The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-12-03
LIVE WITHIN YOUR MEANS.

four or five, they are found to be comfort
able and independent. The secret of
their success is in being industrious and
economical No matter how little they
earn, they manage, from the start, to save
large portion of their earnings. They
live within their means. They were
taught to do this in their native country.
It matters not how much one
earns, if he does not live with
in his income, and lay by
something, he will never thrive and be-
come independent. If you cannot earn
but two shillings day, try and lay by a
six-pence daily. You do not know how
economically you can live until you try.
When men earn money rapidly they
are apt to be expensive in their habits.
They act as if they supposed their sun
shine was to be perpetuated, and when at
last they are not prosperous they find
that they are as poor as when their pros
perity began. If when prosperous they
would practice economy, they would be
better prepared to endure reaction.
Some persons are apt to regard
too large a portion of receipts as
net gains. If they buy an article for enc
dollar and sell it for one dollar and TWEEN
ty-five cents, they think they have cleared
twenty-five cents, or at least they often
act as if they thought so. They do not
| seem to consider that out of that twenty
five cents there must be deducted freight
insurance, advertising, rent, clerk-hire,
fuel, light, stationery, portage, losses by
damaged goods, and scores of other little
expenses which are sure to occur, to say
nothing of the interest on the capital in
vested and the ''proft and loss'' account.
Trying to keep up appearances and to
shine like Mr.. and Mrs A., on limited in
come, especially in the outset of bust
ness life, has ruined many that might
otherwise have accumulated and become
afiuent. A false pride is an expensive
enemy to support. Expensive dress and
equipage but few can afford to indulge in,
though many attempt it. Those who do
so at the expense of their creditors are on
the verge of ruin. In short they will
need ''endorsers" whenever they want to
replenish on credit, for their habits are
sure to be known in business circles.
When man engaged in business puts on
style beyond that INDUCED in by his pa
irons, and suffers his family to do so, he
commits a grave mistake; for he excites
ont only the envy of his patrons, but he
causes them to act on the defensive, and
they will not add their money to his if
they can help it. Therefore, until his
fortune is made, and he is Independent of
further patronage, he cannot afford to
put on the airs of millionaire.
Extravaganza is not responsibility.
Sensible, heightened and refined people
10 not indulge in it, even though
they may be able to do so. A
display of ornaments to ridiculous
extent is limited to the vulgar, and is dis
gusting to refined people. If a man or
woman wants to play butterfly they will
be obliged to choose butterflies for their
associates, Or have none. Shoddy at
tempts are all classed as vulgar, which
good breeding does not countenance
They may do for those who have sprung
suddenly from the peanut stand to wealth,
but not for those who do not have to leap
so far. There is nothing so disgusting to
refinement as to see ignorance, rudeness
and coarseness attempt to shine by their
own light and brilliancy, in fantastic plum
age.
In the first place, don't overestimate
your net income; in the second place, re-
serve enough of that for set-backs and
rainy days. Manage to live, if possible,
on less than what remains, after all ex-
penses are deducted, so that your saving
apparatus will not become rusty for the
want of use. Manage to keep that bright
all the time.
Some people are "pound foolish and
penny wise." They are very economical
in some things and foolishly lavish in
others. They will nearly starve
themselves to save enough to pur-
chase gew-gaw. Some are
saving for years and then invest and lose
their all in day. No one should invest
all he can command in single venture,
no matter how sure he may be of winning,
for ''there is many slip between the cup
and the lip" Always reserve enough to
fall back on. This is the only safe rule
to follow.
1t is generally much easier to meet ones
liabilities as they mature than to over
take them when they have run ahead. It
will require faster time to overtake a team
when you have Jagged behind, than it will
to keep up all the time, and the team may
get so much the start that you may never
overtake it.
dog-trot will suffice for the dog under
the wagon, unless the team runs away, in
which event the dog is liable to become a
spectator at safe distance.