Year: 1860

Or cOvetous desires arise


Within this heart Of mne.n


The corrupt design to which this estimabIe
matron had been tempted had been the pur.
chase of 4 pair Of Parian flower vases, whose
beauty had struck to her heart when she
went with her butter and eggs to the neigh
boring city-but recollecting herself in time,
she bad resolueY shut her yes to the allure
ment, and spent the money uSGfuly in buying
loaf sugar


For il is to be remarked that the deacon was
fond of good eating, and pri led himself on the
bounties of his wife's table. Few women
knew better how to set one-and the snowy
cad, golden butter, clear preserves and jellies
were themes OF admiration at all the tea tables
in the land. The deacon didn't mind a few
cents in pound more for nicer ham, and
would now and then bring in treat of oysters
from the city, when they were dearest. These
were comforts, he said one must stretch
point Tor the comforts Of life


The deacon must not be mistaken for
tyrannical man, or bad husband. When he
quietly put his wife's flower patch into his
corn field, he thought he had done her a
service by curing her of an absurd notion for
things that took time, and made trouble, and
were OF no use: and she, dear soul, never had
breathed a dissent to any course of his loud
enough to let him know e had one. lie
laughed in his sleeve often when he saw her
so tlaEquilly knitting or shirt making, at those
times she had been wont to give to her poor
little Contraband pie sures. As for the flower
vases, they were repented 0-and Mrs. 1iden
put a handful Of spring ancmones into cracked
pitcher anl set it on her kitchen table, till the
deacon tossed them out of the window--"he
couldn't bear to see weeds growing round"


The poor little woman had kind OF chronic
heart sickness, like the pining OF a teething
child but she never knew exactly what it was
she wanted. Ii she ever was sick, no man
could be kinder than the deacon. He has been
known to harness in all haste and rush TO the
neiahbOring town mt four o'clock in the morn
ing that he might bring her some delicacY she
had fancy tor--for that he could see the use
Of but he could not sympathizc in her crav
ing desire to see Powers Greek Slave, which
was exhibiting in neighboring town. "What
did christian people want Of stun images 2" he
wanted to know. He thought the scripture
nut that thing down-"Eyes have they, but
they see not-ears have they, but they hear
not-neither speak they through their throat
They that make them are like unto them so
is every one that trusteth in them" There
was the dcacons opinion of the arts; and Mrs.
Deacon only sighed, and wished she could see
it, that's all


But it came to pass that the deacon's eldest
son went to live in New York, and from that
time strange changes began to appear in the
family that the deacon didn't like but as Je
thro was a smart, driving lad, and making
money at great pace, he at first said nothing.
But on his mothers birthday, down he came
and brought box for his mother, which, be
ing unpacked. contained Pariau statuette
of Paul and Virginia. lovely, simple little
groupas ever told its story in clav.


Ever, body was soon standing round it in
open mouthcd admiration, and poor Mrs. Til
den wiped her eyes more than once as she
contemplated ii. 1t seemed vision of beauty
in the almost dosOlate neatness of the best
room.


Every pretty, s'po'e," said the deacon,
doublfully--tor like most fathers of spirited
twenty three oders, he began to feel little in
awe OF his sOn-"but, dear me- what sight
of money to give for thing that after all is
of no use y


II think" said Jethro, looking at his moth.
er's suffnspd eyes, "it is one OF the most useful
things that has been brought into the house
this many day


II don't see how you're going to make that
out" said the deacon looking apprehensively
at the young wisdom that had risen in his
household"


"What will you wager me, father, that
will prove out Of your own mouth that this
saturtte is as useful as your cart and oxen"


81 know you've got great way of coming
round folks, and twitching them up before
they know where they are but I'll stan you
on this question, any wag" And the Deacon
put on his yellow silk bandana over his bald
head, and took up his position in the window
seat


"Well now, father, what is the use of your
cart and oxen! -


"Why, could not work on the farm with.
out them, and yon'l have nothing to eat,
drink, or wear"


"Well, and what is the use of our eating.
drinking and wearing 2"


"Use? why, we could not keep alive with
outit."


"And what is the use of our keeping aliye7''


"rhe use of our keeping aliye2"


Eyes to be sure, why do we try and strive
and twist and turn to keep alive, and what's
the rse o living?"


"Living !'-why we want to live we enjoy
living--all crpa'urcs do--dogs and cats and
ey,ry kind OF beast. Life is sweet"


"Tle use OF living, then, is that we enjoy
it?"


"Yes.'


"Wel, we all enjoy this statuette, so thai