Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1869-04-24
$lisabetB paiIp @aonitor,
PUBLISHED AT 155 BROAD STREET, BY
j. MADISON DRAKE.
DON'T LIVE BEYOND YOUE
MEANS.


This is pleasant, exclaimed q
Young husband, taking his seat in the
rocking chair as the supper things were
removed. The fire, glowing in the
crate, revealed pretty and neatly fur
nished sitting room, with all the appli-
ances of comfort The fatiguing bust
ness of the day WAS over, and he sat
enjoying what he had all day been an
ticipating, the delights of his own fire.
side. His pretty wife Esther took her
work aud sat down by the table.
cit is pleasant to have u home OF
ones own" he again said, taking sat-
isfactory survey of his little quarters.
The cold rain beat against the window.
and he thought he felt really grateful
for all his present comforts.
'.Now, if we only had piano, " ex
claimed the wife.
"Give me the music of your own
sweet voice before all the pianos in
creation" he observed, complimentary
" but he felt certain secret disap-
pointment that his wife's thankful
ness did not happily chime with his
own.
"Well, but we want one for our
friends" said Esther.
'Let our friends come to see us, and
not to hear piano" exclaimed the
husband.
"But, George, everybody has pi-
ano nowadays-we don't go anywhere
without seeing piano., persisted the
wife.
''And yet I don't know what we
want one for-you will have no time to
play one, and I don't want to hear it. "
"Why, they are so fashionable
think our room looks nearly naked
without one
81 think it looks just right.
81 think it looks very naked-we
want piano shockingly," protested
Esther, emphatically.
The husband rocked violently.
"Your lamp smokes, my dear, SAID
he, after long pause.
"When are you going to get a cam
phene lamp? 1 have told you dozen
times how much we needed one,' said
Esther, pettishly.
""Ihese are very pretty lamps-l
never can see by camphene lamp,
said her husband. "These lamps are
the prettiest of the kind I ever saw, "
"But, George, L do not think our
room is complete without a camphene
lamp" said Esther sharply. ''They are
SO fashionable Why, the Morgans
and Millers, and many others [ might
mention, all have them am sure we
ought to-"
1--WE ought to if we take pattern by
other peoples expenses, and [ don't
see any reason in that"
The husband moved uncasily in his
chair
"We want to live as well as others,
said Esther.
"We want to live within our means
Esther" exclaimed George.
81 am sure we can afford it as we'll as
the Morgans and Millers and Thorns
we do not wish to appear mean.
Georges cheeks crimsoned.
"Mean I am not mean y he cried,
angrily.
'Then we do not wish to appear so,
said the wife. ITO complete this
room, and make it look like other peo-
pies, we want piano and camphene
lamp"
eve want-we want !" muttered the
husband, "there's no satisfying wo-
mans wants, do what you may" and
he abruptly left the room.
Now many husbands are III slmil-
ar dilemma How many houses and
husbands are rendered uncomfortable
by the constant dissatisfaction of wife
with present comforts and present pro-
visions How many bright prospects
in business have ended in bankruptcy
and ruin in order to satisfy this secret
hankering after fashionable necessaries
Could the real cause of many failures
be known, it would be found to result
from useless expenditures at home
expenses to answer the demands of
fashion and "what will people think %
"My wife has made my fortune, J"
said gentleman of great possessions,
by her thrift, and prudence, and cheer
when I was just beginning"
"And mine has lost my fortune, an
swered his companion, "by useless ex-
travagance and repining, when [ was
doing well. y
What world does this open to the
influence which wife possesses over
the future prosperity of her family Let
the wife know her influence, and try to
use it wisely and well.