The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-09-27
THE MANAGING WIFE.

Ezra Jones has just finished looking
over his yearly accounts. "Well, asked
his wife, looking up, how do you come
out ?n
II fnd,' said her husband, "that
my expenses during the past year have
been thirty-seven cents over thousand
dollars"
land your income has been a thou
sand dollars p
Il managed pretty well, didn't I?'
"Do you think it managing well to
exceed your income p said the wife.
"What is thirty.seven cents?" asked
Mr.. Jones, lightly.
Not much, to be sure, but still some.
thing. 1t seems to me that we ought
TO have saved, instead of railing be.
hind"
"But how can we save on this salary,
Elizabeth? we haven't lived extrava
gantly. Still 1t seems to have taken it
all"
perhaps there is something in which
we could retrench. suppose you men
ton some of the items"
The most important are: house rent,
$50; articles OF food, $780,"
Just half"
les, and you'll admit we can't re.
trench there, Elizabeth. | like to live
well. | had enough of poor board be-
fore | was married. Now | mean to
live as well as | can"
Still we ought to save up something
against some rainy day, Ezra"
THAT would be like carrying an UNI.
brella when the sun shines.n
"Sull it is we'll to have an umbrella
in the house"
4" / 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 1t will be time enough
for that"
Let NE make proposition to you"
said Mrs. Jones. You say e.half of
your income has been expended on ar
tlcles OF food. Are you wiling to allow
me that sum for the purpose?'
You guaranteeing 10 pay all bills
out of it?'
"Yes."
Then | will shift the responsibility
on you with pleasure. But / can tell
you beforehand that you won't save
much out Of it,"
Perhaps not. At any rate will en-.
gage not to exceed it,"
That's well. | shouldn't relish hav.
ing an extra bill to pay. AS am paid
every month, | will at each payment
hand you half the money"
The different character of husband
and wife may be judged from the con.
yersation which has been recorded
Mr.. Jones had but little prudence or
foresight. He lived chiefly for the pres.
ent, and seemed to fancy that whatever
contingencies might arise in the future
he would, somehow or other, be pro-
Yided for.
Now, trust in Providence is a very
proper feeling, but there is a good deal
OF truth in the old adage that God will
help those who help themselves"
Mrs. Jones, 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, yet she felt that it was desirable
to procure them at a fair price. The time
ut which this conversation took place
was at the commencement of the second
year of their married life.
The first step which Mrs. Jones took
on accepting the charge Of the house.
hold expenses was to institute the prac.
tice of paying cash for all articles that
came under her department. She &C.
eordingly called upon her butcher and
inquired
How often have you been in the
habit OF presenting your bill, Mr.. Will
hams?r
"Once in six months" was the reply.
And ! suppose you sometimes have
bad bills?n
=" Yes, one third of my profits, on an
average, ere swept off by some OF
Them
"And you could afford, suppose,
to sell somewhat cheaper for ready
money!
" Yes, and would be glad if all my
do So"
will set them an example, them"
sad Mrs. Jones. Hereafter, whatever