American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-03-30
Housekeeping Expenses.

HOUSEKEEPING cares and expenses are
under discussion in the New York Times.
The discrepancies in the estimates of diff
fere,.t writers illustrate the artificial
standards of taste and comfort. One
correspondent complains that he can save
nothing of an income of $1,000 a year.
Another, who signs himself - Sufferer"
bitterly bewail,, the misery of his fate,
that even with an annual income of $40
600, with house of his own to boot and
no children, and while living very mex
pensivelv, too, he can save nothing. An
other, more economical, is scandalised at
such an estimate, and says: 81, sir, am
glad to be able to spend on family of
seven besides myself, suddenly thrown
upon me for support, at the age of sixty
five, the sum of 81 600 annually, without
the back ground of q house of my own,
even TO live in, or any surety of any per-
rlanent income withal to cheer or sustain
me. Why not call for a law to limit the
percentage of rent to ten per cent. upon
the tax valution of rentable property in
lien of lamentations that are ludicrous ?'
"Germania,' a fast young man, upon a
salary of 81 800, says he cannot afford
the luxury of a wife, and an animated
donkey, signing himself "Naterland,"
indorscs that sentiment, and refuses to
''assume the risk of marriage" on the
ground that our laws, giving women I'M
usual and special privileges and rights,
have made them so eXtravagant in spend
ing money, and so useless for household
work, that they have become spendmates
instead of helpmates. Whereupon GA
Married Yankee" puts an cxtinguisher
upon them BOTH rs follows 1t seems
to be common mistake with young men
10 regard wives as Injuries, which they
hope to purchase when in a position to do
SO. In that case they naturally regard
them as expensive. No doubt there
are women who look upon mar
riage as merely means of being
well provided for, but such are in the mi
nority. The greater portion of American
girls are willing to be helpmates to the
men they love. If 'Germania' will get a
wife of the right kind he will find this to
be the CASE The editor of the Times
sums up the controversy by asserting that
a family embracing, say, four children
and two servants, keeping as good table
as American families are accustomed to
keep, and giving their children good ed
ucation, showing the hospitality which
/ all 'middle-class' Americans do, and
without the luxury of horses or carriage,
can literally save nothing out of an income
of $1,000 per annum. All of which re-
minds us of a ''little story" as Abraham
/ Lincoln would say. Some twenty years
ago sister of the writer was talking over
/ the vexed question of family expenses
with the wife of Mr.. Schuyler, the great
railroad magnate of the day. With tears
/ in her eyes, Mrs. Schuyler deplored the
inevitable cost of living. "Here am l."
she exclaimed, "economizing in every
1 way, and yet my expenses for the past
year have exceeded $40 600" The fact
/ that the necessaries of life are very few
and very cheap; its luxuries infinitely nu-
merous and expensive. But brave and
earnest young men and women can al
ways afford to marry after two or three
years of industrious preparation. Indeed,
they cannot afford not to marry. 1.-TWO
heads are better than one" We have a
good deal of sympathy with poor Paddy,
who refused to be dissuaded from matri
mony by disciple of Nautilus, exclaim
ing, "Sure, | can almost support myself
and it's hard if the woman can't do a lit
tle!" We commend the story to Ger
mania" Truth lies between the two eX.
tremes-W oMdn's Journal