The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-04-25
SnsII Econenfes.

S04lE Economies.
A correspondent of the Tribune thinks
the present hard times . will not be with
osat benefit to all classes, inasmucll as it
will teach them that happiness does not
consist altogether in the heaviness Of the
purse.
With a great many people the cost Of
thing is the measure of its value, and of
the enjoyment to be derived from it. If
the present depression of business, and
the consequent check in the circulation
Of money shall make us learn tie lesson
our ancestors SO thoroughly learned-how
to make alittle 90 a great the dull
times will not be without great eompen-
sations. We have all of US been disposed
to admire. and covet expensive things and
despise all pleasures that do not draw
heavily on the purse. Now We have
chance to fnd how cheaply satisfaction
may be bought by those who are willing
to find it in little things.
Intoods more depends upon the skill of
the cook than upon anything else. A
prudent and economical housewife will
make soup Of bits Of cold meat and the
broken bones Of roast, favored with an
onion, a CARROT and buach of parsley,.
that will be more savory than many soup
OF thrice the cost made by raw Irish
girl From the toughest parts of fat
and well favored beef or mutton she will
compound toothsome and appctizing
stews and roasts and ported meats that
will make the eater forgea that there are
choleer bits With which be might he re-
galed. Pieces ofstale bread she will dry in
the oven before they wouldmold, and have
always. on hand delightful crumbs to, en-
rich soup or make savory force-meat to.
give flavor and richness to- some niece of.
cheap but good meat
We are learning economy in dress. "~It
is astenishing,' said the head of one of
our large city dry goods houses, few
months since, 1.-THE difference betweemthe.
accounts OF our rich people now and three
years. ago: Then there were silks, laces,,
and expensive goods Of all sorts to their
debit; now muslin, flannel. table linen, tho
sheer necessities of comfortable. life. are.
all most of them indulge in." Velvets
are brushed up and steamed, and come
out as good as new; silks are dyed, min
gled with other silks and made into very
stylish suits. This method runs Into all
the cheaper styles of dress, and is bring
ing to light many serviceable fabric that
has lain in chests and drawers for years,
unused. There is one economy In dress
we have yet to learn, and that is the time
bestowed on making up stylish suits. If
the hours, devoted to ruff1ing and knife
plating were divided, and half of them
given to- the mastery of the culinary art,
to- the home culture of the children, to
deeds of charity, would there not be a
clear gain in the sum total done9
In future we may learn economy, and
find that one can be as happy and COM
Portable with a tapestry carpet as with a
Brussels; with an ingram IS tapesty;
with straw mating of good quality as
with an ingram. The mating is not so
warm, to be sure, as the wooden carpeting;
but it is swept more easily. It does not
absorb odors or retain dust, and in these
respects is more wholesome than the
other: We find haircloth upholstry
cheaper than brocatelle, and have no
trouble with the moth. We discard
stuffed chairs altogether, and our troubles
with broken springs and excelsior dust
sitting of the carpet cease
AS to books we are learning, or may
lean, that we can find much yet in
Milton, in Shakespeare, in the old philoso-
pliers, that is just as fresh and new to us.
as the last issue from the press might be-
Our inability to buy new books will be d
blessing to us, if it compels more i1e-
innate and thorough acquaintance with
the works of standard authors already in
our libraries. Washington, Jefferson.
Hamilton, Lincoln, had small access to
books in comparison with that possible to
the statesmen and thinkers of the present
day; yet they are not surpassed by the
present race Of men holding the offices
they filled with such honor to themselves
and their country.
In society we arc learning to eoonomiz1>
Great balls and routs and parties are
memories of the past. Quiet, social gath
erings of a few are in vogue, and give a
thousandfold more real satisfaction than
could be gained in the crush of multitudes