New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1880-12-15
some knowledge Of Business Necessary
to Good Housekeeping.

some knowledge Of Business Necessary
to Good Housekeeping.
No LADY can manage her household
affairs with discretion, or comfort to
herself. without such knowledge of
business as will enable her to keep all
her accounts correctly. In buying or
selling she will soon learn the import
ance of ''making change with facility,
and yet with perfect correctncss-and
never receiving it from others without
a careful yet not oStentatious examina-
ton. We have heard ladies say they
would be ashamed to stop and count
their "change'' after receiving it. 1t
would look like suspecting those with
whom they were dealing Of dishonesty.
A very foolish idea, which may often
occasion serious loss or painful misun-
derstanding in case it is afterward
found incorrect.
Ladies should also be competent to
discriminate between true and false
coin-to detect q counterfeit bill, if not
with the quickness of an expert, at
least so far as to be on their guard
against receiving bills at all doubtful
until submitted to some one whose
Judgment is trustworthy. Mothers
ought to be able to teach their daughters
the steps necessary to the proper trans
action of such business as naturally
comes under q housekeeper's care. 1t
is very convenient as well as a most
desirable plan to have such an amount
as one can afford to use in household
affairs deposited in bank for the use of
the mistress of family. 1t will give
hera definite idea OF how much she can
safely spend, and she will take pride in
not only keeping within bounds, but
also in seeing how much she can save
out of the allotted sum without being
miserly, or reducing the comforts of the
family. In short, we believe, whenever
possible, the husband should always
give his wife stated allowance for fam
lily expenses and a separate one for her
own individual needs. lis the greatest
safeguard against extravaganza, either
through selfish carelessness or ignor-
ance.
II such an arrangement can be made,
then the wife and mistress of family
should have bank account for her own
ly. In that case every lady must un-
derstand how to make out a check COR
rectly, and also understand definitely
the difference between check and a
draft, and that both, when drawn, must
be presented during business hours, if
they are to be cashed at the bank. A
check is drawn on a bank where money
has been deposited sufficient, at least,
to cover the amount drawn. A draft or
letter of credit can be drawn on bank
or business house where the drawce has
such business connections or transac-
tons as will make the acceptance of the
draft safe and justiable. The differ
ence between the two is slight-mostly
in the wording; but of sufficient i'm
portance to make correct understand
ing of that difference very desirable, if
not absolutely necessary. Many are
careless in dating letters; perhaps Ia
dies are less careful than gentlemen.
In common family or friendly CORE
spondence it may not be of much inn
portance, though often a source of en-
barrassment and uncertainty, that
brings discomfort, to say the least But
year are omitted, it may prove source
OF great mischief. If a check or draft
is sent without date, it will, or should
be, returned for the omission to be sup
piled, and in business such delay may
prove disastrous by causing distress or
loss to both parties.
The mistress of house should know.
not only how to select the best as well
as the most economical articles, accord
ing to the state of her finances, but also
keep well posted in the current market
prices. BY so doing, giving careful at
tpntion to the rise and fall of prices,
she can obtain the best, with less cx-
pense than would be incurred for sec
ond or third-class provision if she does
not possess this knowledge. If, on the
contrary, housekeeper simply con.
suits her own ease and present conven-
icncc-making her purchases in places
near of access, or trusts to the dealer to
send what he chooses without examin.
ing the quality as well as the price her
self-she will surely not only Incur
needless expense but very unsatisfactory
provisions.
The same mistaken idea which ladies
are often governed by in counting
change is too common, unfortunately,
in marketing and making any house
hold professionally, that to exam.
inc material and compare prices, as
well as quality, will leave the impress.
sion of being sordid and misery, or in
very straitened circumstances. For the
last there need be no shame. The first
is mean and contemplate, and opens a
large field for reformation and improve
ment But there is an honor in hold
ing ones stewardship with scrupulous
care and exactness, using the good
things which God commits to our care
''as not abusing them.''
OF course all with whom the mistress
of family deals are to be supposed
honest until proved the contrary, ant
would on no account take advantage O
woman in a bargain. But the homo,
of securing the patronage of a lady o.
distinction, especially if that distinction
is gilded, or the pleasure of waiting or
bright, active young matron, JUS
blushing under the dignity of being the
honored mistress of her husband
house, may beguile them into little
exaggeration in presenting their wares
This will seldom be repeated if they see
that their attractive customers perfectly
understand what they are seeking, ant
intend to use the privilege of forming
their own Judgment by carefully examin
| ing other establishments before making
their purchases. A woman who under
stands business sufficiently to protec
herself from making ill-advised bar
gains has also the double advantage O
giving no temptation to those will
whom she deals-to exaggerate or mis-
represent-while at the same time hel
knowledge shields herself from mistake!
and imposition.-Mrs. II. W. Beecher
in Domestic Monthly.
Some DID, Fashioned Punishm3nts.
From the many references to the
ducking-stool in the ancient records O.
many boroughs, we have ample proc
that at an earlier period this curiou!
mode of punishment was the common
| IN ctrunoont of i11cfioo for coo1Ic opf