Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1871-08-26
The Managing Wife.

expenses during the last year have been
thirty seven cents over thousand dollars"
Aud your income has been thousand
dollars %
"Ycs. I managed pretty well didn't
II"
"Do you think it managing we'll to ex-
ceed your incomc?' said the wife.
"What's thirty. 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 extrava-
gantly. Still it seems to have taken it
ALL
q" Perhaps there is something in which
we might retrench. Suppose you mention
some Of your items
"Thc most important are house rent,
one hundred and fifty dollars, and articles
Of food five hundred dollars"
Just half"
Yes, and you'll admit we can't re-
trench there, Elizabeth. ! like to live
well. had enough Of poor board before
| was married Now, mean to live as
we'll as can"
"Still we ought to be saving up some
thing against rainy day. Ezra"
That would be something like carry
ng an umbrella when the sun shiuc,."
Still it is well to have an umbrella in
the house"
/" | can't controvcrt your logic. Eliza
beth but I'm afraid we shant be able to
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. You say one half Of
your income has been expended on articles
.! food Are you willing to allow me that
sum for the purpose
" You guarantee to pay all bills out of
it,"
YES"
Then ] will shift the responsibility
upon you with pleasure. But can tell
you, beforehand that 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 we'll | 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 and foresight. lie
to fancy that whatever contingencies
might arise in the future he would some
how be provided for. Now, trust in Prov
idencc is very proper feeling, but there
is good deal of truth in the old adage
that God will help those who help them
selves
! Mrs. Newton, on the contrary, had been
brought up in family which was COM
PEELED to be economical, and although she
was not disposed to deny herself comforts.
vet 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 under
her department. She accordingly called
on the butcher and inquired:
GLOW often have you been in the habit
Of presenting your bills, Mr. Williams?"
"Once in six months" was the reply.
" And suppose you sometimes have
bad bills"
"Yes, onc-third of my profits, on the
average, are swept of by them"
"And you could afford, suppose to
sell somewhat cheaper for ready money!"
Yes, and l would be glad if all my
customers would give me a chance to do
So"
"I will set them an example, then"
said Mrs. Newton. Hereafter, whatever
article 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 glad to enter into the arrange
ment. Ready money is great support of
trade, and cash customer is worth two
who purchase on credit.
Fortunately Mrs. Newton had small
supply of money by her, which lasted till
the first monthly installment from her
husband became due. Thus she was en-
ablcd to carry out her cash plan from the
beginning.
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 buy
ing sugar few pounds at time, she pur-
chased barrel and so succeeded in saw.
ing cent or more on the pound. This,
perhaps, amounted to but triAe in the
course of year, but the same system
carried out in regard to other articles
yielded result which was by no means a
triae.