The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-01-25
Live Wsthim Your Means.

band, taking bis seat in the rocking chair as the
supper things were removed. The fire glowing
in the CRATE, revealed pretty and neatly furnish
ed sitting-room, with all the appliances of com
fort. The fatiguing business of the day was
over, and he sat enjoying what he had all day
been anticipating, the delights of his own fire.
side. His pretty wife, Esther, took her work and
sat down by the table. 1854
''It is pleasant to have home of ones own"
be again said, taking a satisfactory survey of his
little quarters. The cold rain beat against the
windows and he thought he felt really grateful
for all his present comforts.
''Now il we only had piano. exclaimed the
WIFE
"Give me the music of your own sweet voice
before all pianos in creation, he observed, COM
plimentarily +; but he felt certain secret disap-
pointment that his wife's thankfulness did not
happily chime with his own.
"Well, we want one for our friends" said Es-
ther.
''Let our friends come to see US, and not to hear
4 piano." exclaimed the husband
s'But George, everybody has piano, now-a-
days-we don't go anywhere without seeing q
piano." persisted Esther.
"And yet don't know what we want one for
for you will have no time to play on one, and
[ dom know If want to hear it.''
"Why, they are so fashionable think our
COOmS look nearly udkeu WlluOuL one.
81 think Yt1ooks just right"
sT think it looks very naked-we want piano
shockingly," protested Esther emphatically.
The husband rocked violently
"Your lamp smokes, my dear, said he after
long pause.
''When are YOU going to get one of the new
kind of lamps? have told you a dozen times
how much We need one," said Esther, pettshly.
"TheSe are very pretty lamps" said her huS-
band. ''The prettiest of the kind ever saw"
''But George, do not think our room is COM
plete without lamp of the new STYLE" said Es-
ther, sharply. "They are so fashionable Why,
the Morgans and many others | might mention,
all have them, am sure We ought to-"
"We ought not to take pattern by other peo-
ple's expense, and dom tseeany reason in that"
The husband moved uneasiy in his chair.
"We want TO live as we'll as OTHERS" said Es-
ther.
"We want 10 live within our means, Esther"
81 am sure you can afford it as well as tie
Morgans and Thorns; we do not wish to appear
mean"
Georges cheek crimsoned
"Mean | am not mean" he cried, angrily.
"Then we do not wish to appear So, said his
wife. "To complete this room, and make it look
ike other peoples room, we want piano and
o'her fashionable lamps"
want uullCICu huSDdnuJ
there's no satisfying womans want, DO what
you may" and heabruptly rose and left the room
How many husbands are in a similar dilemma?
How many houses and husbands are rendered un-
comfortable by the constant dissatis'actious of a
wife with present comforts and present provi
sions How many bright prospects for business
have ended in bankruptcy and ruin in order TO
satisfy this secret hankering after fashionable
necessaries? Could the real cause Of many fail
ures be known, it would be found to result from
useless expenditure at home; expenses to answer
the demands of fashion and what people will
think, or rather, to satisfy the complainings OF
the wife.
'My wife has made my fortune" said gen.
tleman of great possessions, ny her thrift pru-
dence and cheerfulness when was just begin
ming"
"And mine has lost my fortune" answered his
companion, "by useless extravaganza and repin-
ing when was doing we'll"
What a world does this open to the influences
which a wife possesses over the future prosperity
Of her family ! Let the wife know her influence
and try to use it, wisely and we'll.
Be satisfied to commence on small scale. 1t
is too common for young housekeepers to begin
where their mothers ended. Buy all tha: is
necessary to work skillfully with adorn your
house with all that will make il comfortable -
ly furniture If secret dissatisfaction is ready TO
spring up, go step further and visit homes Of
The suffering poor; behold dark, cherries apart
inents, insufficient clothing, and absence of all
the comfort and refinement of social lie, then re-
turn TO your own with joyful spirit. You will
then be prepared to meet your husband with a
grateful heart, and be ready to appreciate the
toil or self-denial which he has endured in the
business world TO surround you with the delights
of home, and you will be ready to cooperate
cheerfully with him in so arranging your ex-
pcnses that his mind will not be constantly harass-
ed with fears lest his family expenditures may
-encroach upon public payments. Be indepen-
dent; young housekeeper never needed greater
moral courage than she does now 10 resist the
arrogance of fashion. Do not let the AS and BIS
decide what you must have, neither let them hold
the string OF your purse. You know best what
you can and ought to afford 1t matters little
what people think, provided you are true to
yourself and family.