Year: 1871

Old Deacon Brown started in life very
poor. He married his wife, Susan, be-
lore the days Of hoops. &c. They had
boen happy in their married life, and
unto them was born beautiful girl.
whom they named Kate. who. of course
when she grew up, fell in loye. Her
choice was poor but noble young man.
The Deacon and his wife had taught
their child to choose for herself, but to
do it wisely, and they were glad to see
that she made choice of an estimable
young man, their neighbor's son.


NOW hate took up notion that she
must have great many articles for her
marriage, and make q fashionable show
OF dress during the honeymoon, and as
they lived in only town, she wrote
her father note, requesting him to
furnish her a considerable amount to
buy her outfit, and stated in il that she
expected she would have to send to the
city to get all she needed, whereapea
The old man made the following reply:


dearest Daughter:-A you are my
only daughter, may call you dearest,
truly, for love you very much. have
considered your note, and this is my re-
ply l am very sorry to find you possess
ing weakness of most OF your sex, viz:
that you think you must have large
outfit for your wedding aud honeymoon.
When married your dear mother she
had but two calico dresses aud other
things to fit, and really thought her,
as | took her in her calico dress, the
prcttiest, sweetest girl il the land, and
hsvs never thought otherwise. She
has made me dear, precious wife, and
been to me helpmset Indeed. Now,
mv dear child, | will not refuse you
what you ask, but my observation in
lite has convinced me that those girls
who spend heap of money to provide
their outfits for marriage are generally
sure to spend heaps of afterward, aud
that often they keep their poor husbands
noses to the grindstone OF misfortune
aud toll all their lives.


"A great many fine things for your
wedding and its after incidents will
make YOU no sweetcr or prettier to yeur
husband, aud may make you q good
deal dcdTer as to his pocket. II the
man of YOUR choice really loves you. as
no doubt he does, il Is not for what YOU
have on, but Tor the qualities oil your per-
son, head and heart, and, AS he is man
ol sense, | have no doubt he will tnInk
more of YOU when he fiads that You
have not made any great preparations
Tor vour marriage. There are many
gentlemen in this country, now worth
their millions, whose wives, when they
married, had no more than yoar mother.
By this do not mean that YOU should
have no more, but your mother tells ma
that you now have five neat every dav
dresses aud four Sunday ones, and
really they are larger, finer aud better
than many millions OF your sex are able
to obtain.


II make these suggestions for your
consideration, but leave you To follow
them or not, rs your judgment may
dictate; and to show YOU that this is The
tact. | enclose YOU draft of thousand
dollars on nv cashier, which YOU NAV
use a. yonr pleasure


"Atiectionately yours,


John Brown"


Kate did net long hesitate as to her
course OF action. Her mother gave her
few dollars OF her pocket money, aud
she bought only simple, plain white
dress, and appeared in it at the altar.
with natural flowers and her own love
illness for adornmcnt.


She drew the amount of the draft in
gold, aud one month to a day after her
marriage handed the amount to her
husband, and accompanied the gift with
these words:


dearest, | applied To my father tor
money to purchase what supposed
needed Tor my marriage, and he wrote
me this letter (handiug it to her hu,-
band and enclosed i'll it the draft upon
which drew this thousand gold dollars,
which now present 10 you AS the mon
ey saved by victory over foolish
fashion. lsave | done wisely"


You have, my blessed wife, and are
a thousand times dsarcr to me by your
better Judgment


Ii is needless TO add that the husband
OF Kate is now worth many thousands
Of dollars-and in delightful old aye
they often tell their friends and children
Of the thousand dollars at the foundagNon
of it all