Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-08-05

afford to marry tho average city girl,
with her passion for dress, and bonnets and jew
elry. That is what they say. Possibly little
frank consultation between the two would pave
The way to explanation and satisfactory arrange
ments but how to have such a consultation ?
| There's the rub Because there's not IL particle
OF doubt That the thousands of girls, and at least
| goodly number of young men, would be willing
| to make some personal sacrifice to attain mar
| rage Thus, il they could only frankly ap-
proach the subject, Horny might say to Amelia !;
"lts too bad hut the fact ID II young man
| cannot afford wife nowadays"
| Aud Amelia would very likely respond
| " l can't sec why they cannot 30 well afford
| them now az a few years ago? and they used to
| get married, you must admit"
| And Henry rejoins 'Wcmen are 30 expen-
| sive now. That's the trouble. just look ut IT,.
| get 81 200 year. Now, how the deuce can /
| support wife on $1,000. Why, it costs me all
| of that to live myself"
But see how you live," responds Amelia
Not extravagantly," says Henry. "I pay 4s
week for board that's--let me see--eight
times two are ten eight times five are forty, and
one is forty. .one-four hundred and ton dollars
| year.
(which leaves you," interrupts Amelia, $3.50
year Now, What on earth do you do with this
remainder ~
"well, said Henry, "there are my clothes :
| and-and"
Cigars" adds Amelia.
Yes"
And buggy rides,
eyes,
"And drinks"
"Ah--tut-hardly ever anything of that kind,
You know, says Henry.
"Well, l hope not. But what do you do with
the money otherwise A mans clothes don't
cost linn much"
"Don't they !" exclams Henry. "You just
try it,"
"well, says Amelia, "how much now n
"Well," says the young man, thoughtfully,
there's all everyday suit for winter, say $50.
SIC There's two suits for summer and fall and
spring, $50. There are hats, caps, gloves, hos
iery, NC. $40 boots and shoes, S35 and
well, how much il that"
"Two hundred and ninety dollars, responds
the ready Amelia.
"Say three hundred, /" responsd Henry.
Very well that leaves siOO. What do you
do with the rest ~
"Well, there's car faro, say $50.
"Theatre tickets ; sl0o"
"Yes."
"Andwe let me see-church donations,
say 25"
'"Yes, we'll say s25 We'll "
Carriage hire, +6o.'
'Well ~
"Cgars / am pretty moderate there--say
800, How much does the total amount to
now ?"
.Ten hundred and iifiy-five dollars. You sec
there are over 4 80 to be accounted for.
"Well feller don't spend all his money, you
know besides, there arc Christmas presents
and lot of little traps that | cannot now re-
member"
..Yes, sec. No.doubt the articles mentioned
would swell the amount to sl,200,' says
Amelia, rather sadly.
"Don't you sec, now, remarked Henry, 'that
| cannot afford wife ~
"You surely couldn't unless expenses could
be reduced, replies Amolia
"But instead of being reduced, they would be
double, says lie.
''Oh, no. says tho young lady. mot that
should think, for instance, that was very extra
VACANT if ! spent half of your salary on myself.
"Do you suppose you spend loss than 5000
yearly" says Henry.
"Perhaps not now" responds Amelia blush
ing s'but could got along with much loss if |
tried"
"Could you ndeed?' queries he.
tYes," she responds. 'Couldn't yon I"
why, suppose might. Lot mo see. Where
would begin?
.'say the clothes, suggests Amelia.
'sYes that's fact. j could do without the
dress suit that would be SO
"And ono of tho others ~ She says inlniring-
w., ..
"And IL little OH tho boots and shoes?
II believe 10 say go off on those"
.'Aud the carriage hire?'
"Well, | suppose could get along with tho
sETebI car; LhhB OH rbu lOl llllt.
"Well, how about tho cigars"
Every well. And the hats, caps, &c, and all
| the rest. Couldn't you save slOD ON the bal
anco ? You know good suit of clothes will last
more than one scason.'
"Wel!, might possibly make il s100 less. y
says he.
| ''That makes, with the s155 left over and
| above your stated expenses as bachelor, 5000,
| says tile ready Amelia. "You may add to that
| s75 which you csuld readily save on amuse-
| rnp pr,fa and ba tbn of SJT5
| ly to lay by A few years of such economy
would enable you to buy nice little home of
| your own, where, with u frugal wife, you could
both live very comfortably for what 1T costs you
| to live by yourself now.
| If Horny is anything like the man he ought to
be he will say at this uncture that the very wife
| to live in such house il tho young lady who
has herself suggested it., and will forthwith pro-
| ceed to act upon her advice. There are, without
doubt, good many Amelias in Chicago il they
| could only speak but the trouble is that they
may find no opportunities, and possibly no Henryt
| to chat with thus contdentially, and 30 the old
bachelors and the old maids will multiply and a
\ serious problem i'll social science is presented
| for consideration.
| This self-enforced separation of the sexes will
| Just as certainly lead to crime and immortality az
any well understood cause loads to equally well
| understood effect. And it will increase as the
| numbers of the unmarried increase, until every
| considerable city sof this country will become
a miniature Paris, save with sadder result, az
| our national temperament il capable OF deeper
| feeling and more terribo remorae. Tho ratio
of unmarried persons is constantly augmenting
| and the question of remedy is one that de-
serves the gravest consideration. In the oldei
settlements the females predominant in sucl
numbers that marriage for large proportion If
impossible i'll any event. In the newer parts OF
the country, where the sexes are in about equa
numbers, the question of expense frghtens the
wouldbe husband, and the result is quite as bad
The way to reform is not plain, though the ne
cessiiy for it is indlsputable
|
[from our Late Editions of Yesterday