Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1880-03-18

The Question of Mating.

The Question Of Mating.
Is It Safe for Young Married Couple
to Start Out on $1,000 Year9
A most interesting discussion il
being waged through the Augusta
EUening Neaos just now, the point
at issue being as to whether or not
a young married couple can live on
81, 900 year. THERE'S decided
ly practical gentleman who Is nn-
gallant enough to argue that such a
theory is prepesteroas and impossi-
ole, unless, he adds, the young
couple live in bed and thus does
away with the necessity of clothes,
lights or fuel. A young lady
and of course both these persons
write anonymously-contend that
such a thing is not only possible,
but the very thing. She puts rents
at $15 month and provisions at
S25 a month. These two items
exhaust $4S-leaving, after clothes,
fuel, ETC., are provided for by her
calculation, $160 for swhatever
may happen. The batchelor writer
is crncl enough to suggest in this
connection that the young lady has
very little idea Of "whatever may
happen" and that $3.50 is hardly
enough money to meet the con-
tingency. And 81 the discussion
goes.
The Constitution, devoted to the
discussion of all material subjects,
must take a hand in this ore. To
begin with, it may be remarked
that it is pretty close shaving for a
young couple to live on $1,000 per
annum--and yet we contend that
it can be done-and provisin made,
too, for "whatever may happen. %
In the first place, home, large
enough to be happy in, and pre-
tentious enough for people who re-
member that it is the hostess and
not the house that charms the guest,
can be had fer SIS month. We
base these calculations, it must be
remarked, on Atlanta, merely pre-
missing them with the statement
that persons living in cities where
they are impossible figures onght to
como to Atlanta to live. Let us
say, however, that the house costs
$50 month-this eats up for rent
$24O. As to provision account,
that need not 60 over S25 a month,
and it may be kept a shade under
it, and still give the young folks all
they can reasonably want to eat
This takes $500 more, leaving only
$3.50 for the rest. OF this amount,
$3.50 will be ample for clothes, and
$50 will suffice for a servant. This
leaves $3.50, of which $50 will pro
vide the fuel ard lights, and $50
will meet incindenta! expenses
This leaves $1CO, which, we con
tend, is quite enough for "wha'
mag happen.
These figures are general, bu'
they are quite liberia! enough. Out-
side of statistics, it may be said tina
the amount OF happiness that comes
with marriage is inestimable-tha
the increased scope and ambition +:
good wife gives a ruan's lite is be-
you'd price-and that the protection
that a home furnishes against temp
tation and prenicions habits amount
to great deal. Ii every youn:
man over 20 years of age woul'
marry a good young woman a
soon as he begins to earn $1,000
year, we should see u decided i'm
provelnent in the rising generation
ANY young man who earns LOO
year before he is married, wi
find, if he gets good wiie-and a
theory must be based upon thI
presumptioa--that he will soon b
capable of making himself wort
more than 1000 year, and a
increase of salary may be expected
And then how many homes ar
!, started and even kept comfortabl
and happy, after something "hs
: happened" OH less than $1,000
year. What man wonld not b
willing to deny himself all the lux
h uries OF life and reasonable shar
E of it's comforts, in order to estab
). hsh home for himself and light
d up with the woman OF his heart
1t is not money that makes happ
Ii homes-and hearthstones that al
e cherries for the lack of it. woul
70 not be cheerful if they were pave
with gold. The young fellow WI
10 loves girl and hangs back fro
g marriage because he has only
a. thousand dollars year, is D
N very much in love. But then wi
y tbeorize on this subject? 1t is OF
pudding of which the enly proof