The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-07

cial position thoroughly, and from this
standpoint she should use her best energies
to work in perfect harmony with his need
for retrenchment or his power to allow free
use of the money received. If retrench
ment is needful or even desirable, if the ex-
penses of the family are too large, she should
be not only willing but anxious to reduce
them and to economize in every way pos
sible. But few women, even if they
were to try, could do this intelligently.
They have no record of their expenditures,
no lists of their purchases, no memoranda
of their daily. weekly or monthly house
keeping. They give out the money as they
receive it, little or much. 1t goes for dry
goods, groceries and etceteras, and there the
matter with them ends Now and then they
understand something of the quslity of the
goods they buy, but this is rare. The order
is given or the article bought with implicit
faith, the offspring of entire ignorance in the
storekeeper. If the supply of ready money
decreases they do one of two things-go in
debt or buy inferior food, never seeking
substitutes for the high priced articles
formerly in use. Probably no women but
our own could endure the waste in their
homes, especially in two important things,
fuel and food" To cook a breakfast,
easily prepared in 30 minutes, allowing full
time, fire large enough to roast an OK will
be kept blazing for two hours. To heat
kettle of water to use in washing the
dishes used, enough fuel will be added to
cook dinner and while coal or wood dealers
rejoice in the waste of mistress or
maid, the head of the family gradually gets
little nearer that dreaded goal failure.
We scarcely ever see a thermometer in
sitting room or parlor, and few women are
careful about the temperature of their
apartments, and hundreds of dollars worth
of fuel are wasted in keeping up huge fires.
A steady heat marking the same degree, and
that never too high, will not only make the
inmates of house healthier, but will save
the fuel uselessly burned in building fires
carelessly allowed to die out. And this
waste generally runs through the entire use
of fuel for house. 1t has been said that
thrifty German housewife or an ordinary
French cook could keep a table supplied
with good, palatable, tempting food on what
we or our equally ignorant, extravagant SER
wants throw away. Soups, salads, food nicely
rewarmed or rearranged we rather despise,
but revel in an over suficiency of huge
roasts, rich gravies, messes of vegetables and
costly desserts. We are prodigal to the scav-
enger: we throw into buckets or barrels the
very food that with little care or skill in
its preparation might not only be appetizing,
but would save a fresh outlay with the
grocer or butcher on the morrow.
Not a score of women in hundred under
stand the want, the desire, the need of the
body for Certain kinds of food They feed
the nervous, the bilious, the feverish, each
and all upon the same articles, and do not
with the nice tact and skill of our foreign
sisters adapt the bill of fare to Individual
tastes. Children are given the same strong
or rich food relished by their elders and
the bone, muscle, brain making dishes are
pushed aside for heavy pastries and meats
Economy does not restrict a family to coarse
or unpalatable food, but it should keep them
from a surfeit of rich dishes, or it should
prohibit illy-prepared meats bread or veg
etables. A woman should study the prices,
the qualities and the quantity of all food
purchased for her table, and she should sac
rifce show and sweetmeats for fruits in
their season, meat when necessary, and al
ways good bread.
The dress of women has ever been tar
get for fun and anger, and somewhat of the
firing has hit the mark. / incline to the
opinion that if women would be willing to
wear dress nicely fitted and nicely made,
though it be cheap material rather than
a flimsy silk poorly made, one of the fruit
full sources of financial trouble would fail.
Children are dressed in rich clothing when
woolen fabrics at lower price would be
much better, and the love of unreasonable
/ though handsome apparel be less likely 70
take possession of the young mind. Less
time spent in making ruffles and tucks, and
more given to the food of the family would
not only save money but would positively
increase both health and happiness. Wo-
men who clamor for their rights will find
their hands full attending to what they now
possess, for their work is as comprehensive
and as broad as that of men. When l
see men carrying their business troubles
and anxieties so plainly, wonder what Of
the women at home? Does the father inn
poverish himself, bring fresh complications
into his accounts to furnish his daughters
with the coveted pocket money? Does the
husband keep his harrassing cares to himself
dreading the reproaches of his wife? Do the
women at home aid the men in counting
rooms and offices, or is there no mutual
sympathy in this hour of need? A man can
toll and calculate and sacrifice to save and
husband his money, but unless there is econ
omy and care at home his prudence ayails