The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-01-19
THE FRUGAL PAST
A Pair of Trousers Went a Long
Way In the Good Old Days.
WAL OF A MAN IN A CROUCH.

His Wife's Reckless Gift to Tramp of
One of His Battered Castoff Gar
ments Moved Him to Touching Dis.
course on the Vice Of Extravaganza.
"A poor man came to the door this
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 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 it
for granted that | am done with a
pair of trousers. AS things are going
now in the business world find it ex-
pedicnt to wear such garments SO long
as there is any way to fasten my sus-
penderS to them.
Times 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
bodys wandering boy.
Il had expected to get two seasons
wear out of those trousers, and / had
a sentimental fondness for them, as |
wore those trousers on that red letter
day when, three years ago | stood In
the White House and proudly shook
hands with the illustrious president of
this great and glorious republic, |
hoped TO hand them down to 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 TO. Now | no
longer have souvenir of my meeting
with the president. and posteIity is
robbed of a great privilege by reason
OF your needless course.
I'D never think of giving away
anything of yours without your ap-
proval, Mrs. .Jamesworthy. Time aud
again | have been tempted to call in
some poor but respectable widow with
a large family to support and give her
your false hair. which has become an
eyesore to me. rs find it lying around
wherever | go. but | felt it would be
doing you an injustice and refraned
Yet when an unknown hobo comes 90
our door asking for refreshments you
hand him my cherished trousers. which
are more to me than pride of ancestry
on pomp Of power.
Your action is 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
grave If she could know of such dongs
Under her wise and skillful manage
ment my father had chance To ac-
cumulate few pinsters for his old
age. He wore his trousers until they
We're fun 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 1t 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. aud
when he had used them five or six
years there still was enough sound ma
terial in them TO make a pair for the
youngest son. | was that youngest
son. and all through my boyhood and
even in early manhood ! was wearing
expurgated editions Of my fathers
trousers
You may make as many faces as
you please. Mrs. Jamesworthy. and
point the finger OF scorn until the cows
come home but that doesn't change
the fact that il was economy of this
sort that kept our parents in ignorance
Of such things as the bankruptcy court
and the associated CHARITIES. When !
had worn those historic trousers for a
few summers and winters. until they
would answer the purpose no longer.
my mother cut them up into strips and
made rag carpets OF them. and those
rag carpets were more sensible and
more serviceable than the tailor made
affairs you have strewn over these
floors.
After this. please, you will call me
into executive session before giving
away any OF my habiliments. Mrs
Jamesworthy. Walt Mason in Chi