, 1882-06-30
9fCtseellsetttD.
How We Furnished Our Houses,

moor man. She has been used all
Ror life to having the best of every
t%ino M while mamma and [ have had
al manner of shifts to make, to keep
nm decent, respectable looking
bPrse p and table, and tasteful adOrn-
,nonts for our persons. Nevertheless,
wa wa did keep up, and L believe that
tba very necessity for exertion and
rnonopement has benefited me more
Than all the accomplishments secured
ot % our fashionable school by my dear
mother's unselfsh sacrifices.
When my old silk would grow dull
and frayed, and the trimming faded,
I would rip it all to pieces, turn it,
nress it, get fresh trimming and bind
mo and come out fresh and new;
m5;le Annie, knowing no necessity
for economizing, gave no thought to
her soiled dresses, but purchased new
These little things are great aids
IN forming character Necessity Is
Tho mother of all effort, and my dear
Annie often exclaimed in wonder at the
metamorphosis produced in my attire
by a little time and skill, and the out
law of. perhaps, a dollar or two.
Two wears ago Annie's father died,
and his family were astounded to find
that his debts would swallow up all,
save only the old homestead. For
awhile it was thought that this, too,
must 90. but the creditors were kind,
and the homestead was saved
One year ago Annie and l We're
married to our hearts chosen ones.
Both our husbands are clerks, with
salaries about equal. We have
boarded a year and saved all we
could, for Annie is sacrificing enough,
az TO dress. Besides, she was very
well provided for, having such good
things during her fathers life. And
now that her mourning is over, with
nv past experience in THAT line"
and the aid of dressmaker occa-
sionally, she manages to make very
little expense as to dressing.
Now our husbands have taken
houses next door to each other, for
our sakes, for we are as great friends
as ever; and we expect to be- for the
next week or two, buster than bees,
furnishing our little nests, cosy and
pretty as they can be. We have both
decided to do our own work, with the
aid of a chore- girl, sending the wash
ing out. And the great question is,
"What shall / buy?"
My motto is, "Expediency and
Taste" Annie says that she will
have "the best, or none" MIR. Dun
can says she is to do exactly as she
likes with the means they possess,
and my dear Frederick gives me the
same privilege. He then says that
home is the woman's kingdom"
where she always ought to reign
queen, and that every good husband
ought to obey her in her little
arrangements, and make as pleasant
and obedient a subject as possible.
He says that annoyances and griefs
WiU sometimes enter, but so long as
she feels that the homage is given her
which is due to every good wife and
mother, all other anoyances will
dwindle into insigniticance So we
are to do as we please about onr
house furnishing. And as our ideas
of the matter are so different, we
have each agreed to go alone and
select the things, saying nothing to
each other or to our husbands on the
subject till it is all done This will
be hard to do. 1t will necessitate
whole weeks separation, but we are
to drop notes to each other in the
evening, and chat upon any other than
the interdicted subject. At the end
OF the week, we are to visit each
other with our items, bills, etc, and
compare notes.
Well, the long week is over. Yet l
have been so entirely occupied that
it has not seemed long / think work
Is the best time killer in the world
mean, of course, work which we
are interested in. Any forced work
Is like that of the poor horses in a
tread mill or a street-car. But for
get We have been so busy that our
evening notes had positively nothing
In them, The one absorbing topic
was tabooed So we had little more
to say than "DEAR ANNIE: L get
along very well, indeed only am too
weary to have anything to write.
Had no interruption in my labors.
Dear Fred wanted me to go to the
concert last evening, but | declined;
thought it would be so much nicer
when we could go together-all of us.
Your loving KATE"
Well, that is as much as was writ
ten at any time through the week.
The grand visits of inspection have
taken place, and / give the result.
For my own share, l will copy my
diary for the week.
Monday-As 1 am to do my own
work, l shall be obliged to make
tne back parlor my sitting room
through the day. There is a nice