The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-08-30
The MANAGING Wife.

Ezra Jones has just finished lookin
over bis yearly accounts. "Well, aske
his wife, looking up, chow do you con
out?n
II find" said her husband, "that NJ
expenses during the past year have bee
thirty-seven cents over a thousand do
lars"
"And your income has been thou
and dollars ?"
II managed pretty well, didn't / ?
DO you think Ii managing well
exceed your income ?" said the wife.
"What is thirty-seven cents ?' aske
Mr. Jones, lightly.
mot much, 10 be sure, but still some
thing. It seems 10 me that we ough
to have saved, instead Of falling be
hind"
'But how can we save on this salary
Elizabeth? ? we havn't lived eXtrava
gantly. Still il seems 10 have taken i
ALL"
"Perhaps there is something in which
we could retreneh. Suppose you men.
tion some Of the items"
"The most important are-hOuse rent
Sl50-articles of food, $780,
"Just half"
"Yes, and you'll admit we can't re-
trench there. Elizabeth. like to live
well. / had enough of poor board before
1 was married. Now / mean to live a.
well as l can"
''Still we ought 10 save up something
against some rainy day, Ezra
THAT would be like carrying an um-
brella when the sun shines"
'Still il is well to have an umbrella
in the house"
II can't controvest your logic, Eliza
beth, but Pm afraid we shan't be able
to save anything this year. When get
my salary raised it will be time enough
for that.n
let me make a proposition to you, -
said Mrs. Jones. "NOu say one-half o
your income has been expended on ar
ticles Of food. Are you willing to ALLOW
me that sum for the purpose ~
ofit."
"Yes.n
"Then will shift the responsibility
on you with pleasure. But | can tel
you beforehand, that you won't say
much out of itn
Perhaps not. At any rate I will en-
gage not to exceed it.u
That's well. shouldn't relish havin
an extra bill to pay. As I am PAL
every month, ] will at each paymeI
hand you half the money"
The different character of husban
and wife may be judged from the cor
VersatiOn which has been recorded. NJ
Jones had but little prudence or for,
sight. He lived chiefly for the presen
and seemed to fancy that whatever cor
tingencies might arise in the future. 1
would, somehow or other, be provide
for.
Now, trust in providence is a yer
proper feeling, but there is q good de.
of truth in the old adage that "God wi
help those who help themselves"
Mrs. Jones, on the contrary, had bee
brought up in a family which was con
PEELED to be economical; and, althoue
she was not disposed to deny herse
comforts, yet she felt that it was desir.
bic TO procure them al fair price. I'll
time at which this conversation too
place was at the commencement Of III
second year of their married life.
The first step which Mrs. Jones too
on accepting the charge of the hous.
hold expenses was to institute the pra,
tice OF paying cash for all articles this
came under her department She aC
cordingly called upon her butcher an
enquired-
How often have you been in Tn
Haoll oi o., presenting your bill, Mr.. Wi
"Onee in six months" was the reply
bad bills?" '''''
ayes, one-third of nv nrofts on n,
average, are swept of by some q
them"
"And you could afford. I suppose T.
sell somewhat cheaper for read
money 2n
'Yes, and 1 would be glad If all m,
customers would give me a chance to d
so.n
Il will set them an example. then.
said Mrs. Jones. thereafter whateve
articles we shall purchase of You shal
be paid for on the spot, and we will ex
pect you TO sell rs reasonable as yo
can"
This arrangement was made witt
others, who, it is scarcely needful to say
were very glad 10 enter into the arrange
ment
Ready money Is the great support o
tI;iuei and q cash customer is worth tw,
VINO purchase on credit.
s,,1I Ounately Mrs. Jones had a smal
f;iPpify ,f oi money on hand, which laste,
her 6I'sLIIs5 'le LnIs5 monthly installment from
enoIied Ii..dN-ha sI became due. Thus She wa,
the beginning. iiei cash plan from
AnoIher 1iI' plan which oocurrol .. /.
SlH ~ liaeiy 70 save expenses was =, 70 ne, nel
5e She f5,Sies 6aS sonn IN large Quantities - p'
IIolH Ine amount allowed To- 80
this. For example, instead ner oe t. to dc
sugar few pounds at a time ,ouyinl
chased barrel and succeeded IN ie Pur
\ cent or more on the pound. " saving
This, perhaps amounted 10 but q to
in the course Of year, but the s,,stll. III
carried out in regard to other articiai
yielded a result that was by no means
trifie.
At the close of n year, on examinin
her bank book-for she regularly d,
posted whatever money she had no o,
casiOn to use, in one of these institu
tions-she found she had $50, beside
re-embursing herself for the money Use
during the first month Of her eXperienC
AMI had enough left 70 last another