Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1864-09-08
MISCELLANEOUS.
e. ON o NJ Y .
sY HR5. STOWE.

EcosoMY is the science Of proportion,
Whether particular purchase is extrav-
.gant depends mainly on the income 1t Is
takon from Suppose woman had a
hundred and fifty a year for dress
and gives fifty dollars for BONNET,
she gives a third of her income; it is hor.
rit!e exHavagance--while for the woman
whose income is ten thousand it may be
no extravagance at all. The poor cler-
gyman's wife. when she gives five dollars
for bonnet, may be giving it in propor-
ton to her income, as the woman who
giveE Ghy. Now. tho difficulty with the
greater part Of women ia. that the men,
who make tho money and hold it, give
;hcm NJ kind of standard by which to
measure their expenses. Most women
and girls are in this matter entirely at
sea. without chart or compass They
don't know in tho least what they have
to spend. Husbands Ind fathers often
pride themselves about not saying a word
on business matters to their wives and
daughters. They don't wish them to
understand them, or to inquire into them,
or to make remarks or suggestion concern
ing them.
81 want you to have everything that
is suitable and proper" says Jones to his
wife, but don't be extravagant.
But my DEAR" Gays Mrs. Jones,
what is suitable and proper depends
ver1 much on our means. If you could
allow me any specific gum for dress and
housekeeping, could tell better"
"Nonsensc, Susan cant DO that
it's too much trouble. Get what you
need, and avoid foolish extravaganccs
that's all l ask"
By-and-by Mrs.J ones bills are SEM
| in. in an evil hour, when Jones has heavy
notes to meet, and then comes domestic
storm.
! shall just be ruined, madam, if that's
the way you are going on. l cant afford
to dress you and the girls in the style
YOU have set up Look at this miliner's
bill"
II assure you." says Mrs. Jones
I'VE havn't got any more than the Steb'
oineses, nor so much.
Don't you know the Stebbineses are
tworth FIVE times as much as ever was r
No Mrs. Jones did not know it. How
should she, when her husband makes ii
/, rule never to speak of his business te
i.her, and she not the remotest idea Of hi:
incumc?
Thus multitude Of good conscientious
women and girls arc extraeagant from
pure ignorance. The male provider al
lows bills to be run up i'll his name, snt
they have no earthly means Of judging
whether they are spending too much Oh
TOO little, except the semi-anual hurricane
which attends the coming Of these bills
The first essential in the practice o
economy is a knowledge Of ones income
and the man who refuses to accord to hi
wife and children this information ha
never any right to accuse them Of ex
travagance, because he himself deprive
them of that standard of comparison
which is an indispensable requisite IL
ECONOMY As early as possible in tn
education Of children they should pas
from the state of irresponsible waiting t.
be provided for by parents. and be trustee
with thsspending of some fixed allowance
TINT they may learn prices and values
and have some notion Of what money
, sctuslly worth and what it will bring
The simple fact of the possession of
fixed and definite income. often suddenl
transforms giddy. extravagant girl. int
a care taking. prudent little woman
Her allowance i her own ; she begins t
plan upon ito add. subtract, multiply
divide. and do numberless sums in he
h little head. She no longer buys every
thing she fsncies she deliberstes. weighs
: compares. And now there is room TO
self.denial and generosity to come in
She can do without this article she ca
furbish up some old possession to do dut
. little longer. and give this money
some friend poorer than she. and ten
one the girl whose bills last year wei
four or Eve hundred dollars finds herse
Infringing through this year with hur
dred and 6ftr.