The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1862-04-17
Two Ways Of Rctrenchment.

My DEAR said Mrs Nettleton to her hus-
band, sit is quite time we were setting about
some retrenchment. Tea, coffee and many
other things are extremely high, and they
say the very Bread in our mouths is about
to be taxed
DO they ? asked Nettleton, quietly.
TO be sure they do, and I think it's about
time for me to commence retaliatory meas
ures. In the first place, I pay my girls too
much. Bridget the cook, gets two dollars,
and Mary, one seventy,five. shall cut
down each Of them fifty cents week.
Perhaps they win leave you, then'
Let theu. I can get plenty more at the
prices named. In all the large cities there
are plenty of girls to be had at a dollar and
quarter week.
t.Anl some that can't get work at any price,
and have only to choose between infalny and
starvation
'Fie, Mr.. Nettleton. That has nothing to
do with the case. When get help never
pay above the market price. If they don't
like the terms, they can leave
go on said Mr.. Nettleton, bcwlng.
Il am going on. There's Nancy Jones
thinks she must have dollar day for dress
making. II she works for me hereafter, she'll
just work for seventy-five cents
She has two children to maintain
so have I, and shan't defraud my own
family, this year, to pamper hers
Mrs. Jones has no husband to feed and
olothe. That does make some difference,
allow but don't you think she will need .
dollar day to make ends meet, now that
everything is going to be so high p
NO, don't. l was told that last year
she put by fifty dollars in the savings bank.
She mustn't expect to do that, this year.
Times are hard
so see. All well how tiresome 1t must
have been to the poor woman to stitch from
mrning illnight for fifty days, just to make
some little provision against the future
:Who minds getting tired don't. Then
the boy that does our gardening had toe
much last year. Ifhe has the same this
year he must take part Of it in your old
clothes. He is large enough to wear them
now, and you have got such habit of wear
ing gray clath that the things will be worth
good deal to him --'
TO ourselves, you mean.'
I'M, to him, only of course he must pay
for them and then psThaps can persuade
you to lay them aside little sooner
.Pcrhaps so And now will you allow me
to inquire for what purpose is all this re-
trenchment p
For purposes Of prudence, Mr.. Nettleton.
You have been in the habit Of laying aside a
thousand dollars Of your income every year,
and mean you shall do 30 now, although
we are to be so heavily taxed
oh, you are only laying Up fora wet day
! thought poor women were not to be allow
ed to do that. this year
Mrs. N@ttleton contemptuously CALCULATED
sPoor women = and her husband went pla
cidly on.
Let me see: wish hard times would
come every year. am to have new clothe.
rather oftener than common | suppose the
tailor muss make discount, so that the bill
will not foot up any heavier in consequence
$50 he ought. That's the 6rst sensible
vord you have said yet
And then, although some expenses are
incr ased, yet have two helpless girls, l
widowed mother and an orphan boy engaged
to make i up to me. It is pity canno
make all classes Of laborers understand tina
thsT must work Tor me for less than usual
Aew that their living costs 70 much more