Monongalia mirror. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1855, 1852-02-07

, work to do, and Our little boy to look
after, she earns enough 10 make our wa
gesarersgc So week. We began with
nothing-we live as you see.' '''
All this comfort, this responsibility,
this almost luxury Ter eight dOllats a
week.
i should be very sorry live spent SO
much,' said he. 'Wc not only manage
to live on that but have something laid
up in The savings bank'
.Will you have the goodness said |
Just 10 explain 10 me how you do i! !?
for I was really anxious to know how a
shoemaker and his wife earning but $S
week could live in comfort and e!e-
sance, and lay up money.
with pleasure he replied, 'for you
may persuade others, no better oil than
| !, 10 make the best oftheir siluation.'
took a chair which he handed me.
we were seated, and his wife utler 60
ing to-. listen for a moment 10 the soft
and measured breathings oi'little Will
lie, sat down TO her sewing.
sMy name,' he said, 'is William Car
ter. My father died when ! was Young
and was bound out an apprentice to a
shoemaker. with the usual provision ol
schooling. Ibid as the boys generally
do at. school; and as | was very iond OF
reading, made the most Of my spare
time and advantages Of the Apprentices
Library. Probably the booksthat help
ed me most were the sensible writings
Of Wm. Goblet. Following the ex--
ample, | determined to give myself a
useful education, and J have TO some
extent succeeded. But a mans educa-
lion is a lifelong process, and the more
I learn the more see befure me.
Il was hardly out Of my teens when / /
tel in love with Mary there, whom
some people think very pretty, but
whom know lobe very sood.' Il Z
Mary looked up with such a bright
loving smile, as toifally justify some
people ir their notion. ''44i S,,.,'7''
asiNheusI=hadG dGbeen one yeara jour
neyman and had laid up a few dollars,
(lor had a strong motive to be saving)
we were married. I boarded with her
father, and she bound shoes for the shop
whrro I worked. We lived a few
weeks at her lather's but il was no: our
home-the home that We wantcd-so
we determined to set up housekeeping
twas rather small set up but we made
Lit answer. Ispeht a week in house
hunting. Some were too dear, and
som. too shabby. At last | found this
place. II was new and clean,hish and
airy, and I thought j, would do. lgot
it for $50 year-and though the rents
around have advanced our landlord il
satisfied with that, or takes il in prefer
ence 10 risking worse tenant. The
place was naked enough, and we had
liltle'to putin IT, TO serve ourselves, we
went cheerfully to work, earned all we
could, saved all we could, and you see
what is the result s.e a6 .'+
Il see,, but | confess do not under.
stand it, said |, willing to hear him ex'
plain the economics Of his modest and
beautiful home. o0. u. 9
well, tits simple enough. When Ma
rv and | moved ourselves here and thok
possession. with table, two chairs, n
cooking. stove, a saucepan or two, aud o
ce,.bcd with straw matlrass, the first
thing we did was 10 hold council Of war.
Now Mary, my love- said ], 'here We
are. We have nextrto nothing, and we
have everything to get, and nobody but
ourselvcs.' E l7@
we found that we could on an average
earn eight dollars week. We. deter
mined 10 live as cheaply as possible, save
all we could and make ourselves at home.
Our rent was dollar week-our fuel,
Iigh,, water-rent and some little matters
dollar more. We have allowed the
same amount for our clothing, and buying
the best things and keeping them care.
fully, we dress well enough for that
Even my wife Is satisfied with her ward.
robe. and finds that raw silk at six shil.
lings yard is cheaper, in the long rum
than calico alta shilling. That makes
three dollars a week, and we have OH
living 10 pay for. That costs us with
three in our family, just one dollar week
more.' uaf
'0ne dollar piccel'