Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-07-29


~ GentBeman's Expenses Saving
S575 n Year Out OF sA2OO-A start
for - Fortune.
Chicago Inter-0cean.l
There are Is, 900 young men in Chicago
to-day who cannot afford to marry-that
is, they cannot afford to marry the aver
age city girl, with her passion for dress,
and bonnets, and jewelry. That is what
they say. Possibly little frank consul
tation between the two would pave the
way to explanation and satisfactory ar
rangements; but how to have such con-
sultation2 There's the rub. Because
there is not 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
marriage. Thus, if they coald only
frankly approach the subject, Henry
might say TO Amelia:
TITS too bad; but the fact is, young
man cannot afford wife nowadays. "
Aud Amelia would very likely re-
spond. VI cant see why they cannot
as well afford them now as few years
ago; and they used to get married, you
must admit.
And Henry rejoins: Women are so
expensive now. That's the trouble.
Just look at it. 1 get $1,000 year. Now,
how the deuce can | support wife on
$l2OO2 Why, it costs me all of that to
live myself.
but see how you live" responded
Amelia.
mot extravagantly," says Henry.
II pay IS a week for board; thats--let
me see-eight times two are ten; eight
times Eve are forty ID one is forty. one
four hundred aud ten dollars year.
(which leaves you" interrupts Anne
liza, $3.50 q year. Now, what on earth
do you do with this remainder
"Well," says Henry, there are my
clothes-and-snd-"
f" Cigars" adds Amelia.
Yes"
"And buggy rides"
"Yes."
And drinks"
Alphabetically ever anything of
that kind, you know, says Henry.
(" We'll, | hope not. But what do you
do with the money otherwise2 A mans
clothes don't cost him much"
Don't they2" exclaims Henry. "You
just try it."
We'll" says Amelia, "how much
now?'
"Well," says the young man, thought
fully, there's an everyday suit tor win
ter, say $50. There's a dress suit for
parties and the opera, $75. 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 that2
Two hundred and ninety dollars,
responds the ready Amelia.
Say three hundred" responds Henry.
VERY well; that leaves $400. What
do you do with the rest2"
well, there's car fare, say $50"
"Yes."
"Theater tickets, $780,"
"Yes."
"And-well, let me see-church do
nation, say-$25."
"Yes, well say $25. WellP'
carriage hire, $6O"
"Welll"
"Cigars / am pretty moderate there
say 800. How much does the total
amount to now2"
"Ten hundred and ffty6ve dollars.
You see there are over $3.50 to be ac-
counted fol"
"Well, Teller don't spend all his
money, you know; besides, there are
Christmas presents aRd lot of little
traps that / cannot now remember"
"Yes, / see. No doubt the articles
mentioned would swell the amount to
$780," says Amelia, rather sadly.
Don't you see, now, remarks Henry
that cannot afford a wife2"
"You surely couldn't, unless expenses
could be reduced, replies Amelia.
But instead of being reduced, they
would be doubled, says he.
"Oh, nc" says the young lady, +" Not
that. should think, for instance, that
was very extravagant if | spent half OF
your salary on myself.
Do you suppose you spend less than
six hundred dollars yearly2'
" Perhaps not now" responds Amelia,
blushing; "but | could get along with
much less if | tried"
Gould you, indeed2 queries he.
Eyes" she responds; " couldn, tyou?'
why, suppose | might. Let me
see. Where would begin2'
Say the clothes, suggests Amelia.
"Yes, that's fact. l could do with.
out the dress suit; that would be sew
enty-fve dollars"
And one of the others2" she says in,
quiringly.
Y.a-s-say one of the others; forty
dollars"
"And little on the boots and shoes r.
II believe so; say twenty dollars Of
on those"
And the carriage hire?
We'll, / suppose l could get along
with the street car; take off sixty dollars
for carriage hire.
"Well, how about the cigars2"
81 wouldn't like to give them up en-
tirely, but I'll throw off fifty dollars on
cigars.
VERY we'll. And the hats, caps, etc.