Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-12-14
From "Life Illustrated {,
HOW To ECONOnIzE


extraVagant- neither am L. I'm sure there's
nO escape-valve from which our little income
can leak OUT and yet ii is impossible to Law
aside any money. can't account for it at aljIH
Thus spoke Charles Walters, young LAWYER
who resides IN cosy little house somewhere
between Third and Thirtieth streets, in New
York He had nice little practice. a prettv
little wife, and bright eyed little baby What
do you say, old bachelors ought not he N ho
supTemely happy with all these possessions
And yet such was very far from being the case
Ihe truth was. that Charlie Walters felt "hard
tlmeS as aeutely as any Of us-he began to
look cautiously after the stray pennies, and to
realize the fact that he mast retrench some
where.
" ell, ii does seem rather singular where
all our money can have gone, returned his
wife. with hasf smile and half a sigh LAS
You say, we don't commit any very great ex-
trayagance, and yet it is equally certain that
We must begin to be less profuse in our expendi-
lures
Charlie was silent.
Ii seems to me, resumed his wife L" that
can account for some of those missing dollars
That velvet carpet that l cOaxed YOU to buy
at two dollars the yard, when a plain tapestry
at one half the price would have been just US
good"
A ridiculous piece of folly. said Walters,
pettishly.
You didn say so at the time. And have
rosewood bookcase, in the back parlor, that
usurped the place Of the old mahogany sheIyes1
Whose folly was that? And the big Chinese
easy chair to smoke in and the new ivory
chesSmen -
Stop, stop, Mary said Charlie, laughing
and reddening. :" we have both been a little to
blame in the matter. But | have a good idea
IN my brain II is quite certain that we shall
buy no more rosewood secretaries and velvet
carpets at present, so that we need not fear
large extravagances, and propose that we be-
gin to extermInate the small OneS-the invisi-
ble expenses that lie in wait for us from hour
To hour, and walk of with our funds in penny
drblets We'll commence this very day and
report success IL the evening. What do you
say
Agreed said Mary and Charlie kissed
her, made face at the baby, and walked off to
his downtown office.
Mary still sat at the table thinking when
BIddy the nurse came up to- take the baby out
for his morning airing. Mrs. Walters looked
first at the rubiound daughter of Erin, and then
at the baby, nesting in his cradle, like half
blown rosebud. COuldn she take care Of her
own baby Why, of course she could And
In half an hour Biddy went off with tears in her
eyss. and half pound Of tea under her ragged
red shawl,
Mrs Walters went up to her room to prepare
Tor going out There lay her little velvet bon
net in its box. The day before she had laid
aside two dollars and a halffor the purchase of
new scarlet roses and ribbons for its decoration;
but now she looked thOughtfully at the old pur-
pie viOlets, remembered her agreement with
Charlie, and concluded the bonnet would do
very well as il this winter Was not she
a wise little housewife
In the morning marketing she adhered
firmly To her good resolutions, turning away
from all the expensive little rarities in which
she had been wont to indulge, and stopped at
the china store to countermand her Yesterdays
for a haan fuI He'll -iIt
man stared, and Inquired the reason of her
sudden change Of mini. but she smiled, and re-
piled simply that she had determined to use
the old ones a little longer
Ouce, on her way home, she paused at a shop
window, and hesitated for a moment between
economy and an exquisite bit of embroidery for
baby's dress. The French pattern was beau
tiful, and her purse lay provOkingly close to her
fingers But wisdom triumphed; the bands
were left In the showcase, and the three dol
lars were safely carried home
Let me SEQ, said she as she sat in the twi-
light, rocking her baby's cradle. and waiting
Tor her husband ) return. d" Biddys six dollars
month IL about thirty cents day; my flowers
and ribbons, two dollars and a halt: those late
peaches and the fish that / resisted buying are
another dollar. and that beautiful embroidery
that would have made baby such a lovely dress
tand here she drew a little regretful sigh was
three dollars. Well, | may safely consider that
L have ecOnOmlLed SIX dollars and eighty cents
today, in small sums | wonder what Charlie
has 10 report
A good, economical little wife you are l''
said Charlie a few minutes afterwaTd; when he
heard her simple recital. And now for my
account When / got down to the office. Tom.
my factOtum announced his intention Of going
10 California, and desired me to look out for a
successor. / told Tom 10 go ahead, which he
did, but didn't think proper to look out for
any other boy, judging that might just as we'll
take down my own shutters, and kindie my
own little Office fire, as 10 pay dollar and halt
week to any TEN in existence"
Just what saved by Bddy,' cried Mary,
claPgins her hands We'll, go on"
When / went to get cigar, my box WAS
empty. l hesitated some time whether to refill
il or moi. Twenty-Five cents day for cigars Is
not much. but still reflected that it was some
thing. 30 prudence triumphed.''
Right, laughed Mary, - but go on with
your report
Brown and Mercer came 10 the Office for me
10 ride out to High Bridge with them, A fast
horse, an oyster supper. and all other expenses,
would cost me about three dollars. 1t was a
lovely day. and almost wavered, but thought
Of you. dear, and told them | cOuldn 90. The
next thing was very trife-yOu II laugh at
me little wife when [ tell it -
What was it, Charlie m dying of curl
osity,'
Well, saved just two cent. per diem. by
cutting of one of my daily papers as one will
contain all the news What do you think Of
that I'
Why, think even two cents is worth
ing, Charl e"
Coming up home. stopped at Hay book
store and there met with powerful tempta-
tiOn in the shape of fine edition Of Beaumont
and Fletcher. You know my yeHchaHt for rare
books, and Hay was 80 sure 0f a customer that
he had laid aside the volume for me. Three
dollars seemed at first mere trhe for the edi-
tiOn, but | remembered our contract, and de-
clned purchasing. Here ends my tale, with
the exseptOl that 1 walked 10 and from the Of
fce to-day, thereby gaining deal Of good ex
ercise, and saving ten cents in car fare"
Very we'll, said Mary. laughing, we will
give you credit for ecOnOmizing in the sum Of
seven dollars and eighty-seven cents. Add that
10 my six dollars and eighty cents and We have
fourteen dollars and sixty cents Oh!