Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1875-11-25
ECONOMY IN THE HOUSEHOLD.
How Mrs. AicGoochon Did her own w orb.
From the Brunswieker


band, and told him she had concluded
to discharge the bird girl and do hel
own work. This announcement
startled McGoochen almost as much
as if she had declared her determine
ton commit suicide. He had long
known that hired help was heavy
drain upon his meagre salary, but his
wife had educated him to regard it al
indispensable, and he had made up
his mind to endure it forever. That
she should voluntarily offer to dis
pense with her services of girl was
something for which he was not pre-
pared. Looking at her with an ex
preston in which hope and doubt
painfully mingled, he said:
"Y ou-why-you can't do it,
Eliza"
Cant do it, indeed I'd like to
know what's the reason? Lots Of
women in this town do great deaI
more, and think nothing of it Oul
family's small Just you and me and
Henry Ward-and if | can't do the
work for us three, I'd better 60 to the
hospital, and done with il"
"What put you into the notion ~
asked her husband, hardly yet recov-
cred from his surprise
swell, Peter" she replied, speak
ing in tender, self-reproving tone,
"Ill tell you. I've been thinking
lately, how hard you have to work,
and how little | have done to assist
you, in comparison TO what | might
and ought to do, and it appears to me
that | should try to reduce our ex-
penses as much as possible, and the
best way know Of is to do my own
house work. We are poor, just max
ing beginning in life, and it is my
duty to help you"
| With voice almost choked with
emotion at this unexpected evidence
of his wife's devotion and energy, he
fee5ly essayed to break her resolu-
ton, saying that he did not want her
to be slave for him, that she was too
delicate for the task she contemplated,
that sill he asked ofhe was continued
love and sympathy
ooh, that's all romance" interrupt.
ed Mrs. McGoochen. "It's high time
my love and sympathy were assum-
ing a practical form. I'll discharge
the girl this very day. But there is
one condition, Peter"
"Name it, my noble wife"
"That new carpet you thought we
were unable to get. Now, if | do my
own work it will save us at least a
hundred dollars year, and you can
certainly afford the carpet.
"Of course, my love if you are sat
is6ed you are not undertaking more
than you can perform"
She was satisfied, and so it was
settled. Mack logged the carpet
home at noon, and found the girl
gone. His wife was gone, too, but
she returned shortly, having only
been around telling the nelghbors that
she was now doing her own work.
Dinner was late, but then it was the
first meal by her fair fingers, and he
| could make allowances for the novel
ty of the position in which she found
herself placed.
Acting on her suggestion, Mack
brought home new rocking chair
when he came to supper. They were
saving hundred dollars year and
could well afford such little things
When his wife returned from the rest
Of the neighbors, whom she had been
informing that she was now doing her
own work, she was delighted with
the new chair, and declared they
must have a full set of furniture to
match it.
"You know, Peter, that | will more
than save the cost of it in the course
of year, and l will feel 80 proud to
know that my labor secured it."
This was said so beceechingly, and
she hung so lovingly on his neck the
while, that Mack couldn't resist the
appeal The furniture was sent
down the next day.
About three days after, Mrs. Nc.
Goochen coaxed Peter into buying
her silk dress, and the next day she
wheedled him out of set of jewelry.
Il was the same old plea-she was
| tightening the expenses 30 much by
| doing her own work, that she felt she
was entitled to something extra. 1t
would amout to no more, she reason
ed, than the hire of girl, and Peter
could well afford to give it to her.
Mack began to get uneasy. Was
there, after all, any saving in doing
without a hired girl a? Wouldn't that
sort of economy bankrupt him in less
than year? He got piece of pa
per and a pencil and figured:
Expenses one week without help:
Carpet. $40 90
furniture 5000
Dress and jewelry ................."....... 5000
Tota...........-......"..... 90
| Cost of help one week................... 200
Balance in favor Of domestic. ....sl4 90
McGoochen was astonished. Grasp
ing the paper and his hat, he made
rapid strides for home. Opening the
door, the first thing that met his fren-
zied gaze was the hired girl That
scheming woman, having succeeded in
tricking her poor husband out of the
things she had set her heart on, had
recalled and reinstated the help.
Mack is well satisfied to have the
girl back, as he had become very
tired of cold meals, but he wishes
that the law would allow him to pro-
coed against his wife for obtaining
goods under false pretenses.
gw The New York Heruld says
cit has transDired since the election
in Ohio that had the result been
in favor of Allen the leading ma
tional banks of the country would
have promptly surrendered their cir
culation and given up their oertifi-
Gates of organization. The United
States Treasurer. Mr.. New, says that