The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1888-12-22
THE MANAGING WIFE.

and dollars ?"
'Yes, l managed pretty well, don
you think sop
"Do you think it managing well tt
exceed your income2" said his wife.
"What's thirty seven cents?" salt
Mr.. Newton, lightly.
"Not much to be sure, but still some
thing. 1t seems to me that we ough
to have saved instead Of falling behind.
"But how can | save on this salary
Elizabeth? We haven't lived extrava
gantly. Still it seems to have taken all.
"Perhaps there is something in which
we might retrench, Suppose you men
ton some of the items"
tine most important are house rent
one hundred and fifty dollars, and ar,
ticles of food, $500.
Gust half"
eyes, and you will admit we cannot
retrencn there, Elizabeth? l like tc
live well. | had enough poor board
before | married. Now l mean to live
WELL"
"Still we ought to be saving up some
thirg against a rainy day, Ezra"
"That would be something like car.
rying an umbrella when the sun shines.
"Still it Is well to have an umbrella
in the house"
81 can't controvert your logic Eliza
beth: but I'm afraid we shall not be
able to save up anything this year
When l get my salary raised it will be
time enough to think of that
"Let me make a proposition to you, y
SAID Mrs. Newton. "You say that one
half of your income has been expended
on articles of food. Are you willing to
allow me that sum for the purpose?"
"You guarantee to pay all bills out
of it, do you?"
"Yes."
"And relieve me of all cares on tha,
point?"
"Yes."
"Then | will shift the responsibility
upon you with pleasure. But l can tel
you beforehand that you won't be able
to save much out of It."
"Perhaps not. AT any rate l will
engage not to exceed it,
That's well. | shouldn't relish hav.
ing any additional bills to pay. As
am paid every month l will at each
payment hand you half the money"
The different characters of the hus.
band and wife may be judged from the
conversation which has been recorded
Mr.. Newman had but little prudence
or foresight, and seemed to fancy that
whatever contingencies might arise ii
the future he would somehow be pro.
vided for. Now trust ID Providence is
a very proper feeling, but there is a
good deal of truth in the old adage
that God helps those who help them
selves.
Mrs. Newton, on the contrary, haC
been brought up in family which wa:
compelled to be economical, and al
though she was not. disposed to den,
herself comforts, yet she felt that it wa:
desirable to procure them at a fai
price.
The time at which this conversation
took place was at the commencement
of the second year of their married life
The first step which Mr.. Newtor
took on accepting charge of the house
hold expenses, was to institute tn,
practice of paying cash for all article
that came under her department. Sh,
accordingly called on the butcher ant
inquired:
GLOW often have you been in tn
habit of presenting your bills, Mr.. VIII
liams ?"
"Once in SIX months"
"And suppose you sometimes hav
bad bills?"
Eyes; one-third of my profits ar
swept off by them.'
"And you could afford, l suppose
to sell somewhat cheaper for cash7"
"Yes and | would be glad if all Q
my customers would give me a chanc
to do that"
~ will set them an example then,
said Mrs. Newton. thereafter what
ever articles are purchased OF you wi
be paid for on the spot, and we sha
expect you to sell as reasonably as yo
can."
This arrangement was also made wit
others, who, it is scarcely needful t
say, were very glad to enter into tn
arrangement. Ready money is tn
great support of trade, and cash Gus
toner is worth two who purchase O.
credit
Fortunately Mrs. Newton had a sma
supply OF money by her, which laste
till the first monthly instalment fror
her husband became due. Thus sh
was enabled to carry out her cash pla
from the very beginning.
There are other ways in which a care
full housekeeper is able to limit expens
which Mrs. Newton did not overlook
With an object in view she was alway
on the lookout to prevent waste, an
to get the full value of whatever wa
expended.
The result was beyond her anticips
tions. AT the close of the year on e,
aiming her bank book, for she had res
ularly deposited whatever money sh
had not had occasion to use in one
these institutions, she found that sh
had SI5o besides reimburslng herse
for the money expended during the fir