The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1875-05-13
How to Keep House on a Small Salary.


a clerks wife sends to Scribner's Month
ly the following bit of experience, which
may have for many of our readers an in
terest both timely and practical:
After many years of married life passed
IN comparative affiuence, reverses came, and
my husband was obliged to accept situa-
tion in large city, with small salary of
$500 per year. | felt that this could suf-
flee for our maintenance only by the exer-
else of the strietest economy A little over
SD aweek How many times divided that
$500 by 81, and tried to make it come out
little more. Still determined to solve
the problem of the day-namely, whether
one could keep house on a small salary, or
whether boarding house life was a necessity,
as so many clerks wives assert. We had
neither of us been accustomed to economic
ing, and felt it was but just, if my hus-
band worked hard for his salary, that /
should perform the labor of making it go
as far as possible
Thirty replies were received to our ad-
vertisement for two unfurnished rooms,
without board. Looking them over care
fully, selected half dozen which came
within our means, and started on an ex-
ploring expedition. In a pleasant house
and ncighborhood l found lady willing
to rent two adjoining rooms, with closets
and water convenienccs, for the modest
sum of S12 per month. In one room there
We're two deep south windows, where |
could keep q few plants in the winter, l con
suited my husband and with his approval
engaged the rooms.
We had $175, ready money With this
we bought bright, but inexpensive carpets,
a parlor cook stove, an oiled black walnut
set Of furniture, table, student lamp,
few dishes, and some coal. With the few
pictures, rack of books, and some orna-
ments in our possession, we deckcd the
rooms tastefully, and commenced the SER
ious business Of keeping house on $500 Il
year.
We determined from the first that we
should not have any accounts, but would
pay cash for everything, and when We could
not afford an article, do without. After
paying rent and washerwoman he had fifty
dollars per month for other expenses.
Twenty dollars of this furnished us a plcn-
tiful supply of food and paid car fare. I
learned to love my work. Strength came
with each days labor, and renewed health
repaid each effort put forth to make my
little home pleasant and restful to my hus-
band And how we did enjoy that little
home
When the stormy nights came, we drew
our curtaius, shutting out the world, with
a bright fire, and the soft glow of our read
ing lamp upon the crimson cloth, reading a
magazine or evening paper Gin which we
were able to indulge,) with "God pity
the poor this dreadful night, y forgetting in
our COSY and comfortable home how many
there were in the great city who would
call US poor. We always kept within my
husbands salary, wearing plain but good
and respectable clothing, and eating simple
but substantial food And now as circum-
stances have been improving with us, and
we are living in house all our own, with
servants, and thousands instead Of humid
reds year, we look back to the year spent
in our simple, frugal little home, and know
that it will always be the happiest portion
Of our lives.