Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1873-01-17
SELECTED STORY
THE MANAGING WIFE.

lHE XII ANHuilSU WIFE.
Ezra Newton had just finished looking
over his yearly accounts. ''Well,'' asked
his wife, looking up, chow do you come
out"
II 6nd," said her husband, ''that my
expenses during the last year have been
thirty.seven cents over thousand dollars. ,
And you income has been a thousand
dollars"
eyes, managed pretty we'll didn't ?''
do you think it managing well to ex
coed your income p said Ills wife.
whats thirty. seven cents p asked Mr.
Newton, lightly.
s'Not much to be sure, but still some
thing. 1t seems to me that We ought to
have saved instead of falling behind"
''But how can we save Or this salary
Elizabeth ? We haven't lived extravaga
! ly. Still it seem to have taken ALL"
Perhaps there is something in which
we might retrepch. Suppose you mention
some of your items"
1.-The most important are house rent one
hundred and fifty dollars, and articles of
food, five hundred dollars.'
"Just half"
Eyes, and you'll admit that we can't re
trench there. Elizabeth I like to live we'll
I had enough of poor board before mar
ried. Now, I mean to live as we'll as |
can"
Still we ought to be saving up some
thing against rainy day, Ezra"
THAT would be something like carrying
an umbrella when the sun shines"
Still it is we'll to have an umbrella iD
the house"
Il can't controvert your logic, Elizabeth,
but I am afraid we shan't be able to save up
apyrbing this year. When get my sala
~ raised, it will be time enough to think OF
it"
"Let me make proposition to you" said
Mrs Newton You say that one half of
your income has been expended for food
Are you willing to allow me that sum for
the purpose %
"You guarantee to pay all bills out of
tt"
Eyes ?"
"And relieve me of all care on that
point %
"Yes p
'Then will shift the responsibility upon
you with pleasure. But [ can tell you be-
forehand YOU won't be able to save much
out Of it."
"Perheps not At any rate can engage
not to exceed it,
That's well I shouldn't relish having
any additional bills to pay AS am paid
every month, will at each payment hand
you half the money.
The different characters of the husband
and wife may be judged from the converse
ton which has been recorded Nj. New
ton had but little prudence or foresight He
lived chiefly for the present and seemed to
fancy that whatever contingencies might
arise in the future, be would some how be
provided for. Now, trust in Providence is
very proper feeling, but there is good
deal Of truth in the old adage that God will
help those that help themselves, and in pro.
portion as they are disposed to help them
selves.
Mrs Newton, 90 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,
vet she felt that it was desirable to procure
them at fair price.
The time at which this conversation took
place was at the commencement of the Sec
ond year of their married life.
The first step which Mrs. Newton took
Oh accepting the charge Of the household
expenses was to institute the practice of
paying cash for all articles that came under
her department. She accordingly called on
the butcher and inquired:
How often have you been in the habit
Of presenting your bills, Mr.. Williams :"
"Obce 10 six MONTHS" was the reply.
land suppose sometimes you have bad
bills p
Eyes, one third of my profits, on an av-
erage are swept by them
land you could afford, l suppose, to sell
somewhat cheaper for ready money p
"Yes, and would be glad if my custom
ers would give me chance to do 80"
II will set them an example then" said
Mrs. Newton. Hereafter whatever articles
shall be purchased of you will be paid for
on the spot, and we shall expect you to sell
as reasonable as you can"
This arrangement was also made with
others, who it is scarcely needful to say,
we're very glad to enter into such au ar
rangement. Ready money is the great sup
port of trade, and cash customer is worth
two who purchases on credit.
Fortunately Mrs. Newton had small
supply OF money by her which lasted till
the first monthly ipstallment from her hus-
baud became due. Thus she was ena-
bled to carry out the cash plan from the be-
ginning.
Another plan which occurred to her as
likely to save expense was to purchase arti-
Giles in large quantities. She had soon
saved enough from the money to enable her
to do this. This perhaps amounted to but
a tride in the course of year, but the me
system carried out in regard to other arti.