The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-10-08
Cannot Afford to Marry.

cago who cannot afford to marry-that
is, they cannot afford to marry the
average city girl, with her passion for
dress and bonnets and jewelry. That is
what they say. Possibly frank con-
sultation between the two would pave
the way to explanation and satisfactory
arrangements; but how to have such
consultation? There's the rub. Be-
cause there is not a particle of doubt
that the thousands of girls and at least a
goodly number of young men would be
willing to make some personal sacrifices
to attain marriage. Thus, if they could
Henry might say to Amelia:
''It's too bad; but the fact is, young
man cannot afford a wife now-a-days.n
And Amelia would very likely re-
spond: 81 can't see why they cannot as
well afford them now as a few years
ago; and they used to get married, you
must admit"
And Henry rejoins: "Women are so
expensive now. That's the tronble.
Just look at it. 1 get $1,000 year.
Now, how the deuce can support wife
on 81, 200? Why, it costs me all that to
live myself"
"Bnt see how you live" responds
Amelia.
'Not extravagantly,n says Henry.
''I pay $8 week for board; that's-let
me see-eight times two are sixteen;
eight times five are forty, and one is
forty-one-four hundred and sixteen
dollars a year"
(which leaves you," interrupts
Amelia, "$784 year. Now, what on
earth do you do with the remainder ?"
"Well," says Henry, "there are my
es-and-and-"
"Cigars," adds Amelia.
tEYesn
"And buggy-rides."
"And drinks"
Alphabetically ever anything of
that kind, you know,n says Henry.
swell, hope not. But what do you
do with the money otherwise? A
mans clothes don't cost him much"
"Don't theyW exclaims Henry. FYou
just try it."
"Well," says Amelia, chow much
now ?''
"Well," says the young man, thought
fully, "there's an everyday suit for win
ter, say $50. There's a dress suit for
parties and the opera, say SIS. There's
two suits for summer and fall and
spring, $50. There are hats, caps,
gloves, hosiery, etc., $40; boots and
shoes, $35; and-well, how much is
that ?n
1.-TWO hundred and ninety dollars" +"
says the ready Amelia.
"Say three hundred" )" responds Henry.
every well; that leaves $494. What
do you do with the rest ?"
''Well, there's car-fare, say $50"
'Yes.n
"Theater tickets, $1OO."
s'Yes.n
"And-well, let me see-church dona-
tions, say $25."
Eyes, we'll say $25. Well"
Carriage hire, $780,"
"Well.n
"Cigars am pretty moderate there
say 800. How much does the total
amount to now 2"
'Ten hundred and sixty-six dollars.
You seq there are over $l30 to be ac-
counted for"
"Well, a feller don't spend all his
money, you know; besides, there are
Christmas presents and a lot of little
traps that cannot now remember
"Yes, I see. No doubt the articles
mentioned would swell the amount to
s., ,200," says Amelia, rather sadly.
'DOn't you see, now," remarks
Henry, "that cannot afford wife ?"
fYou surely couldn't, unless expenses
could be reduced" replies Amelia.
"But, instead of being reduced, they
would be doubled" says he.
"Oh! no. says the young lady. mot
that. I should think, for instance, that
was very extravagant if I spent half of
your salary on myself"
'Do you suppose you spend less than
$500 yearly ?" says Henry.
perhaps not now," responds Amelia,
blushing; "but 1 could get along with
much less if tried"
"Could you, indeed ?" queries he.
eyes," she responds. Couldn't
you ?"
"Why, I suppose I might. Let me
see. Where would begin ?"
"Say the Clothes" suggests Amelia.
ayes; that's a fact. could do with
out the dress suit. That would be $75.n
"And one of the others ?n she says,
inquiringly.
"Y-a-a-s-say one of the others. $40"
"And a little on the boots and shoes?''
81 believe so. Say $50 of on those
"And the carriage hire ?''
"Well, I suppose 1 could get along
with the street-car. Take off $50 fol
| StlIIlaSO hllOs
"Well, how about the cigars ?"
az wouldn't like to give them up en-
tirely; but I'll throw off $50 on cigars" d"
every well. And the hats, caps, ETC.,
and all the rest. Couldn't you save S10C
on the balance? You know a good suit
of clothes will last more than one sea-
son.
"Well, I might possibly make it $1OC
less," says he.
'rrThat makes, with the $135 left over
and above your stated expenses as q
bachelor, $780," says the ready Amelia.
''You may add to that SIS which you
could readily save on amusements, and
you have the snug sum of $575 yearly to
lay by. A few years of such economy
would enable you to buy nice little
home of your own, where, with frugal
wife, you could both live very comfort
able for what it costs you to live by
yourself now"
If Henry is anything like the man he
ought to be, he will say at this juncture
that the very wife to live in such q
house is the young lady who has herself
suggested it, and will forthwith proceed
to act upon her advice.-Ipter-O Ocean.