Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-06-05
HOW TO ECONOMIZE.
Don't Get Articles Which Require
Expensive "Fixings."

Don't Get Articles Which Require
Expensive "Fixings."
why is it so difficult to ecOnomize?'
The wrinkles on Mrs LOTIONS brow
were very deep, and it was with an air
of WEAKNESS amounting almost to de-
spair that she laid down the pencil
wherewith she had been checking off a
series of accounts.
Aunt Abby lifted her eyes from the
stocking which she had been darning
with such exquisite neatncss, and gazed
sympathetically at her distressed friend.
IL am afraid you don't quite know
how"
Mrs Lorton looked astonished. and
we girls. who were spending the holi
DAYS with our friend, wondered also
what the little lady could possibly mean.
Don't know how, Political econ
omy. am willing to admit, is a most
difficult science; but l did not fancy
that domestic economy involved any
thing deeper than simply self-denial and
the avoidance of unnecessary expendi-
ture.
Aunt Abby smiled. ut may seem
that way in the beginning; but | really
doubt if there is any part of our daily
living that requires more tact, judgment
and experience than this same business
of economiZing successfully"
The results of my last wears work
incline me TO suspect something of the
same kind" sighed Mrs. Lorton. Il
clearly must have made great many
mistakes somewhere; but Just where
am at loss to discover l certainly
have tried very hard, and have done
without great many things ! used TO
think were quite necessary to the CON-
fort and happiness of the household;
yet here the figures are, and really the
sum total is very little less than it was a
year ago. when our income was SO much
larger"
Mrs Lorion looked thoroughly dis
discouraged. We. who admired her so
much and took such pleasure in the init
mate friendship to which she had admit
ted us. sympaihized with her most thor
oughly. She evidently saw how we felt
from the expression OF our faces. for
she turned to us laugiingly and said:
..You young ladies must be very
much interested in my financial troubles
II is too bad to entertain YOU with my
laments over these unruly ends that
seem to require such an undue amount
Of stretching in order to meet"
We fastened to reply that any thing
which concerned her could not fail TO
interest us. when Aunt Abby "a relative.
il should have been explained. of Mrs.
LOTIONS husband, gentle little lady
whose life had been spent in distant
city, rivcted our attention nj once by
saying:
IL was just about the age of these
young ladies when I first made &C
quaintance with what l am now in
clined to call the science of domestic
economy, though, like you. when l first
found myself under tho necessity of
mastering it, thought there was little
In it. save doing without many things
was accustomed to. and bearing the dis
comfort as heroically as possible"
well" smiled Mrs. Lorton, what
are the great underlying principles
Gsn't that the phrase?). also the oper-
ativc processes whereby we are to ar
rive at practical results namely. the
bringing of our expenses within my
husbands meansP"
WELL" echoed Aunt Abby, lone of
the leading principles is the abandon
ment of that velvet cloak l saw YOU
working at so industriously this morn
ing. and al garments of similar char
acter."
"What can you mean? Why. have
worn that cloak two winters, and now
have put new sleeves in it, and it is
quite as good as new. Surely nothing
could be more economical than that.
Why, take immense credit to myself
for that performance.
Precisely. II would have been very
extravagant to give or throw the cloak
away. You would have blamed your
self greatly. would You not?'
''Of course l should"
"Well. let us emulate the famous COW
and consider The cloak is of LYONS
velvet; the new sleeves required yard
of the same material. costing ten dol
lars. The cloak now is quite rs good
rs new but, new or old. it can only be
worn in fair weather. There must be a
cheaper one TO save it Again. this
velvet cloak requires handsome dress
under it, and cheap bonnet would be
quite Incompatible with IT, You re-
quire. therefore. to complete the oper-
alive process resulting from the under
lying principle of this velvet cloak, the
repairing of which was such an econom-
ical measure. an expenditure of any,
where from fifty to one hundred dollars
70 produce the harmony in your toilet
which Your cultivated taste demands.
and perhaps fifty dollars more for an
other suit in which 70 go ont on cloudy
days, to wear shopping, and for all the
ordinary, commonplace business of life.
Would it not. then. have been much
more economical to let the velvet cloak
90. and purchase substantial cloth one,
trimmed with fur, we will say. so that
It shall be handsome enough for visit
ing. suitable for church, not too frail to
stand a sprinkle of rain. and requiring
10 60 with il nothing more elaborate
than q well-made cashmere dress and .
tasteful bonnet Of felt, or some material
asenduring?
Aunt Abby paused. and following her
suggestion, we all emulated the COW,
and considered" Mrs LOTIONS
wrinkled forehead relaxed. and after .
few moments she broke into q merry
laugh:
.sWhy did You not read me that lee
ture . week ago? l believe that is the
way in which I have been 'economizing'
the whole Of this past year"
Il have NO doubt of it It is the way
in which every one begins, fancy"
Aunt Abby amused rs for the next
half hour with merry stories OF the
hings she had bought to watch other
hinSs In her early DAYS Of economixink