Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1885-06-02
The Cost Of Matrimony.
III. S. Keller, in New York Mercury. j


My friend Jones, one of the iollicst
fellows alive, had noted the frequent
"drop off'of bachelor,and wondered
often how under the sun man with
a single mans salory could support
a wife and Iour, five or more chill
dren.Jones,by the way, ,ha; been court
ing pretty girl for five years. lie
had upon two or three occasions
strongly limited about the pleasures
of married life, while deprecating
the woes and discomlorts ofthe single
state. His girl would only glance up
at him with curiosity-Iaden eyes,
blush vividly and say nothing. Jones
often wondered if the girl knew what
his salary was, and, if She did, would
she be willing to stake chances with
him on the cast ofa single die T.? Jones
was wise in some things and very
unsophisticated in others. What he
knew about women could easily 90
into a nutshell, and what he didn't
know about them could comfortably
be spread over four acre pasture.
One warm, lazy Sunday afternoon
Jones found himself standing before
the altar with dainty figure in pure
white by his side. lie was astonished.
lie couldn't remember of ever asking
the girl to become his bride, though
he lad thought seriously of doing so
often. However, the facts are evident.
The bride is by his side and lie hlm-
self has just responded Eyes" to the
ministers questions. While the cere-
mony was being performed he
couldn't get rid Of the disagreeable
idea, viz: "Will my fifteen dollar
week salary carry us both through p
After the ceremony pretty reception
was held at the brides home, and
Jones found himself surrounded by
his many friends, who congratulated
him and wished him many happy
returns. lie knew that il was Gus
tomary for the newly welded pair to
90 on a bridal tour. lie had just $50
i'll his pocket, and he knew that
wouldn't 90 far. lie was in hot
water until his bride called him aside
and whispered: 81 know what you
are thinking Of But we will not take
a bridal tour. l know | should be
utterly wretched to have every one
point me out as the bride. Again,
bridegrooms most always wear stove
pipe hats. You don't like stovepipe
hats. So have arranged it all this
way: Instead Of taking tour we
will spend the time in settling our
rooms.
Jones gazed at her in dismay.
Rooms? All the rooms he knew of
were his sitting and bedroom, four
stories up from the walk in a second
class clearinghouse. Time sped on
wings, and ere he knew it he and
his charming wife were nicely settled
in some plain but comfortable rooms
in the second story OF a widow lady's
house. His little stock in the bank
called upon to purchase carpet for
the parlor. Ills wife said she had
thought Of the sitting-room before
the wedding and rag carpet which
her deft fingers had completed was
put down in that room, AS for the
bedroom, it was too warm for a
carpet yet and rug in front of the
bed was all that was necessary. All
the furnishings of the rooms werd
completed before cold weather set in.
Then Jones had to buy stove for
the sitting-room. The cook stove
was present from his wile'S father.
Strange as it may seem, Jones didn't
miss the price Of his sitting-room
stove half as much as he used to the
price of coat. And, besides that,
there is dainty little pair of feet
perched upon the tenders, and
rosy pair of lips ready 10 kiss him
when he comes home.
A year passes, and Jones thought
he would reckon up and see how he
stood. Last year it cost him SAG for
board at rs per week. Clothes and
incidentals, $3.50. Total, $566. His
salary $3.50, from which, deducting
his expenses, leaves him with just
S2l4. So much for single blessedness.
Now for the married state-just one
year old. Strange as it may seem,
he found it cost him and his wife just
$3l2 for table necessaries, exactly $6
per week for both. He figured this
over twice. lie didn't think it posi-
BILE, however; his wife was thrifty
little woman and Jones couldn't re-
call anything wanting from his table,
besides he enjoyed the nice meals
much more than he did the routine
of boarding-house fare. His rent
costs him just $l20. Coal, .$25.
Clothing for himself and wife-is it
possible $500. There were no Incl
dentals this time. His wife had
always appeared nicely-dressed, and
newell, married man can make
clothes 90 further than a bachelor.
The total of the past year was just
S557. Deducting this from his salary
of $3.50 leaves just 1928, or SO more
than the other year. And, added TO
this was $l25 which his dear little
wife had laid up from her PLAGUE
painting and fancy decorative work.
Jones was astonished, dumblounded.
lie could scarcely believe his own
eyes. Here he has been living at
rate that would nicely support two,
and have money left. Is it dream !?
10 make sure, he asked his wife to
pinch him. She did, and he awoke.
lie was yet in his bachelor chamber,
The flies which he had been watching
when he fell asleep were still sliding
up and down the window panes, and
the blue-bottle was buzzing danger
ously near his nose.
Jones' dream opened his eyes, I
assure you. And that quiet Sunday
evening, when the sun was tracing
pictures on the lawn, he popped the
question and was accepted. | pre-
sumo he is satisfied, for he beams
satisfaction, Pm sure.