Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-03-25
How to Keep House on Small Salary.

A clerk wife sends US the following
Bit of experience, which may have for
many of our readers an interest both
timely and prac ical;
After many years of married life
passed in comparative atilGence reverses
came, and my husband was oblig, d to
accept situation in large city with Il
small salary of $500 per year. felt that
this coulo suffice for our maintenance
only by the exercise of the strictest econ
omy. A little over fifteen dollars u
week! How many times | divided that
$500 by ftty-two and tried to make it
come out little more! Still | deter
mined to solve the problem of the day,
namely: whether one could keep house
on 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 ny and
| felt it was but just, if my husband
worked hard for his salary, that should
perform the labor Of making it go as far
as possible.
Thirty replies were received to our adj
vertisemcnJ for two unturnished rooms,
without board. Looking them over care
fully | selected half dozen which came
within Our means and started on an eX-
ploring expedition In IA pleasant house
AMI neighborhood found "A lady willing
to rent two adjoining rooms, with closets
and W ter conyeniences, for the modest
sum of twelve dollars per mon h. In one
room there were two d ep south win
dows where could keep a few plants in
the winter. | consulted my husband,
and with his approval engaged the rooms.
We had $l75 ready money. With
this we bought bright but inexpensive
carpets, n parlor cook-stove, an oiled
black walnut set of furniture, table a
studentlamp, few dishes and some
coal. With the few pictures, rack of
books and some ornaments in our posses
sion we decked the rooms tastefully, and
commenced the serious business of keep
ing house on $500 per year We deter.
mined from the first that we would not
have any accounts, but would pay cash
for everything, and when We could not
afford an article do without it. After
paying rent and washerwoman we had
$50 per month for other expenses Tween
| ty i airs OF this furnished Us plentiful
supply of food and paid car fare.
| learned 10 love my work. Strength came
with each da,'s labor, and renewed
| health repaid each effort put forth to
make my little home pleasant and rest
| tul to nay husband And how We did en-
! JOY that little homel
When { c stormy nights came we drew
our curtains, shutting out the world, with
bright fire and the soft glow of our
/ reading lamp upon the crimson cloth,
/ reading a magazine or evening paper lin
1 which We were able TO indulgel with a
God y ~ the poor this dreadful night,
T forgetting in our coy and comfortable
home how many there were in the great
city who would call us poor. Wealsays
kept within my husbands salary, wear
ing plain but good and respectable
clothing, and eating simple bur subStan-
jitl food. And now, A. circumstances
have been improving with US, and We are
! wing in heu>e all our own, with ST
wants, and thousands instead of hundreds
aye r, we look back 10 the year Spe in
our simple, frugal little no e, and know
that it will always be the happjeSt por
IiDD of our lives -ScriiAsrs UuHthfy