertake to dis,
tribute my raiment among the prole
tariat. Mrs. Jamesworthy." returned
her grouchy husband YOU might at
least consult me Y0u are assuming
altogether too much when you take il
for granted that ANA done with 81
pair Of trousers As things are going
now ia the business world fld it ex
pedicnt TO wear such garments SO i0ns
as there is any way 60 fa~yeu my sus.
penders 70 them
Times are CROWNS voo,e and
worse ana the financial sulaEeucy Is
breaking all records ana tie man who
strives to support h.s Family has
troubles enough without coming home
to find that the wife % bis bosom has
given his purple aud iue linen to some
bodys wandering boy
Il had expected 10 get two seasons
.
a sentimental fondness for them. as /
wore those trousers on that red letter
day when. three years ago, | STOOD in
the White House and proud.y shook
hands with the iiiustrious president OF
this great and glorious republic.
hoped to band them down 10 my chill
dren's children so that when ! am
cold in my grave they might contem
plate those historic trousers with
streaming eyes and recall the glorious
occasion | have referred 10. Now / nc
longer have a souvenir OF my meeting
with the presidep:. anc pote~ity is
robbed of - great privilege ty reason
Of your needless course.
"I'd never think Of giving away
anything Of yours without your ap
prevail, Mrs. IameSworthy Time and
again | have been tempted to call in
some poor but respectable widow with
large family To support and give her
Your false hair, which has become al
eyesore 10 me. as find it lying around
wherever ! 20. but | felt it would be
doing you an injustice and refrained
Yet when an unknown hobo comes T.
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 il q fair sample Of the
extravagance which keeps men for.
ever walking In the shadow OF the
poorhouse. have no doubt TINT my
sainted mother would roll over in her
grave II she could know of such doings
Under her wise and skillfu manage.
ment my father had chance to &C.
cumulate a few piasters for his old
age He 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 he
wore them for another term OF years
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
SO the older son could wear them. and
when he had used them five or six
years there still was enough sound ma.
terial in them to make pair for the
youngest son. was that youngest
son. and all through my boyhood and
even in early manhood | was wearing
eypurgated editions Of my fathers
trousers.
You may make as many faces MS
you please, Mrs Iamesworthv. and
point the finger Of Scoru until the COWS
come home but that doesn't change
the fact chat 1t was economy OF this
sort that Kept our pareDtS In ignorance
ot such things ms the bankruptcy court
and the 1~sciatnl charities When ]
had woru tho4e historic trousers for q
few sH@Wer~ aad Winters. uut1 thew
would answer rle purpose Bc longer
alr muaer rVt them up into strips ald
made II .apels ot tlsu ANA those
rag e3ucts were mnrp sensible 8ul
more Seyrlceabe thau tue tailor mudt
affairs you nave Strewn over thvSe
floors
After this please yuu viii call nae
into executive session bptore giving
away amy OF my indictments. Mrs
JumeSaerthy "-Wa,t Mason len Chi