The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-05-23
THE MANAGING WIFE.


do you come out"
q | fnd," said her husband, that my
expenses during the last year have been
thirty-seven cents over a thousand dol
lars"
-" And your income has been a thousand
dollars p "a ......e.
Yes, | managed pretty well, didn't
" DO you think it managing well to ex-
ceed your income ?" said his wife.
"What's thirty-seven cents ~ asked
Mr.. Newton, lightly.
" Not 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 extravagant-
ly. Still it seems to have taken it all"
Perhaps there is something in which
we might retrench. Suppose you mention
some of your items"
" The most important arc house rent,
one hundred and fifty dollars, and articles
of food, five hundred dollars"
"Just half"
" Yes, and you'll admit that we can't
retrench there, Elizabeth | like to live
well. had enough of poor board before
married Now mean to live as well
as | can"
"Still we ought to be saving up some
thing against rainy day, Ezra"
"That would be something like carry
ing an umbrella when the sun shines"
"Still it is we'll to have an umbrella
in the house"
" l can't controvert your logic, Eliza
beth, 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"
" Let me make a proposition to you,"
said Mrs. Newton. g You say one-half
ofyour income has been expended on ar
ticles Of food. Are you willing to allow
me that sum for that purpose ?"
"You guarantee to pay all bills out of
it"
eyes"
"Then will shift the responsibility
upon you with pleasure, But | can tell
you beforehand you won't be able to save
much out of it."
Perhaps not. At any rate | will en-
gage not to exceed it,"
"That's well. l shouldn't relish hav-
ing any additional bills to pay. As am
paid every month, | will at each payment
hand you half the money"
The characters of husband and wife
may be Judged from the conversation
which has been recorded. Mr.. Newton
had but little prudence Or foresight.
lie lived chiefly for the present, and SEEM
ed to fancy that whatever contingencies
might arise in the future, would some
how be provided for. Now trust in Provi-
dence is very proper feeling, but there
is 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 a family which was
compelled to be economical, and although
she was not disposed to deny herself com
forts, yet she felt that it was desirable
to procure them at fair price.
The time at which this conversation
took place was at the commencement of
the second year of their married life.
The first step which Mrs. Newton took,
on accepting the charge of the household
expenses, was to institute the practice of
paying cash for all articles that came un-
der her department. She accordingly
called on the butcher and inquired:
How often have you been in the hab-
it Of presenting your bills, Mr. Viii
liams 7" ........ D..
"Once in six months" was the reply.
And I suppose you sometimes have
bad bills 2"
eyes, one-third of my profits, on an
average, are swept off by them"
"And you could afford, I suppose, to
sell somewhat cheaper for ready money ?"
Yes, and l would be glad if all my
customers would give me achance to do
So" f..
81 will set them an example then"
said Mrs. Newton. Hereafter what
ever articles shall be purchased of you
will be paid for on the spot, and we ex-
pect 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
arrangement. 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 for her hus.