The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-10-23
NO. 40.
HARDTIMEs.

Hard times are not yet past; and though
the promise is for plenty, still prices high,
and much complaint exists among all clssses
at the cost Of living. The market furnishes
everything necessary for the table but all costs
a good round price, and one or two dollars is
easily spent every other morning in filling an
ordinary basket with necessary, or rather with
what seems necessary, supplies. And thus
hundreds of families without the means TO
lay in any stock, and the prospects OF slack
work and an empty larder is not the most
comfortable one for the man Of little means to
contemplate. Is there not hope Of escaping
the want that must come if housekeepers per
sist in now spending the greater part Of the
earnings of the husbands Let us see.
Without doubt, as a general thing we are
shamefully extravagant, even in our every
day home life Go into the poor mans house
and you will find food and furniture which,
three hundred years ago. would only be met
with in mobiles larder and rooms. The
f"propression" SO much vaunted is, after all,
questionable, ifithas NO elevated the masses"
as to mako man think luxurious food in
great variety absolutely necessary for his daily
sustenance. But it is true, as we have said,
that the poor man lives in absolute h1rury,
gastrononlically. His table is not only sup
Piled with bread and meat and coffee, but
there are all the concomitants Of vegetables,
sauces, pies, and not unfrcqucntly fruits of
costly kind His good wife regards her Office
of cook as unnecessary if she is not showed a
full hand Of what ia in the market: neighbor
Mrs. SnUCKs has all, therefore she must have
the same; and the result is that our poor
friend is living luxuriously every day Of his
| life.
Now, what is the consequence Of this state
| Of affairs? 1t is not denied that the good
mechanic gets good wages-say one dollar
one dollar and half and two dollars per day
| for his services. This will be from three hun
dred 10 six hundred dollars per year. But
the times require that at least one half of each
| days wages should be spent upon tho table,
tho small margin left is consumed upon tho
house and furniture. Thus, when sickness
comes, or a time Of slack work, there is little
or nothing to fall back upon, and destitution
becomes the order of the day.
That u radical reform is needed in our
| households is very apparent. A person can
live upon one hundred dollars. per year,-can
grow as strong, enjoy life as wen or better
upon five hundred than one thousand dollars.
| And it is all in simplifying tie tastes, 1t is
| not necessary TO comfort or to good health
that the appetite should be pampercd with
variety nor that it should be, ticklcd with
rich food Rather is il in the order of nature
that we should not live luxuriously. Hence,
less food will not only be required, but less
| of that very kind which absorbs the most
money and renders the housckeeper always
so much trouble and time in its preparation.
I This is not a mere assumption as any ob
servant person will see. Take household
| composed of three persons. Let it provide
one barrel of four--one of fmeal-onc Of pota-
| toes-a kit of fsll--and such other provisions
as would only be asked by simple taste.-
| Here would be food for at least three months,
and the cost would be very moderate for each
person. But the fact is these staple articles
named are, az general thing, the least ex-
pensive supplies that find their way into the
larder. There are fruits, and vegetables,
and drinks, almost infnitum, and the year
| does not pass, even TO theemost ordinary liver,
| that one or more hundred dollars are not alb
! solutely frittcrcd away in the purchase Of this
cxtlaneous food This our housckecpcrs know
tobe true.
Arcmcdy certainly is within easy reach
Simplify your tastes--economize in your
kitchcn--in your larlcr-in your side board: !:
learn by trial that luxurics arc delcterious in
rendering the body diseased and the race eff
elninate--that coarse, wholesome food is pro
duetivc of health, strength and energy, and
| the cure is effected. We can easily under
stand whya German gentleman spends no
more than two hundred and fifty dollars per
year in living respectfully; and if American
| gentlemen would meet hard times and still
accumulate property they will place their ex
| penses far within their incomes, even though
these should be but $500 per year.