The Red Cloud chief., 1881-01-20
x>sne Enewiedge 81 Basisess Necessary
10 tised Housekeeping.

s<sne knowledge sf Basisess Necessary
Z 10 tissd Housekeeping.
No LADY can manage her household
affairs with discretion. or comiort "a
herself. without such knowledge o!
business As will enable her to keep al
her accounts correctly. In buying OF
selling she will soon learn the import
ance of making change" with facility.
and yet with perfect correctness-and
never receiving il from others wIthou,
a careful yet not os,entatious exam na-
ton. We have heard lad e. say they
would be ashamed TO stop and count
their change after receiving it, Ii
would look like suspecting those with
whom they we're dealing of dishonesty.
A very foolish idea. which may often
derstanding in case il is ~afterward
found incorrect.
Ladies should also be competent n
discriminate between true aud false
oin-to detect a counterfeit bill. II no,
with the quickness of an expert, a,
least 50 far rs 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 10 teach their daughters
the steps necessary To the proper trans
action of such business NJ naturally
comes under n h~ousekeeper's care. IL
is a very convenient as well a. a most
desirable plan to have such IN amour,
a. one can afford to use in household
affairs deposited in bank for the use OF
the mistress of a family. IL will give
her a 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
miscrly, or reducing the comforts Of the
family. In short, we believe, whenever
possible, the husband should always
| give his wife a stated allowance for fam
ilv expenses and n separate n for her
own individual needs. II is the greatest
safeguard against extravaganza, either
through selfish carclessncSs or ignor-
ance.
IL such an arrangement can be made,
then the wife and mistress of q family
should have a bank account for herown
use, and for the necessities of the fami-
ly. In that case every lady must I'M
derstand how To make out a check cor
rectly, and also understand definitely
the difference between a check and a
draft, and that both, when drawn, must
be presented during business hours, il
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. Adraft or
letter of credit can be drawn on a bank
or business house where the drawee has
such business connections or transac-
tions as will make the acceptance of the
draft safe and justiiiabie. The differ
ence between the two is slight-mOstly
in the wording; but of sufficient I'M
portance to make a correct understand.
ing of that difference very desirable. if
not absolutely necessary. Many are
careless in dating letters; perhaps la
dies are less careful than gentlemen.
In common family or friendly CORE
spOndence it may not be of much inn
portancc, though often a source of en-
barrassment and uncertainty, that
brings discomfort, to say the least. But
in business transactions, if the date and
year are omitted. it MAY prove a 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 a house should know.
not only ho,y to select the best as well
as the most economical articles, accord
,nr D.. thn ctatn nf hnr fpan.n- bnf a1an
keep well posted in the current market
prices. BY SO doing, giving careful at
tentiOn to the rise and fall of prices,
she eau obtain the best. with less ex-
pense than would be incurred for Sec
Ond or third-class provision if she does
not possess this knowledge. If, on the
contrary. a housekeeper simply con
suits her own ease and present conven-
ience-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 put very unsatisfactory
provisions.
The same mistaken idea which ladies
are often governed by in counting
~ 10 WIZ thAtoA =
in marketing and making any house.
hold purchases namely, 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 e~xactness, using the good
things which God commits to our care
''as not abusing them"
Of course all with whom the mistress
of a family deals are to be supposed
honest until proved the contrary, and
would on no account take advantage of
a woman in n bargain. But the honor
of securing the patronage of a lady of
distinction. especially if that distinction
is gitdeti, or the pleasure OF waiting on
a bright. active young matron. just
blushing under the dignity of being the
honored mistress of her husbands
house. may beguile them into a little
exaggeration in presenting their wares.
This will seldom be repeated if they see
that their attractive customers perfectly
understand what they are seeking, and
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 protect
herself from making ill-advised bar
gains has also the double advantage of
giving no temptation to those with
whom she deals-to exaggerate or mis-
representative at the same time her
knowledge shields herself from mistakes
and impOSitiOn.-Mrs. II. W. Beecher,
in Domestic Monthly.
Some Old. Fashioned ~PunishmentS.