The daily gazette., 1875-03-23
RETR RENCHMENI,
A sTOaY FOR THE TIMES.


Is 1T not time for us to think of re
trenchment, my .dear?" said Mr.. Liv
lngston to his wife, as he reclined in tn,
depths OF luxurious easy chair before
q glowing CRATE. "Retrenchment is tn,
watchword now, and very reasonable
and seasonable one.'
Mrs. Livingston looked inquiringly in
to her husbands face and there was /
shade OF anxiety in the tone of her voice
as she inquired:
ls there a necessity for it in our case
Not exactly necessity, / ams.happ,
| 70 say. 1t IS rather measure of expe
diency than necessity. Every man ouaht
10 ask II he cannot lessen his expense.
ao such time as this. As l said, re
| trenchment is the watchword.
1T ought to be with many. no doubt
put l cannot see why all should adopt
1T. Our expenses have ever borne n wis,
and reasonable proportion to our in.
come, and you admit that even nov
There Is no necessity for retrenchment. d
mat IS true. Still think, in these
iiaru Times, 1T Is wise to cut of all un.
necessary expenses. There is q proprie.
'y IN doing so. Besides, the claims OF
cnarity Will be great this inter. There
VIII DC an Immense amount of suffering
among the poor, and we should cheer.
iuiiy economlse that We may have more
20 nestow on the needy and suffering
there Is something in that, certain
~ SAID Mrs. Livingston, who was never
very pertinaclous in opposition to anv
plan proposed by her husband. "Bnt
where shall we begin p
Have we not moro servants than we
really needP l think we might spare
ence." 'ei'-
After thoughtful silence, Mrs. Liv.
ingstone said:
Il could spare Mary. | really don't
need her very much, though she is snch
II good, faithful creature, that [ shall re-
greet to part with her."
II you can spare her without incon-
yenlence, | think you had better send
her away. Can't we find some other
place to economizer'
might dismiss the girl who has done
PLAIN sewing for us for q month MAST.
told her should want her two months
and could easily find work for her that
time; but L can do without her service
very well, and will dismiss her on SAT-
urday night if you think it best"
Mr. Livingston assenied. Retrench-
ment IN other departments was discuss.
ed, and various plans proposed, some of
which We're adopted, and others laid ON
the table for future consideration.
Three weeks later Mr.. Livingston OBJ
served to his wife. with an air of com
Portable self-satisfaction
MY dear, am more convinced every
oay that we were right in the plans we
adopted three weeks ago. l can assure
you it is hard times for the Door neonIe
A poor fellow came to me TODAY He
was out OF work and six children to sun-
port. He told pitiful story"
II hope you helped him."
Yes; l gave him twenty dollars. n
portion OF what we have saved by econ
omy." ~ '''
Inc next evening Mr.. Livingston set
lied himself in his easy chair with n
grave and somewhat troubled look. The
Pxpresslon of his countenance was that
Of man whose self-complacency had
been seriously disturbed. Mrs, Liylnps-
ton was quick to observe this. She wait
ed some time for her husband to break
the silence, but seeing that he was NOT |
disposed to do it, she said:
You look grave tonight, Edward |
has anything occurred to annoy you 7"
Not unless you call it annoyance for |
q man to discover that he has been act |
ing unwisely and without due consider
alton when he really supposed that he
was doing very wise thing
Is that your case, my dearP" said
Mrs. Livingston in Il tone in which wife
ly sympathy and womanly anxiety Were
about equally blended.
Precisely"
please explain yourself"
You remember the plans for retrench- |
ment adopted three weeks ago"
Il do; and it was only yesterday that |
you We're descanting on the wisdom of |
5he proceedings OF that evening"
That is true but | have learned |
,ince then this wisdom was folly, not
% call it by harder name. Butt will
ell you what has opened my eyes.
on remember what l said to you
bout the poor fellow whom L assisted
This morning mentioned |
he circumstances to my friend Mr..
Chase, as we were speaking of the hard |
lines and the sulferings of the poor.
70 my surprise, he exclaimed earn
stly
81 would not have given the fellow q
ent."
"Why not" / enquired. "Out of !
work, with six children to feed is he |
lot an object of charity ?"
"No; the fellow came to me with
he same story, q week ago. | piticd
i'm, of course, and offered him work
t low wages until he could do better.
'nt he scornfully rejected the propo-
al Now, such man / do not wish
o help There are hundreds who
sould gratefully accept of even mod
rate wages. | made him the best offer
could afford, and it would have kept
is family from absolute suffering un-
il the times are better"
'If l had known the fact you have
lst stated, l would have kept my
honey for more deserving object, II
eplied.
'My plan," continued Mr.. Chase,
is to give employment to as many as
ossible these hard times. | believe it
the most benevolent investment of
honey it will secure us from be-
oming the dupes of those who make