Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-05-02
Lunenburgh, VI

| Just TO explain TO me how YOU do il p
with pleasure" he replied ." for you
may persuade others no better off than am
| to make the best of their situation. NV
name is William Carter. My father died
when ! was young, and was bound ont az
an apprentice to shoemaker, with the
usual provisions of schooling. did as boys
do generally at school, but | was very fond
of reading: ! made the most of my spare
| time and the advantage of an Apprentices
Library. Probably the books that helped
me most were the sensible writings of Will
liam Cobbett. Following the example, |
determined TO give myself useful educa-
ton, and have to some extent succeeded
But mans education is lifelong process
and the more ! learn, the more | see be-
fore me-
was hardly out Of my time when fell
IN love with my Mary there, whom some
people think very pretty but who know
is very good"
Mary looked up with such bright, low
ing smile, as to fully justify some people in
their notion.
"When had been one year journeyman,
and laid up a few dollars (for had strong
motive to be saving). we were married !
boarded at her fathers and she bound shoes
for the shop where | worked We lived a
few weeks at home but it was not our
home; so we determined to set up house
Keeping. 1t was rather smaH set up, but
we made it answer. | spent week in
house hunting. At last found this place.
IL was new and clean, high aud airy, and
thought it would do got it for fifty dol
lars year-and though the rents all around
advanced, our landlord is satisfied with that,
or takes it in preference to risking a worse
tenant. The place was naked enough, and
we had little to put in it save ourselves
but we went cheerfully to work, earned all
we could, saved all we coud-and you see
the results"
&" see but | confess | do not under
stand, said !, willing to hear him explain
the economies of this modest and beautiful
home.
"Well, it is simple enough. When Mary
and moved ourselves here and took pos
session, with table, two chairs, a cook
stove, saucepan or two. and cot-bed with
straw mattress, the first thing we did was
to hold council of war. Now Mary my
love- said |, here we are. We have next
to nothing, and we have everything to get
aud nobody but ourselves to help ourselves
1--WE found that we could earn on an av-
erage eight dollars a week. We determined
TO live as cheaply as possible, save all we
could, and make US home. Our rent was
a dollar week-our fuel, light, and water
rent and some little matters dollar more,
We have allowed the same amount for cloth
ing, and by buying the best things and
keeping them carefully, dress well enough
for that, Even my wife is satisfied with
her wardrobe, and finds that raw silk at six
shillings yard is cheaper, in the long run,
than calico at one shilling. That makes
three dollars week, and we had still our
living to pay for. That costs Us, with three
in our family, Just one dollar more"
"One dollar apiece"
No-one dollar for all. You seemed
surprised; but we have reckoned it over and
over. 1t costs more at present but we have
learned to live better and cheaper-so that
we have clear surplus of four dollars a
week, after paying all expenses of reut, fire,
light, water, clothing and food | do not
count our luxuries. such as an evening at
the theatre, at "A concert, or little treat to
our friends when we give party
know a smile came over my face, for he
continued -
Yes, give a party and we have some
pleasant ones, | assure you. Sometimes
we have dozen guests, which is quite
enough for comfort, and our treat of choco-
late, cakes, blanc-mange, etc, costs two dol
lars; but this is not very often. Out of
our surplus, which comes, you see, to two
hundred dollars a year--we have bought all
you see, and have money in the bank"
d" ! see all" said |, "all but tine living.
Many mechanic spends more than that
for cigars, to say nothing of liquor. Pray
tell me precisely how you live"
"With pleasure First of all, then, |
smoke no cigars, and chew no tobacco, and
Mary takes no snuff"
Here a pleasant smile came in but there
was no interruption for Mary seemed to
think her husband knew what he was about,
and could talk well without her aid.
/" ! have not drank aglass of liquor since
the day | was married. had read enough
of physiology to make up my mind that tea
and coffee contained no nutriment, and were
poisons besides; aud | tried vegetable
diet long enough to like it better than a
mixed one; and find that it agrees with
me better; and as we have read and expert
mented together, of course Mary thinks as
| do"
- But what do you eat and drink 2" |
asked, curious to see how far this self-taught
philosopher had progressed in the laws of
health.
Come this way and will show you" he
said, taking the light and leading the way
into capacious Store-room. " Here, first OF
all. is a mill which cost me two shillinps:
grinds NV grain gives me the freshest and
most beautiful meal. saves tolls, and the
profits. This is a barrel of wheat. | buy
the best. and am SUR, that it is clean and
GOOD. 1t costs less than three cents pound
and pound OF wheat dav, You know. is
food enough furany man. We make il into
bread, mush, pies and cakes. Here is II bar
rel of potatoes. This is hominy. Here are
Here is a barrel of apples. the best can
= :, - Il ~ L m ~