The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-10-02
WESTERLY, R. l., OCTOBER 2, 1851.

may persuade others, no better off than |
am to make the best of their situation
MY name,' said he is William Carter
My father died when 1 was young, and /
was bound out an apprentice to a shoe
maker, with the usual provisions of school
ing. | did as well as boys do generally
at school, and asI was very fond of read
ing, [ made the most of my spare time
and the advantages of the Apprentices s
Library. Probably the books that helped
me most were the sensible writings of Wm
Cobbett. Following his example, l de-
tcrmined to give myself a useful education,
and L have to some extent succeeded But
a mans education is a lifelong process
and the more learn the more [ see be-
fore me-
1 was hardly out of my time when 1
fell in love with Mary there, whom some
people think very pretty, but whom l
know to be very good
Mary looked up with such bright lov-
ing smile as to fnlly justify some people
In their conclusion.
when | had been one year q journey
man, and laid up few dollars, for had
a strong motive to be saving,) we were
married l boarded at her fathers and
she bound shoes for the shop where | wor-
ked. We lived few weeks at home but
it was not our home-the home we wanted
so we determined to set up housekeep-
ing. 1t was rather small set up, but we
made it answer. spent week in house
hunting. Some were to dear, some to
shabby. At last found this place. 1t
was new and clean, high and airy, and |
thought it would do. got it for fifty dol
lars year, and though the rents all around
advanced, our landlord is satisfied with that
or takes it in preference to risking a worse
tenant. The place was naked enough, and
we had little to put in it save ourselves
but we went cheerfally to work, earned all
we could, saved all we could,-and you
see the result
1 see but confess l do not under
stand it, said I, willing to hear him ex-
plain the economies of this modest and
beautiful home.
well it is simple enough. When Mary
and l moved ourselves here and took pos
session, with table, two chairs, cook
ing stove, a saucepan or two, and cot
bed with straw matrass, the first thing
we did was to hold council of war. Now
Mary, my love, here we are. We have
next to nothing, and we have everything
to get, and nobody but ourselves to help
ourselves.
1--WE found that we could earn on an
average, eight dollars week. We de-
termined to live as chcaply as possible,
save all we could, and make us home.
Our rent was one dollar wcek-our fuel
light, water rent, and some little matters
a dollar more. We have allowed the same
amount for clothing, and by buying the
best things, and keeping them carefully,
we dress well enough for that Even my
wife is satisfied with her wardrobe, and
finds that raw silk at six shillings a yard
is cheaper in long run, than calico at one
shilling. That makes three dollars week
and still we have our living to pay for
That cost is, with three in our family, just
one dollar week more
'One dollar apiece
sNo-one dollar for all. You seem
but we have reckened it over
and over. 1t cost more at first, but we
have learned to live better and cheaper
50 that we have a clear surplus of four dol
lars week, after paying all expenses of
rent, fire, light, water, clot ing and food
| don't count on luxuries such as an evening
at the theater, at concert, or little treat
to our friends when we give party
L knew a smile came over my face, for
he continued:
Yes, give party and we have some
pleasant ones, assure you. Sometimes
We have dozen guests, which is quite
enough for comfort, and our treat of cho-
colatc, cakes, blanc-mange, etc., costs as
much as two dollars !; but this is not very Of
ten. Out of our surplus, which comes
you see, to two hundred dollars a year, We
have bought all you see and have money
in the bank