The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-09
FALSE ECONOMY.

jig saw and at very cheap rates. he had |
made up his mind that the cost of the
building should not exceed 81 am
not able to give the t1gures as he never
mentioned them to anybody, and in or
der to bring them within this limit, he
dispensed with the services Of an archi-
tect and determined to draw his own
plans and superintend the work himself.
The first thing to be done is to secure the
materials for building at the cheapest
possible price, SO he hunts around among
the lumber yards and brick yards and
hardware shops and paint shops, manag-
ing. at the end Ut two or three weeks, to
get the stuff that is needed at about thir.
ty-three and one third per cent below the
ordinary market schedule. It never oc-
ours to him that If he had given the time
thus spent to his regular business he
might have made twice as much money
as he saved and also that IN the end he
might find his hemlock clapboards and
two class bricks and very cheap hard
ware somewhat costlier than he supposed.
He then looks around to see where he
can find the cheapest labor. There are
one or two carpenters and masons and
painters living on the outskirts of the lit
tie town, who have had no employment
for long time, and they are willing to
give him their servjCes-such IS they are
for very low wages. He sets them to
work, and in the course Of year, during
which time these low-priced mechanics
potter along at their leisure, the house is
finished aud the proprietor takes posses
sion, Boosting not little Of the fact that
he has the cheapest house in the village,
taking into consideration its size and
adornments. He prldes himself more
particularly upon the economy with
which he has managed the plumbing and
sewerage and some other details of the
establishment.
cheap and at the same time very preten.
tious and shewy. But in few months
| the trouble begins. The windows rattle
awfully in their sockets, as if afflicted
with a perpetual ague; the catches DO not
work; the doors sag and the floors bend
the tables crack and the chairs give way
the chimneys will not draw; the roof
leakes like a sieve; the chambers reek
with unWholesome odors; the hemlock
clapboards warp; the paint wipes off;
the house settles at one of the corners,
and the whole household are made mis-
cradle. Masons and carpenters of diff
terent sort from those originally employed
in the building are called in to make re.
pairs; and in the end poor MIR. Savall is
obliged to confess that the false economy
which he practiced turned out to be q
great mistake.
| In the same village there lives farm.
er, whose name do not like to mention
but it is very possible that some of M
readers may recognize him, and heis also
of a very economical turn of mind. He
never felt that he could afford to give hi
sheds and barn a coat Of paint, or dt
much to keep them in repair, land so they
are fast rctting away, much to the salts
faction of the rats and mice and othe
vermin. who have taken up their abode
there. He always buys the cheapes
stock to be found IN the market, and tn,
result is that his cows give only half tn,
average quantity OF milk, and his oxel
; do only q half-day's work, and his horses
travel at only half speed while It &C SITS al
much to feed them as it would if the,
were Of the very best breeds. He ais
regards it as q waste to spend money up
on fertilizers, and SO goes on, year afte
year, skinning the land and eating oal.
scanty crop; of course expanding tn
same amount of labor that would Is,
needed upon the richest loan. He adds
to iris labor by persisting in the use o
old ,decreplt tools and Anticipated ploughs
looking with contempt upon all GU
modern labor-saving machines; and the1
wonders that, with all his economy ane
painstaking, he is growing poorer all thu
while.
There is q shop in the village where
the proprietor carries on small trade
It is small. for various reasons The mar
never liked to spend money 10 advertis-
ing, or in doing anything to make hi
place OF business attractive.
| His stock 10 made up in a great meas
ure of damaged goods bought at auction
or OF lots that were left over as unstable
which he gets very cheap, and of old
truck that has been lying on his shelves
nobody knows how long; for he would
rather keep thing till it moulders than
sell It at a sacrifice. He Is very close il
trade and never gives any overweight
his expenses are small; he does all his
own tinkering, and will spend half day
in trying to mend q lock, which good
mechanic would make right IN half an
hour-the shop business all the While
taking care of itself; he pinches and
screws and economies in svery conceiv-
able way, and wonders that he can lay
| up nothing.
/ A mill has been established IN the vii
lage of Blunde1sham. and many persons
have taken their children from school
and put them to work there, where they
can earn something. The school being
thus reduced in size, it is thought expe,
dent 70 exchange the present competent
and well educated teacher for one who
can be had on cheaper. terms, the quality
Of the supply Of necessity falling off with
the reduced price; and, as might be ex-
Pected, the purchase Of any new books
and apparatus, and the keeping Of the