Year: 1860

Sell that old table! No. I'll not sell it !
It's only pine table that's true; and it cost
but eighteen shillings twenty-five years ago,
but your ten dollar bill is no temptation r
And I'll not swap it either, for the prctticst
mahogony or cherry table you can bring me.
If it has four plain turned legs instead of a
pillar in the middle, with lions claws and il
the marble top is only vanished paper, still
will not swap it! 1t has been to me very
profitable Investment. From the day it came
home it has been increasing its capital. NY
children made play-houses and drank tea i'm
their toy-cups under it, for which thank the
four legs; and when they got tired of that
way, they turned it upside down and made n
four-post bed with curtains; or pulled it
round the carpet for sleigh. Then they
climbed on the top Of it for an observatory ;
and never counted the glorious romps they
have had round it. And so long for twenty
five years it has paid its dividends of happi-
ness to my family circle. These dividends
never could be separated from it; but they
have become added to it, until its value is not
to be told in money. It has had it's quiet
use also; for nobody could tell it from a round
table of agate or cornelean, with its salmon
bordered green cover.


Nothing lasts forever. The top Of the table
was loosened by the hard use it got, so
took punch, drove in the eight penny nails
below the surface, added few screws, put
tying them over, and pasted marble paper
checkers over the top. Then it was really a
pretty table. 1t has had hard usage since but
bears all and the checkers want renewing
which will make it worth more yet


My watch is thirty years old. 1t is one of
those thick silver levers, which some poor
wits call "turnips." 1t has several times
suggested to me that might exchange it for
a thin modern gold watch, which wears casi-
cr in the pocket When do you may set
me down for barbarian! Not the best gold
jewclGd hunter in existence would tempt
me to swap. That watch marked the time
when my children were born, and the record
is set down in the family Bible; it has licked
in their ears when they could only speak by
laughinga at it, and kicking up their little heels
1t has marked the time when the doctors
medicines We're to be given, and counted
their little pulses when these were low at mid
night, and when the heart ached. 1t has
made many records that are fast and sealed
up, to be opened only when another time
comes.


Twenty seven years have passed since my
i
our tea-kcttlc. The fitting of the lid was
little imperfect, SO that the escape Of steam
shook it, and caused peculiar noise, nearly
enough resembling the chirping Of some in
sect to suggest the name by which it has now
been known in the family for a long time
our "crickct on the HEARTH" Like the table
and the watch, this kettle -has been adding
dividends to its capital stock ever since the
first day of its purchase, and though nothing
but iron, it could not be bought for it's weight
in silver. 1t has sung its song so regularly
and cheerfully, not only the kitchen out the
whole house would be lonely without it. 1t
has given us it's fragrant blessing, morning
and evening, and has come almost to be re-
gardcd as living and talking creature.


1t is never good fortune that sells such
old friends out Of family, and takes in new
ones that have no history and no tongue
In all the changes that have SO far taken
place have kept these silver bowls unbroken,
and surely no changes in the future shall
break them.-- Century. @