The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-06-14

After Midget mad stated her case 10
her friend, she shook her head and said:
'eThat is indeed too much at your time
of life. You should have saved three
dOllars.n V
81 know that" said Midget; ''but the
thing with me is to find the knot-hole
through which il leaks. Harry hasn't I
the least idea. You know he never
spends anything in his own amuse
ment, and | did not think was extray-
agant.r
'Let's see," said Mrs. Goodman.
"Who does the marketing?"
"Why Harry, of course" !
''Of course, then, you buy just double 4
what you really need 10 eat. j went I
through that experience in my early
married life, and you shall have the
benefit of my observations. Housekeep- /
ing is q business, Just as much a. mer-
chandising, and, TO be successful, you
must be Just as systematic Now look
here; this is my housekeeper's book i
keep q strict account OF all my receipts,
and all my expenditures. / can refer
back twenty years, and see just how
much it cost us a week to live then, and
can mark some improvements In my
system. | found after awhile how to
/ take advantage i'm buying things, and
Just how much of any givendhing could
be used profitably. | never have bas-
kets full of cold victuals to throw away,
/ / assure YOU. After / had mastered
these things, ! said to my husband:
( IF YOU will give me certain allow
ance, I can supply all our wants more
economically than you'd He laughed
at me for time, but finally consented
l to try my plan, and il has really been
1 the secret of our success. The amount
saved has added TO our yearly invest
ments, till now we are really independ-
ent. Mr.. Goodman calls it my share of
the joint stock, and takes no little pride
in it,"
Midget looked over the looks, and
made a good many observations that
quite delighted her friend.
''She will make business woman"
was Mrs. Goodman's comment when she
left.
When HarryIcame home that night,
Midget told him she was now ready for
consultation. Harry laughed at the
idea; but taking her on his knee, after
tea was over, and drawing one arm
round his neck. while he took the other
hand in his, he declared the council Of
two opened.
"Well, them said Midget, 81 have
been to see Mrs. Goodman"
"Alrs. GOOdwoman, you mean. Well,
proceed"
"She showed me her account books,
and told me how she managed her house
hold affairs; and l think she is very
wise. Now, if you will allow me, /
think l could save a good deal by follow
ing her plan. She does all her own
marketing, and, when she sees it best,
gets supplies at wholesale. She showed
me how she had saved about a third of
their expenses in that way"
"And my little Midget thinks she
could take all that upon herself? No,
no, darling, did not marry you to make
you drudge. We have not come to
that yet"
"But, Harry, / did not marry you
to be only help eat, | want TO be q
helpmeet. ! wish you would let me try
it for six months, and see how it would
do.n
az could not think of it. 1 should be
ashamed to see my wife trudging to
Market" and he sweetened his denial
with at least a dozen kisses.
This ended the matter for the present;
but Midget kept turning it over in her
mind. At last she got a small memoir
andum book, and began TO keep ac-
counts Of her own and baby's personal
expenses; and she soon saw that she
was learning to econOmiZe, even by this
little effort. She was surprised to how
the little items for self and baby counted
: up.
At the end OF another year they had
l saved only little more, and Harry con-
, eluded to sell out and 90 to Chicago.
"Now," said Midget to Mrs. Good
= man, 81 am going to make one more
e effort to follow your plan.n
a 3 l., L
J.. woman. "Above all, do not wound the
h pride of your husband. Some wives dc
: not know that a husband values the
e good opinion Of his wife above all tn,
L world, and make a wreck Of their owl
e happiness and that of theic family 10y
e not using that fine politeness in tn,
If family that they keep laid away lik,
d cake for company. Don't let Harry fee
r that you undervalue his Judgment; only
> express the desire TO try your own jus
! little, so that You can bring up the lit
e tie one more sensibly. However, | set
that you are wise; you will get your wa!
Y IL you are patient
n Midget Kept the advice in mind, an,
| somehow its wisdom seemed to grow
o upon her. She knew how she value,
Harry's good opinion, and she now saw
:, that men were quite as amenable t.
j this little weakness as women. II mad,
c OF her a genuine diplomat, without ren
I, dering her at all a sycophant.
Il was only an everyday rendering o
the golden rule. So when they foun,
= themselves in the aspiring young city
r after a few weeks dolOrous boarding
}, Midget proposed to find some placu
b where they could again set up thei
r Eores and peRdtcs. Harry had formed ;
!, partnership and now there would be ;
! different order OF affairs. He wsulC
{ have TO keep n strict account with th'
{ firm, and in talking the matter over, h'
: told his wife that his time would b.
!, more closely occupied than when il
Y bsuiness alone, and he had almost CON
cluded that they would be obliged e
= board.
=? To this his wife objected on the grount
4 Of his health. He had already devel
a oped symptoms of dyspepsia in the few
weeks of boarding, and she felt sure i
r would be disastrous to him TO continue i
{ longer. Besides, she did not want L
I feel so entirely useless.
The result was, Midget hunted house.
:, for a week, and at last found a cosy littl,
{ nest at reasonable rent.
e This achieved, she proposed to hel
e husband wise scheme She had arranged
{ She would take the other partner anC
= his wife to board at twenty dollars pei
{ week, and he should pay house-rent anC
ten dollars for himself, and she would
e manage the whole on this income
Harry laughed heartily over her plan
] He took his pencil and made an esti-
, mate, and told her the amount saved,
: over their former expenses, shoHld be
? deposited in bank TO her credit But he
T ventured she would want half of il be-
J fore the first six months Mera ended