Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-09-17
Valss and Sksteheb.
THE MANAGING WIFE.

MS yearly accounts. ''Well," asked hia
wife, looking up, ''how do you come outYs'
II find, said her husband. that my ex.
penses during the year have been thir-
ty seven cents over thousand dollars. y
"And your income has been thou,
sand dollarsp"
Yes. l managed pretty well, didn't r."
DO you think it managing well TO ex.
ceed your incomep' said his wife. ys7s5
What's thirty-seven centsP" asked Mr..
Newton, lightly. = '''s,s
"Not much to be sure. but still sot1e.
thing. 1t seems to me that we ought TO-
save. instead Of falling behind.n "a
but how can we save on this salary,
Elizabeth. we haven't lived extrayaQaht-
ly. Still it seemed TO have taken ii ali. !,
perhaps there is something in which
we might re,reneh. Suppose you mem
tiOn some of your Items
''The most important are house rent.
one hundred and fifty dollars, and articles
OF food. five hundred dollars" Z
Just half aF
''Yes, and you'll admit that w can't
retrench there. Elizabeth. l like to live
well. | had enough ofpoor board before
married. Now l mean to live as well
as can" ID 1af..,
Still we ought to be saving up some
thing against rainy day. Ezra.
THAT would be something like carry
ing an umbrella when the sun shines" -
''Still it is we'll to have an umbrella in
the house. .,s....s.. ..ss
Il can't contreyert your logic, Elizabeth
but l am afraid we shan't be able to save
anything this year. When l get my sAla-
ry raised, it will be time enough to think
of that" -
Let me make proposition to you,''
said Mrs. Newton. ''you say one half of
your income has been expended for arti-
OF food. Are you willing to allow me that
sum for the purpose?" aa
itp''
Yes" ha
''Thcn will shift the responsibility up
on you with pleasure. hut will tell you
beforehand yon won't be able to save
much out of it,"
Perhaps not. AT any rate will en-.
gage not to exceed it," a.H
"That's well. shouldn't relish having
any additional bills to pay. As i am paid
every month. will at each payment hand
you half the money"
The different characters of husband
and vile may be judged by the convesa-
tion which has been recorded. Mr.. New.
ton had but litlle prudence or foresight.
He lived chiefly for the present, and secm-
ed to fancy that whatever contingencies
might rise in the future, he would s0me-
how be provided for. Now, trust In Pro-
vidence is very proper feeling, but
there is good deal of truth in the old ad-
age that God will help those who help
~ @sE
Mrs. Newton, on the contrary, had
been brought up in family which was
compelled 10 be eceomical. and although
she was not disposed to deny herself COM
torts, yet she felt that it was desirable to
procure them ut Il fair price. .sss.si s8@
The time at which this conversation
took place was at the commencement OF
the second year of their married life.
The first step which Mrs Newton took.
on accepting the charge OF the household
expenses, was to institute the practice oil
paying cash Tor all articles that came un-
der her department. She accordingly
called on tho butcher and inquired:
''How often have you been in the habit
of presenting your bills. Mr.. Williams ?"
'Once in SIX months, was the reply.
And | suppose you sometimes have
bad bills ?" a,fef
''Yes. one third OF my profits on the
average, are swept off by them." ffe
And You could afford l suppose. to sell
cheaper for ready money ?"
Eyes, and would be glad ifall my Gus
toners would give me II chance to do SO.
81 will set them an example, then,"
said Mrs. Newton. Hereafter whatever
articles shall be purchased of you viii be
paid for on the spot, and we shall expect
you to sell them as reasonable as you
can"
This arrangement was also made with
the others, who were very glad to enter
into tho arrangement. Ready money is
the great support of trade, and cash GUS
toner is worth two on credit.
Fortunately she had small supply Of
money by her which lasted till the first
instalment from her husband be-
came due. Thus she was able 10 carry
out her cash plan from the first.
Another plan which occurred to her as
likely to save expense, was to purchase
articles in large quantities. For example
instead OF buying sugar few pounds alta
time, she purchased "a barrel. and so sue
ceeded in saving a cent or more per pound
This perhaps amounted to but trihe in
the course of year, but the same system
carried out in regard to other articles
yielded result by no means trifle.
There were other ways in which a care
ful housekeeper is able to limit expense
which Mrs. Newton did not overlook.
With an object in view she was always on
the lookout to get the full value of what
was expended. s. sSals
The result was beyond her anticipations.
At the close of the year, on examining
her bank book-for she had regularly d.
posted whatever money she had not Oc-
casion to use in one of these institutions
she found that she had one hundred and
fifty dollars besides remburslng herself
for the money during the first month, and
having enough to last another. ras
"Well, Elizabeth, have you kept within
your allowance ?" asked her husband at
this time. Il guess you have not foand
it so easy to save as you thought ior."sal
II have saved something. however,
said his wife. How is it with you p "a,
'That's more than can say. Howev-
er, i have not exceeded my income, that's
one COED thing. We have lived fall -
well, and better ifanything, than last year
when we spent five hundred. +.