Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1872-03-28
Housekeeping Expenses.

HOUSEKEEPING cares and expenses are
under discussion in the New York Times
The discrepancies in the estimates of diff
ferent 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 ga Sufferer"
bitterly bewails the misery of his fate,
that even with an annual income of S1O,-
600, with house of his own to boot, and
no children, and while living very mex
pensively, too, he can save nothing. An
| other, more economical, is scandalized at
such an estimate, and says: 81, sir, am
glad to be able to spend on a family of
seven besides myself, suddenly thrown
upon me for support, at the age of sixty.
five, the sum of $1,000 annually, without
the background of a house of my own,
even to live in, or any surety of any per-
manent income withal to cheer or sustain
me. Why not call for law to limit the
percentage of rent to ten per cent. upon
the tax valution of rentable property in
lieu of lamentations that are ludicrous 2"
"Germania, a fast young man, upon
salary of 81, 800, says he "cannot afford
the luxury of a wife," and an animated
donkey, signing himself ''Vaterland," !"
indorses that sentiment, and refuses to
assume the risk of marriage" on the
ground that Our laws, giving women un-
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 "a
Married Yankee" puts an extinguisher
upon them both, as follows alt seems
to be common mistake with young men
to regard wives as luxuries, which they
hope to purchase when in a position to do
so. In that case they naturally regard
are women who look upon mar
riage as merely a means of being
web 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 a good ed.
ucation, showing the hospitality which
all "middle-class" Americans do, and
without the luxury of horses or a carriage
can literally save nothing out of an income
of So, 900 per annum. All of which re-
VI hIllC SlOlN,
Lincoln would say. Some twenty years
ago sister of the writer was talking ovel
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 1,
she exclaimed, "economizing in every
way, and yet my expenses for the pas
year have exceeded $40, ,O00." The fac
that the necessaries of life are very few
and very cheap; its luxuries infinitely nu
merous and expensive. But brave an(
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. Give
heads are better than one" We have
good deal of sympathy with poor Paddy
who refused to be dissuaded from matri
mony by disciple of Nautilus, exclaim
ing, "Sure, l can almost support myself
and it's hard if the woman can't do lit
tlep We commend the story to "Ger
mania" Truth lies between the two ex
tremes.- W0mdI's Journal