News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-08-12
HOW TO ECONOMIC.
BY MARY f. vANDYNE.

why Is 1t so difficult to econo-
mize?"
The wrinkles of Mrs. Lortons brow
were very deep, and it was with an air
OF WEAKNESS amounting almost to de-
spair that she laid down the pencil
she had been checking off
series of accounts.
Aunt Abby lifted her eyes from the
stocking which she had been darning
with such exquisite neatness, ind
gazed sympathetically at her distressed
frie1d.
81 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 you knowr Political econ
omy, l am willing to admit, is most
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. ''It may seem
that way in the beginning; but l really
doubt if there is any part of our daily
living that requires more tact, judg-
ment, and experience than this same
business of economic ny successfully.
"The results of my last years work
incline me to suspect something of the
same kind" sighed Mrs Lorton. 81
clearly must have made a great many
somewhere but just where |
am at loss to discover. l certainly
have tried very hard, and have done
without a great many things | used to
.hink were quite necessary to the COM
'ort and happiness of the household;
yet here the figures are, and really the
sum total is very little less than it was
year ago, when our income was so much
larger"
Mrs Lorton looked thoroughly dis
couraged We who admitted her so
much and took such pleasure in the
intimate friendship to which she had
admitted us, sympathized with her
most thoroughly. She evidently saw
how we felt from the expression of our
faces, for she turned to us laughingly
and said:
"You young ladies must be very much
interested in my financial troubles. 1t
is too bad to entertain vol with my
laments over these unruly ends that
seem to require such an unlue amount
of stretching in order to meet"
We hastened to reply that anything
which concerned her could not fail to
interest us, when Aunt Abby "a rela.
tive, it should have been explained, of
Mrs. Lorton's husband, gentle little
lady whose life had been spent in dis
tant city riveted our attention at once
by saying:
81 was lust about the age of these
young ladies when first made acquaint-
ance with what | am now inclined to
call the science of domestic economy,
though, like you, when | first found
myself under the necessity of mastering
it, l thought there was little in it, save
doing without many things was ac-
customed to, and bearing the discom-
fort as heroically as possible"
Well, smiled Mrs. Lorton. "what
are the great underlying principles
isn't that the phrase0, also the pro-
cesses whereby we are to arrive at prac
tical results namely, the bringing of
our expenses within my husbands
means?n
WELL" echoed Aunt Abby, one
of the leading principles is the aban-
donment of the velvet cloak saw YOU
working at so industriously this morn
ing, and all garments of similar char
acter."
''What can you mean2 Why, I have
worn that cloak two winters, and now
l have put new sleeves III 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. 1t would have been very
extravagant to give or throw the cloak
away You would have blamed your
self greatly, would you not2'
"Of course | 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 $40. The
cloak Wis quite as good as new; :
but, new or old, it can only be worn in
fair weather. There must be cheaper
one to save it Again, this velvet
cloak requires a handsome dress under
it, and cheap bonnet would be qui te
incompatible with it. You require,
therefore, to complete the operative
process resulting from the underlying
principle of this velvet cloak, the Ie-
pairing of which was such an economi-
cal measure, an expenditure of anywhere
from $50 to 800 to produce the har-
mony in your toilet which your cult
waited taste demands, and perhaps So o
more for another suit in which to go
out ON cloudy days, to wear shopping,
and for all the ordinary, commonplace
business of life. Wonld it not, then,
have been much more economical to let
the velvet COAX go, and purchase a sub
stantial cloth one, trimmed with fur,
we will say, so that it shall be hand
some enough for visiting, suitable fol
church, not too frail to stand a sprinkle
of rain, and requiring to go with il
nothing more elaborate than a wei
made cashmere dress and tasteful
bonnet of felt, or some material as en-
duIing?"
Aunt Abby paused, and, following
her suggestion, we all emulated thu
COW, and considered" Mrs. Lorton'
wrinkled forehead relaxed, and after {
few moments she broke into a merr.
laugh.
"Why did you not read me tina
lecture week ago | believe that i
the way in which [ have been 'econo
1nizing' the whole of this past year"
| 81 have no doubt of it. 1t is the wa
| in which every one begins, fancy"
| Amt Ahhu amnand na for the nnN