Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-05-11
A Wife's Management.

dollars 2"
eyes, managed pretty well, didn't ? :"
"Do you think it managing well to ex-
coed your income }" said his wife.
"Whats this thirty-seven cents asked
Mr.. Newton lightly.
"Not much to be sure, but still something.
1t seems to me we ought to have saved, in
stead of falling behind"
"But how can we save on this salary,
Elizabeth We haven't lived extrava-
gantly. Still, it seems to have taken it ALL"
Perhaps there is something in which we
may retrench. Suppose you mention 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 cannot re-
trench them. | like to live well. l had
enough of poor board before l married
Now mean to live as well as | can"
Still we ought to lay up something
against rainy day, Ezra"
"That would be like carrying an umbrella
when the sun Shines"
I" Still, it is well to have an umbrella in
the house."
al can't controvert your logic, Elizabeth
but I'm afraid we shan't be able to save any
thing this year. When | get my salary
raised it will be time enough to think Of
that"
"Let me make proposition to you," said
Mrs. Newton. "You said that one-half of
your income had been expended on articles
of food. Are you willing to allow me that
sum for the same purpose p.
"You guarantee to pay all bills out of it ?"
eyes"
"Then shall shift the responsibility upon
you with pleasure. But can tell you be-
forehand you won't be able to save much
out of it, and | shouldn't relish having any
additional bills to pay. As | am paid every
month, will at each month hand you half
the money"
The different character of husband and
wife may be Judged from the conversation
which has been recorded. Mr.. Newton had
little prudence or foresight. He lived chiefly
for the present, and seemed to fancy that
whatever contingencies might arise in the
future he would somehow be provided for.
Now, to trust to Providence is 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 desirable to procure them at
fair rate.
The time at which the conversation took
place was at the commencement of the Sec
ond year of their married life.
The first step by Mrs. Newton on accept
ing the charge of the household expenses
was to institute the practice of paying cash
for all articles that came under her depart
ment. She accordingly called on the butcher
and inquired;
elbow often have you been in the practice
of presenting your bills, Mr. Williams?"
"Once in six MONTHS" was the reply.
And l suppose you sometimes have had
bad bills?"
eyes, one.third my profits on an average,
are swept off by them"
" And you could afford to sell cheaper,
suppose, for ready money p"
"Yes, and would be glad if all my Gus
toners would give me chance to do So"
81 will set them an example, them" said
Mrs. Newton. Hereafter whatever articles
are purchased shall be paid for on the spot
and shall expect you to sell them as rea.
sonably as you can"
This arrangement was also made with the
others, who, it is scarcely needful to say,
were glad to enter into the arrangement
Ready money is great supporter of trade,
and cash customer is worth two who pur.
chase ON credit.
Fortunately, Mrs. Newton had a small
supply OF money by her which lasted until
the first monthly installment from her hus.
band came due Thus she was enabled to
carry out her cash plan from the beginning
Another plan occurred to her as likely to
save expenses was to purchase articles in
large quantities She had soon saved
enough from the money allowed to do this
For example, instead OF buying sugar few
pounds at time she bought barrel, and
80 succeeded in saving cent or more on a
pound. This, perhaps, amounted to but a
trifie in the course of year, but the same
system in regard to other things yielded q
result which was by no means trife.
There are other ways in which a careful
housekeeper is able to limit expenses which
Mrs. Newton did not overlook.
With an object in view she was always OF
the lookout to prevent waste, to get the full
value of whatever was expended. The re
suit was beyond her anticipation.
At the close of the year, on examining
her bank book-for she had regularly depos
tied whatever money she had not had occa
sion TO use, in one Of the institutions-sh,
found that she had $3.50, besides reimburs
ing herself for the money during the frs
month, and having enough to last the other
"Wel, Elizabeth, have you kept within
your allowance ?" asked her husband at tina
time. 81 guess you have not found it s
easy to save as you thought for"
81 have something, however, said hi
wife. allow is it with you?"
"That's more than | can say. However
/ have not exceeded my income, that's on
good thing. We have lived fully as well a
last year, and don't know, but better tina
when we spent $500.
"It's knack, Ezra" said his wife smiling
She was not inclined to mention how muc
she had saved. She wanted something {
other to surprise him when it would be
service
"She may possibly have saved up s25
thought Mr.. Newton, cor some trihe," an
so dismissed the matter from his mind
At the end of the second year Mr.
Newton's savings, including the interes
amounted to $3.50, and she began to fe
quite rich.
Her husband did not think to inquire no
much she had saved, supposing as befo
that it could be but very little
However, he had piece of good news
communicate, his salary had been rails,
from s. 900 to 81 POO.
He added AS before allowed you on
half of my income for household expenses,
is no more than fair / should do so no
That will give you better chance To save
part of it than before"
As before, Mrs. Newton merely said tn
she had saved something without specifyil
the amount.
Her allowance was increased TO 5000, b
expenses were not propartionately increas
at all, 80 that her savings for the third we
swelled the aggregate sum in the savin
bank to 5000.
Mr.. Newton, on the contrary, in spite
his increased salary, was no better off at I
end of his third year than before. His
penses had increased by 800, though
would have found it difficult TO tell In VIII
way his comfort or happiness had been
creased thereby.
In spite of his carelessness in regard
his own affairs Mr.. Newton was an excele
man in regard to his. business, and his 81
vices were valuable to his employers TIL
accordingly increased his salary from til
to time, till it reached $1,000. He h
steadily preserved the custom of assigni
one-half to his wife as heretofore, and Ii
had become such habit that he new
thought to inquire whether she found il n,
essary to employ the whole or not.
Thus ten years rolled away. During
this time Newton lived in the same Dir
house, for which he paid annual rent
$3.50. Latterly, however, he had become a