The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1888-11-03
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THE MANAGING WIFE.

Ad A1IA4N 1AN&41NN " - LIZ
Ezra Newton had just finished looking
over his yearly accounts.
"Well,'' asked his wife, looking up, show
do you come up?"
II tind,' said her husband, "that my ex-
pens scs during the last year have been 81
cents over thousand dollars
q And your income has been thousand
SRfs2' n,,.,..a n,.t,v vel, a,dn., , ,y
!'po you think i managing well to ex-
coed your incone7" salq als wife.
"Whats thirty-seven cents" said Mr..
Newton, lightly"
"Not much to be sure, but still some
thing. 1t seems to me that we ought to
have saved instead of alllng,behind.%
aRut how can l save on this salary,
Elizabeth? We haven't lived extrava,
gautly. Still it seems TO have taken oil, j"
"Perhaps there is something in which
we might retrench. Suppose you mention
some of the items.
"The most important are house rent, one
hundred and fifty dollars, and articles Of
food, five hundred dollars
AIust half"
Eyes, and you'll admit that We can't re-
trench there, Elizabeth | like to live
WE'LL had enough poor board before |
married. Now l mean to live well.
"Still we ought to be saving up some
thing against a rainy day, Ezra"
@That would be something like carrying
an umbrella when the sun shines.
"Still it is well to have an umbrella in
the house.
~ can't controvert your logic, Elizabeth;
but | am afraid we shan't be able to save
up anything this year. When | get my
salary raised, it will be time enough to think
of that"
'Let me make proposition to you, said
Mrs. Newton. "You say that one half Of
your incame has been expended on articles
Of food. Are you willing to allow me that
sum for the purpose 7"
"You guarantee to pay all bills out of
it?"
eyes"
"And relieve me of all cares on that
point?"
eyes"
sThep | will shift the responsibility upon
you with pleasure, But | can tell you be-
forehand that you won't be able to save
much out of it. ;"
"Perhaps not. At any rate l will en-
gage not to exceed it,
"That's we'll I shouldn't relish having
any additional bills to pay As | am paid
every month will at each payment hand
you half the money"
The differing characters Of the husband
and wife may be judged from the conversa-
ton which has been recorded. Mr.. New
ton had but little prudence or foresight.
He lived chiefly for the present, and seemed
to fancy that whatever contingencies might
arise in the future he would somehow be
provided for. Now trust in Providence is
q very proper feeling, but there is good
deal of truth in the old adage that God
helps those who help themselves.
Mrs. Newton, on the contrary, had been
brought up in family which was COM
PEELED to be economical, and although she
was not disposed to deny herself comforts
yet she felt that it was desirable to procure
them at fair price.
The time at which this conversation took
place was at the commencement OF the sec
ond year of their married life.
The first step which Mrs. Newton took
on accepting the charge Of the household
expresses, was to institute the practice Of
payf1s6ash for all articles that came undel
her department. She accordingly called
on the butcher and inquired:
| Chow often have you been in the habit
of presenting your bills, Mr.. Williams 2
"Once in six months, was the reply.
Sand l suppose you sometimes have baf
bills"
"Yes; one.third CT my profits on an aver
age are are swept off by them"
"And you could afford, suppose, tc
sell somewhat cheaper for ready money 2
eyes; and 1 would be glad if all my Gus
toners would give me chance to do SO.
II will set them an example, then, sale
Mrs. Newton. thereafter whatever arti
cles are purchased of you will be paid 70
on the spot, and we shall expect you to sci
as reasonably as you can"
This arrangement was also made witt
others, who, it is scarcely needful to say
were very glad to enter into the arrange
ment. Ready money is the great suppor
of trade, and cash customer is worth tw
. who purchase on credit.
Fortunately Mrs. Newton had small
supply of money by her, which lasted til
the first monthly instalment from her hus
band became due. Thus she was enable
to carry out her cash plan from the begin
ming.
There were other ways in which care
full housekeeper is able to limit expens
which Mrs. Newton did not overlook
With an object in view she was always o
: the lookout to prevent waste, and to e
the full value of whatever was expended
The result was beyond her anticipation
] At the close of the year on examining ne
!. bank book, for she had regularly deposite
whatever money she had not had occasio
, to use in one of these institutions, 81
/ found that she had $3.50 besides reimbur
ing herself for the money expended durir
I the first month, and having enough left
last another.
! aWell, Elizabeth, have you kept with