The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-06-18
Home Talk.

A great deal of nonsense is written,
nowadays, about the expense of living.
Fer instance, in a schedule taken from a
poor but deserving" mans actual expen-
diture for a week. was the item of one
pound of coffee. and the mans expenses
were held up before the public to show
that the working class (the very poor, OF
course), could hardly live on the money
they received. Now, know people OF
moderate means who live well, and use
only one pound of coffee month, and
from my own experience in housekeeping
L conclude the poor man mentioned above
had not New England girl for a wife.
1t is because poor people, especially
poor mems wives, are ignorant and will
nottry to learn, that everything they earn
Is eaten up. Aside from the rent, it is
cheaper living in New York City than in
the inland towns and cities U speak from
experience, having tried bOth), and if city
girls, both rich and poor, would only pay
little more attention to household duties !;
or. If they were ignorant when married,
We I'D try to learn something afterward,
ans get up little enthusiasm over their
breakfasts and dinners, and make the
most of everything, instead of moaning
and groaning because their precious lily
hands must be sOiled little, we should, I
believe, hear less about poverty. In every
household it is the wife who can let the
most money slip through her fingers for
''neceSSitteS." as the husband thinks. and
in not making palatable dishes of what is
left over" lfyOu cannot do this, if you
know of nothing, and can invent nothing
but "boarding-hOuse hash" to make of
your cold meat, then you had best break
up your home and ''be genteel' and board
| have often admired the ingenuity shown
by many city women in remodeIing and
making over their wardrobes, and have
wondered why they did not apply the
same skill in the culinary department
Girls of the poor and medium classes.
reared in New York City, as a rule, make
dreadfully shiftless housekeepers. All
they seem to think of is fine dress
for their backs, and a diamond ring for
their fingers, rs many of them have, truly.
There are many New England country
girls here; some of them are rich, and
some are poor; but, 90 where you will
among them, you will find cleanliness,
thrift, economy and knowledge of what
is going on in the world around them.
They are not afraid of work, and they take
great pride in well-Ordered house.
Somehow, their blessed mothers, who
may be even now living in comfortable
poverty up among the Connecticut hills,
have instilled such industrious habits into
them, and have taught them so much of
life and living, that when they marry and
have children of their own thev are pre-
pared to bring them up to be men and wO-
men, not tOps and fashionable ladies,
thank God! Perhaps l, a New England
woman. have no right to say this; but
think | have, for | have known many of
my clan, and have just pride in their
virtues.
1t is the penny saved, more than the
penny earned, that enriches !; it is the sheet
turned when the first threads break that
wears the longest; it is the damper closed
when the cooking is done that stops the
dollars from dropping into the cOal-bn it
is the lamp or gas turned low when not in
use that gives you pin-mOney for the
month; it is the care in making the coffee
that makes three spOonfuls go as far as a
teacupful. ordinarily; it is the walking OF
one or six blocks, instead of taking a Car
or omnibus, that adds strength to your
body and money to your purse; it is the
careful mending of feach weeks wash that
gives ease to your conscience and length
| of days to your garments; and. last of all,
it is the constant care exercised over every
part of your household, and constant en-
deavOr to improve and apply your best
powers to your work, that alone gives
peace and prosperity to the family
Sulngfeld Mass Republican.