Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-11-12
THE MANAGING WIFE,

THE MANAGING WIFE,
EZRA NEWTON had been looking over
his yearly account. "Well," asked
his wife, looking up, "how do you come
outPn
"I fnd," said her husband, "that
my expenses during the past year have
been thirty-seven cents over a thousand
dollars"
And your income has been thou
sand dollars"
g Yes, managed pretty well, didn't
IP"
"Do you think it managing well to
exceed your incomeP" said his wife.
"What's this thirty-seven centsP"
asked Mr.. Newton, lightly.
"Not much, to be sure, but still
something. 1t seems to me we ought
to have saved, instead of falling be-
hind"
"But now how can we save on this
salary, Elizabeth We haven't lived
extravagantly. Still it seems to have
taken it ALL"
"Perhaps there is something in which
we might retrench. Suppose you mem
ton some of the items"
"The most important is house rent,
$3.50, and articles of food, $780,"
"Just half"
eyes, and you'll admit that we can't
retrench there. l like to live well. l
had enough of poor board before 1 mar
ried. Now mean to live as well as I
can"
"Still we ought to save something
against a rainy day, Ezra"
"That would be like carrying an UNI
brella when the sun shines.n
"Still it is well to have an umbrella
in the house."
81 can't controvert your logic, Eliza
beth, but I'm afraid we shan't be able
to save anything this year. When l get
my salary raised it will be time enough
to think of that"
"Let me make a proposition to you" {"
said Mrs. Newton. "You said that
one-half of your income had been ex-
pended for articles of food Are you
willing to allow me that sum for that
purposeP"
itP"
eyes"
"Then 1 will shift the responsibility
upon you with pleasure. But can tell
you beforehand you won't be able to
save much out of it."
"That's we'll. | shouldn'trelish hav-
ing any additional bills to pay. AS am
paid every month, will at each month
hand you half of the money"
The different character of the husband
and wife may be judged from the con-
versation which has been recorded. Mr..
Newton had little prudence or foresight.
He lived chiefly for the present, and
seemed to fancy that whatever contin-
gencies might arise in the future, he
would somehow be provided for. Now,
to trust in Providence is a very proper
way, but there is good deal of truth in
the old adage that God will help those
who help themselves.
Mrs. Newton, on the contrary, had
been brought up in family which was
compelled to be economical, and though
she was not disposed to deny herself
comforts, yet she felt that it was desira-
ble to procure them at fair rate.
The time at which this conversation
took place was at the commencement of
the second year of their married life.
The first step Mrs. Newton took on
accepting the charge of the household
expenses was to institute the practice of
der her department. She accordingly
called on the butcher and inquired:
How often have you been in the
habit of presenting your bills, Mr.. Viii
hamsP"
"Once in six MONTHS" was the re-
"And l suppose you sometimes have
bad billsP"
eyes; one-third my profits, on the
average, are swept off by them"
"And you could afford to sell cheap
er / suppose for ready money!"
"Yes, and would be glad if all
my customers would give me a chance
to do So"
"I will set them an example, then, :"
said Mrs. Newton. " Hereafter, what
ever articles shall be purchased of you
shall be paid for on the spot, and shall
expect you to sell them as reasonably as
you cam
This arrangement was also made with
the others, who, it is scarcely needful to
say, were glad to enter into the arrange
ment. Ready money is a great support
er of trade, and cash customer is
worth two who purchase on credit.
Fortunately, Mrs. Newton had small
supply OF money by her, Whlch lasted
till the first monthly installment from
her husband eoecame due. Thus she
was enabled to carry out her cash plan
from the beginning.
Another plan which occurred to her
as likely to save expenses was to pur-
chase articles in large quantities. She
had soon saved enough from the money
allowed to do this. For example, in
stead of buying sugar few pounds at a
time, she purchased barrel, and so sue
ceeded in saving cent or more on a
pound. This, perhaps, amounted TO
but a trile in the course of year, but
the same system carried out in regard
to other things yielded a result which
was by no means a trifie.
There are other ways in which a care
full houskeeper is able to limit expenses
which Mrs. Newton did not overlook.
With an object in view, she was al
ways on the lookout to prevent waste, to
get the full value of whatever was ex-
pended. The result was beyond her an
ticipations.
At the close of the year, ON examining
her bank-book-fo she had regularly
deposited whatever money she had not
occasion TO use in one of the institutions