Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1861-04-15
w. ID. WALLACE.
THE CLERKS MARRIAGE.

"Why do ysu say that"
"To think Of msrriage."
"What has bravery or folly to do In the
case?"
The young lady is poor"
81 do not wed her for money"
There would be some hope fer YOU if she
were the possessor of twenty or thirty thou
sand dollars. But being as poor as yourself,
the folly Of this purpose stands out in bold
relief. Look before you leap, my friend
there's trouble for you on the other side"
:" am not sordid, Mr.. Blair" The young
mans fine face glowed, and his eyes flashed
with repressed indignation.
- Not sordid enough, Adrian, for marriage,
as society is now constituted. There are two
sides to the question Of marrisge-the SEN
timental side, and the matter Of fact side.
Now, you have looked only at the sentimental
side. Suppose we consider the ~ after of fact
aspects. You are q clerk receiving a salary
of one thousand dollars. How much have you
saved?"
Nothing to speak Of"
"Nothing. So much the worse If it costs
you thousand dollars year to live, from
whence is TO come the means of supporting a
wife and family3'
"Oh I've been careless and wastefuI in ex.
Penditure, as most young men are. had only
myself to provide for, and was self-indulgent.
But that will cease, of course"
Granted, for argument sake. The young
lady you propose to marry is named Rosa
Newell"
Yes"
"a charming young girl; we'll educated;
finely accomplished; used to good society, as
We say, and just suited to my friend Adrian
if she had money, or he an income of three or
four thousand year But the idea Of making
her happy wife, in the city of New York, on
thousand dollars, is simply prepostereus 1t
can't be done, sir, and the attempt will prove
ruinous to the happiness of both parties to so
ISh T., -
easiest demonstration, Adrian; and wonder
so good an accountant as you are, should not,
ere this, have tried this question by matb-
ematicsl rules. Let me doit for you. And
first, We will look at Rosa's present sphere of
life She has q homo with a Mr. Hart. an
uncle. and is living in rather luxurious way
Mr.. Hart is a man who thinks q deal of an.
pearances, and maintains a domestic estab-
lishment that does not cost less than four
thousand dollars q year. His house rent is
equal to your salary. Now, in taking Rosa
from this home, into what kind of a one can
You place her2'
A sober hue Of thought came over the young
mans face.
"You cannot afford to rent house at even
one half the cost Of Mr.. Hart's, even if you
were able to buy furniture" continued Mr.
Blair
I've will board, of course" said Adrain.
" Housekeeping is not to be thought of in the
beginning"
: If not in the beginning, how afterwards''
The young man looked q trife bewildered,
but did not answer.
What are you now paying for board?"
"You would require parlor and bed room
after marriage
Eyes"
SAT a cost of not less than fifteen dollars
week"
Adrian sighed.
We couId hardly afford the parlor
Hardly" said his friend. ''Well, give up
the parlor and take q pleasant front chamber
on the second floor, at twelve dollars q week
But the house is not first class nor the loca-
ton very desirable. These are not to be had
in New York at twelve dollars q week You
cannot afford for Rosa the elegance of her
present home. Three dollars more a week for
washing and etceteras, and your income is
drawn upon at the rate of seven hundred and
eighty dollars year. Two hundred and twen-
~ left for clothing and all other expenses
And, 20 far, il has taken nearly three times
that sum to meet your own demands. 1t has
a bad look, Adrian"
II was wasteful and self-indulgent," said
the young man, in a voice from which the
confident tone had departed. 1T will scarce
ly cost Rosa and me for clothing one-half of
what / expend."
"Say one half, and your inceme will not
reach the demand. What was your tailor's
bill, last year?"
"0ne hundred and sixty dollars"
"ssy two hundred, including boots, hats
etcetera."
Yes"
You could hardly get this below q hun
dred and fifty"
ss Perhaps not"
The young mans voice was growing husky
That will leave seventy dollars for your
wifes clothing, and nothing for pleasures
recreation, little luxuries, OF unanticipated
hnt nnayoid ahla nd 81 H.
with you two in good health, what will be the
condition Of things in sickness and with chill
dren to support and educate. Adrian, my
young friend, there is debt, embarrassment,
disappointment and miserable life before you
Pause and retrace your steps before it is too
late. IL you love Rosa, spare her from this
impending fate. Leave her in her pleasant
home, or TO grace that Of a man better able
than you are to provide her with the external
blessings of life. You cannot marry on
thousand dollars year, and it is folly to
think Of it."
I'VE could get board for ten dollars
week" said Adrian.
That would scarcely help the business at
all. At best, it would only make a difference
in the amount of your indebtedness at the
close Of each year. 1t is folly to think of it,
my young friend. You can't afford to marry"
'' 1t has a dark look, but there is no hold
ing up now" replied Adrian, in a gloomy
way. I'VE have mutually pledged to each
other, and the day Of our marriage has been
appointed"
I'm sorry for you," said the friend,
bachelor Of forty, whe, on an income of IF
teen hundred dollars year could see no pos
slbls chance for happy marriage in the city
OF New York, and preferred celibacy to the
embarrassments which he saw hundreds Of
friends encounter in their attempts to live in
style out Of all proportion to their resources.
am sorry for yOu," he repeated; "but If
you will bend your neck to the yoke, you must
not conplsin Of the burden You find yourself
compelled to besr.''
Strange as il may appear, the young clerk,
Henry Adrian, had never before looked this
matter of income, expenditure, and style Of
living fairly in the front The actual aspect
OF the case, when clearly seen, threw his mind
in q state Of troubled bewilderment. He went
over and over again the calculation suggested
by Mr. Blair, a book-keeper in the establish
ment where he was employed; cutting off q
little from one proposed expenditure and an
ether, but not being able to get the cost Of
wfuo~ do 60 NA.- - II.