Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-08-02
EVENING STAR.
Economy in the Household.
HOW MRS. M'GooCHEN DID HER OWN WORK
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HOW MRS. M'GooCHEN DID HER OWN WORK.
Prom The Br1EaSirTek (lg3.) RI7ssas- -lckfrI
one morning about two weeks ago, Ms.
breakfast table on her hus band. and inform
cd him that she had concluded 10 discharge
IRE hired girl and dohe- own work. This an
nounceineut startled Mr.. Mct;oochen almost
As much as IL slla had declared her deterFui-
nation IN commit suicide. He hal long
known that hired help was n heavy drain
uIon lis ne salary, but his vile had cd
ucaied him 20 regard Is as Indispensable, and
he mad made up his mind 10 endure 10 for
ever. That she should voluntarily offer -
dlSpense with the services of "A girl Was some
lblng ior which he was not prepared. Look
ing at Ler with an expression IN which hope
aiG ISuhT Painfully minglet ne ; said;
Cant do IL, indeed III like TO know
WHAT'S the reason? Lots OF women Ia this
town do great deal more, and think moth
lPE o! Il. our iamily'S smali.-jGSf you anl
me and Henry Wari,--snd if can't DO the
Work Tor us three. Ia better go 10 a hospital
aid done with it"
What put YOU into thenotioa?" askeiher
husband, hardly yet recovered from his sur
prise.
We'll, Peter" she replied, speaking in a
iehCer self TePIOviBg tone. IN tell sou.
I've been thinking lately how hard yOu have
10 work. ard how little have Gone 90 assist
You, IN coIrragison with what might and
ought 10 do, and it appears TO me that |
should try 10 reduce our EXPENSES as much as
possible ana the best way know OF il TO DO
my own hoCse-work. We are poor. Just
10 help YOU"
With a voice almost chokei with emotion
at ihlS unexpected evidence o. his wife'S de-
NoiloE ana energy, he TDcbly CSSayel u prea \
her resolution. saying that M didn't want her
10 be slave for him, that she was top drli-
cate Tor the task she contemplate, that all
ne asked OF her was continued love and SYM
"Oh. that's ell romance" interrupted Mrs.
McGroochcn. ''It's high time my love ard
sympathy were assuming a IRA ,tical for m.
II discharge the girl this very Gay. But
| there Is ole condition, Peter"
Name IL, my noble wife,
THAT new carpet you thought we were I'M
able TO get. Nov, If do nv own work Il
| viii save at least a hundred dollars a year.
and you can certainly afford the carpet
'bI course, my love, II you are satisfied
| You are rot undertaking more than you can
| perform"
She was satisfied. and so IL was settled.
| MACK luggcu the carpet home at noon, and
| found the girl gone. His wife was gone. too.
tut she returned shortly, having only been
around telling the neighbOrs that she was
now doing her own work. Dinner vas late
| but then il was the first meal by her fair I'm
| gers, and be could make allowar ce for the
novelty 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 "A hundred dollars
| year, ana could well afford such little
| things. When his wife returned from her
| visit to the rest OF the neighbors whom she
| had been informing that she was now doing
OWN NOrk. SDe WAS deliEnte1 with the
new chair, and declared that they mu ST have,
fuH set OF furniture TO match il. You
| Know, Peter, t'I2t Will more than save the
| cost Of II In the course OF n year. and will
| feel so proud TO know that my labor secured
| 1t Tits was said SO beseecningiy, and she
| hung so lovingly on his neck the while that
| Mack couldn't resist The appeal The furnr-
! ture waSsent down the next day.
| About three days after, Mrs. McGoochen
! coaXed Peter into buying her silk dress.
| and Tie next day she wheeled him out OF a
| set of jewelry. TWAS the same old plea-she
| was Tightening the expenses so much by do
ing her own work that she felt she was en-
| titled 10 something extra. 1t would amount
| TO no more, she reasoned, than the hire OF a
! girl, and Peter could well afford TO give IL TO
her.
! Mack began to get uneasy. Was there.
| after all, any saving in doing without a hired
| girl? wouldn't that sort Of economy bank
rupt him IN less than year. He got piece
| OF paper and pencil and figured:
! Expenses one week without help:
Seil ~ SD ~
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 90 ~
| Dress and Jeweiry..............- 50 90
o