The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-11
LIVING on A SHALL SALARY.

LIVING on 4 SHALL SALARY.
Thrift AMI Comfort of a Brooklyn Clerk
and His yTIfe-A Coy Home I'm a Fiat
Figures fer the Frugal.
A smiling little woman opened the
door of plainly furnished sitting-roOm
at the top of the second flight of stairs
and ushered two men into the apart
ment with the regal courtesy of a house
keeper conscious of her own merits.
1t was about six clock p. m, and
through Il doorway leading into the
'dining-room could be seen a white
roDed table temptingly set for dinner
Il thought heard you coming" the
little woman said, placing one hand
ailectionatelT upon the arm of the
tallest OF tho two gentlemen. while she
pleasantly acknowledged an introduce
ton to the other
"My wife always listens for me at
dinner time" said the tall man in an
explanatory tone to his male compan-
ion.
Yes, and | can always tell your
step" was the little lady's reply.
A few other remarks of a domestic
char& cter were interchanged. and the
young couple, with their guest, sat
down TO dinner feeling cheerful as well
as hungry. The husband was the clerk
whom the wealthy merchant, Mr.. s..
de scribed as "a man who supports him
self, wife, and child on less than 81 900
. Il,
vino gave the reader of the Times few
weeks ago on account of how man
with family can live in New York on
$500 year,
You Observe" said the hu sband. as
he struck his carving knife on the steel
preparatory to attacking a mode st roast
of beef which his wife placed before
him, ''that although we have but little
beyond the bare neceS sitieS of life, we
manage TO live comfortably and hap
ply"
''Yes, indeed, we are happy" inter-
iected the wife, removing her kitchen
apron and taking her seat behind
steaming coifee-pot. 1--WE have good
health, all we want to eat, drink, and
wear, and our baby is the prettiest and
cutest baby in the world. | don't see
what more anybody can want to make
them happy. Do you take milk in your
coffee"
"If you please" said the newspaper
man.
Just look around you and you will
see what a good wife can accomplish"
remarked the husband, as he passed TO
his guest plate containinga nice cut
of beef, a couple of boiled potatoes, and
a liberal portion of green peas. ''All
of the decorations of this room, in
GLIDING the rug, the window curtains
and even that eXpensive-looking buffet
in the corner are the handiwork of Mrs.
Il. When you get an insight into her
genius for improvising household arti-
cleS YOU will not think it strange that
we manage to lay by $500 or $500 each
year out of my salary of $1,000. With
n few bits of cambria and pine board
, she can fill room full of stylish and
useful furniture. She can make dol
lar 90 farther
Now, Edward, interrupted the wife.
with pretty atfectation of reproof,
''the gentleman did not come here to
listen to your praise of myself He de-
sireS, as | understand it, the plain facts
of how we manage to live within our
small income. l can tell him in very
few words just how it is"
Very well; 90 ahead" replied the
subdued husband, helping himself to
another potato.
"My husband, as you know, gets
salary of Sl,0oo per year." said the
little lady, turning with animation
toward the newspaper man. HE gets
his pay once a month, and he brings
home SS3 and few cents. When we
were married we made up our minds
so to live as to be able to put some
thing in the bank each month, and we
have not vet failed to do SO. We FIG
ured that our $1,000 a year gave us
about 1913 day, and we based all of
our estimates of expenses on that.
Both of us have lived in Brooklyn most
of our lives, and we concluded to stay
here. Of course, this fiat is great
way from the bridge and the ferries
about two and half miles, isn't it,
Edward?-but the neighborhood is
quiet, respectable and healthful. We
pay $50 month for this flat, and we
AShN oOt NhC AAOlil ptliiOA AOA 90 Il illOlILl,
which brings our rent down to Sl2 a
month, or about forty cents day.
The landlord pays the water bill for
the whole building. and as we do not
burn gas we have no gas bills. The
oil that we burn costs us thirty cents a
month in the winter. and, of course.
much less than that in the summer.
do my own housework, and therefore
we save the servants wages and what
the servant would waste As for fuel,
we use ten tons of coal year, the av-
erage cost of which last year was about
$500 ton, brought into the building.
That makes seventeen or eighteen cents
a day."
Tell him about the provisions" said
the husband, with a chuckle.
81 am coming to that part of the
story" said the little woman, with
threatening glance at her husband.
Then addressing herself to the silent
guest. she said: Edward makes a
great deal of fun about my buying the
provisions for our table, because will
pever let the cost Of what we eat 60