New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-06-18
THE MANAGING WIFE.

Ezra Newton has just finished looking
over his yearly accounts "Well," asked
his wife. looking up, ''how do you come
out ~
81 find" said her husband, 'tbat my ex-
penses during the last year have been
Eilirty-seven cents over thousand dol
Lars"
1And YOUR income has been thousand
dollars %
%'Yes. managed pretty well, didn't l ~
ado you think it managing well TO exceed
your income ?" said his wife,
Whats thirty cents!" asked Mr..
Newton, lightly. b..t-
mot much, to be sure, but still some
thing. 1t seems to me that we ought to
have saved, instead of falling behind"
''But how can we save on this salary,
Elizabeth" We haven't lived extrava-
gantly. Still it seems to have taken it ALL"
perhaps there is something in which we
might retrench. Suppose you mention some
of your items"
1.-THE most important are house rent, one
hundred and fifty dollars, and articles of
food five hundred dollars.
-Just half" sff G~.GE
Yes, and you'll admit We can't retrench
there, Elizabeth. | like to live well. had
enough of poor board before l was married.
Now, [ mean to live as well as I can"
Still we ought to be saving up something
against rainy day, Ezra"
THAT would be something like carrying
an umbrella when the sun Shines"
''Shll it is well to have an umbrella in
the house."
II shan't controvert your logic, Elizabeth,
but I'm afraid we shan't be able to save
anything this year. When get my salary
raised it will be time enough to think of
that" .ttl
"Let me make proposition to you said
Mrs Morton. "You say one-half of your
income has been expended on articles of
food. Are you willing to allow me that sum
for the purpose !"
You guarantee to pay all bills out of it 2,
Eyes"
Then will shift the responsibility upon
you with pleasure. But can tell you, be-
forehand, that you won't be able to save
much ont of it,"
perhaps not. AT any rate, will engage
not to exceed it"
That's well. | shouldn't relish having
any additional bills to pay. AS am paid
every month, will at each payment hand
you half the money"
The different characters of husband and
wife may be judged from the conversation
which has been recorded. Mr.. Newton had
but little prudence or foresight. He lived
. chiefly for the present, and seemed to fancy
that whatever contingencies might arise in
the future he would somehow be provided
for. Now, trust in Providence is a very
proper feeling, but there is q good deal of
truth in the old adage that God will help
those who will help themselves.
Mrs. Newton, on the contrary, had been
! brought up in family which was compelled
= 20 he economical, and although she was not
disposed to deny herself comforts, yet she
felt that it was desirable to procure them at
a fair price. The time at which this con-
versation took place was at the commence
ment of the second year of their married
life.
The first step which Mrs. Newton took on
: accepting the charge of the household ex-
5 penses was to institute the practice of pay
ing cash for all articles that came under her
department. She accordingly called on the
butcher and inquired
How often have you been in the habit of
presenting your bills, Mr.. Williams9"
"Once In six months" was the reply.
Sand / suppose you sometimes have bad
hiIlse"
Eyes, one-third of my profits, on an ave-
rage, are swept off by them
''And you could afford, | suppose, to sell
somewhat cheaper for ready money!"
Eyes, and would be glad if all my GUS
toners would give me chance to do So"
Il will set them an example, then" said
Mrs. Newton. Hereafter, whatever artl-
eles shall be purchased of you will be paid
for on the spot, and we will expect you to
sell as reasonable as you can"
This arrangement was also made with the
Others, who, it is scarcely needful to say,
were very glad to enter into the arrange
ment. Ready money is the great support
of trade, and a cash customer is worth two
who purchase on credit
Fortunately Mrs. Newton had a small
supply of money by her, which lasted till
the first monthly installment from her hus-
band became due. Thus she was enabled
to carry out her cash plan from the begin
ming.
Another plan which occurred to her as
likely to save expense, was to purchase
articles in large quantities. She had soon
saved enough from the money allowed her
to do this. For example, instead of buying
sugar a few pounds at time, she purchased
d barrel, and so succeeded in saving a cent
or more on the pound. This, perhaps,
amounted to but trifie in the course of
year, but the same system carried out in re-
gard to other articles yielded result which
was by no means a trihe.
There were other ways in which a careful
iousekeeper is able to limit expense, which
Mrs. Newton did not overlook With an
object in view she was always on the look
out to prevent waste, and to get the full
value of whatever was expended.
Inc result was beyond nef antlclpatiOns.
At the close of the year, on examining her
bank book-fer she had regularly deposited
whatever money she had not occasions to
use in one of these institutions-she found
she had one hundred and fifty dollars, be-
side reimbursing herself for the money used
during the first month, and having enough
to last another.
We'll, Elizabeth, have you kept within
your allowance p asked her husband at this
time. Il guess you have not found it so
easy to save as you thought for"
II have saved something, however," said
ais wife. "But how is it with youW
"Thats more than can say However,
L have not exceeded my income, that's one
good thing. We have lived full as well,
and don't know but better than last year,
when'we spent five hundred
ats knack, Ezra" said his wife, smiling,
She was not inclined to mention how
much she had -saved. She wanted. some
time or other, to surprise him with it when it
weuld be of some service
FShe may possibly have saved up twenty
i've dollars thought Mr.. Newton, cor
senae such trife," and so dismissed the mat
Ger from his mind.
At the end of the second year Mrs New
fen's savings, including the interest
amounted to three hundred and fifty dol
Ears. and she began to feel quite rich.
Her husband did not think to inquire how