Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-10-17


/ took chair which he handed me- We
were seated and his wife, after going to listen
10 the soA and measured breathing Of little
Willie, sat down TO her sewing.
'My name said he ais William Carter.
My father died when was young and l was
bound out an apprentice to a shoemaker, with
the usual provision OF schooling. ! did as
well as boys generally at school, and as | was
very fond OF reading, | made the most OF my
spare time and the advantages of the appTen-
tees library Probably the books that helped
me most were the sensible writings of fWilliam
Cobbett. Following his example, l de-
termined 10 give myself useful education
and have TO some extent succeeded. But a
mans education is a lifelong process; and
the more ] learn, the more ! see before me"
"When had been one year journeyman
and had laid up few dollars, for had a
strong motive to be saving, we were married.
boarded at her fathers and she bound shoes
for the shop where l worked. We lived q
few weeks at her home, but il was not OUR
home, the home we wanted; so we deter
mined TO set up housekeeping. 1t was
rather a small set-up, but we made it answer.
spent week in house-hunting Some were
too dear; some were too shabby. At last
found this place. Il was new and clean,
high and airy, and thought it would do got
it for fifty dollars year and though the
rents all round have advanced, our landlord
is satisfied with that or takes it in preference
to risking worse tenant The place was
naked enough and we had little TO put in it
save ourselves; but went cheerfully to work,
earned all we could and you see the result
~ see, but confess do not understand
it, said ], willing TO hear him explain the
economies of this modest and beautiful lit
tie home.
"Well, it is simple enough. When Mary
and moved ourselves here and took posses
sion, with table, two chairs and a cot bed,
with straw mattress, the first thing we did
was TO hold a council Of war. Now, Mary,
my love, said |, here we are. We have next
TO nothing, and we have everything to get
and nobody but ourselves to help ourselves "
ave found that we could earn on an aver
age, eight dollars week. We determined
to live as chesply as possible, save all we
could and make ourselves a home. Our
rent was a dollar a week-Our fuel, light,
water rent, and some little matters, a dollar
more. We have allowed the same amount
for our clothing; and by buying the best
things and keeping them carefully, we dress
well enough for that. Even my wife is sat
isfied with her wardrobe and finds that raw
silk at six shillings yard, is cheaper in a
long run, than calico at one shilling. That
makes three dollars week and we have still
our living to pay for. That costs US, with
three in the family, just one dollar a week
more.
"0ne dollar apiece
No, one dollar for all; You seemed sur
prised, but we have reckoned it over and over.
1t cost more at first but now we have learn
ed to live both better and cheaper So that
we have a clear surplus of four collars week
after paying all expenses of rent, fire, light
water, clothing, and food, do not count
luxuries, such as an evening at the theatre,
concert, or a treat to our friends when we
give party"
know a smile came over my face, for he
continued:
"Yes, give party and we have some
pleasant ones, l assure you. Sometimes we
have dozen guests which is enough for
comfort, and our treat of chocolate cakes,
blanc mango, ETC., costs as much as two dol
lars; but this is not very often. Out of our
surplus, which comes, you see, two hundred
dollars year, we have bought all you see,
and have money in the bank"
d" i see it" said l; !" all but the living
Many a mechanic spends more than that for
cigars, to say nothing of liquor. Pray, tell
me precisely how you live"
With pleasure. First of all, then,
smoke no cigars, and chew no tobacco and
Mary takes no snuff"
Here the pleasant smile came but there
was no interruption, for Mary seemed to
think her husband knew what he was about,
and could talk very well without her aid.
70 1 have not drank glass of liquor since
the day was married, except glass OF wine
about four times year, on Christmas, New
Years Fourth of July, and Willie's birthday.
The last is our especial holiday. 1 have
read enough of physiology to make up my
mind that tea and coffee contain no nutri-
ment, and are poisonous besides; and have
tried vegetable diet long enough TO like it
better than mixed one, and to find that it
| agreed with me better; and as We have read
and experimental together, of course, Mary
thinks as do"
But what do you eat and drink P' l ask
ed, curious to see how far this selftaught phi
losopher had progressed in the laws of health.
"Come this way, and will show you, he
said, taking light and leading the way into
a capacious store-room. "Here, first of all,
| is a mill that cost me twelve shillings. II
grinds all my grain gives me the freshest
and most beautiful meal, and saves toll and
profits. This is a barrel Of wheat get the
best, and am sure that it is clean and good
1t cost less than three cents pound and 8
pound of wheat a day, you know, is food
enough for any man. We make it into bread
mush, pies and cakes. Here is a barrel o.
potatoes. This is hominy. Here are some
beans, box of rice, tapioca, macaroni. Here
is barrel of apples, the best that can fnd
in Fulton Market. Here is a box of sugar
and this is our butter jar. We take quar-
Of country milk a day; buy the rest of ON
living by the box or barrel, where / can ge
it best and cheapest. Making wheat-aateT
as mush or bread, and all made without bolt
ing-and potatoes, or hominy, or rice, thu
staples you can easily see that a dollar
week for provisions is not only ample, but al
lows of healthy and luxurious variety. Fo
the rest we eat greens, vegetables, fruit anC
berries in their season. In the summer W,
have strawberries and peaches, as soon a
they are ripe and good. Mary viii get up
dinner from these materials, at the cost of
shilling, better than the whole bill of fare a
the Astor House."
was satisfied. Here were comfort, intel
ligencs, taste, and modest luxury, all eniOye
by a humble mechanic who knew how to live
at the cost l have mentioned How mucl
useless complaining might be ssved-hoy
much genuine happiness enjoyed-how muc
of evil and suffering might be prevented,
all the working men in New York were q
wise as William Garter
never shook man or woman by the han
with more hearty respect than when l sci
"Good night to this happy couple, who i
this expensive city are living in luxury an
growing rich on eight dollars a week, an
making the bench of the shoemaker chai