The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-11-20
woekiNeMEN or LoAooN.
Cow They Manage - More Economical
Than Those of America.

Than Those of America.
The workingnen of London are
poorly paid in comparison with the
workingmen of New York, but as far
as could Judge they lived as well, or
better The reason for this sl,elned to
be that rents and everything used and
consumed in the families, except
meats, were lower in London than in
New York, and that the English
workinemen were better managers
and more economical than the work
ingmen of the United States. Having
understood that the watchmen in Lon
don were receiving only a pound
week for their services, I thought that
would like to know how they man
aged to live on SO small pay, so l
asked night watchman on the square
where lived if he had a family. Il
have, SIR" said he; Il have a wife and
three children" ''And can you live
comfortably on a pound week." Gin
United States money seventy cents
day.) Eyes, sir" he replied; we've
managed to get along so far, and as
two Of my children will soon be able
to earn something I am pretty well
satisfied"
will you tell me-" I asked again,
''how you manage to make both ends
meet-you don't run in debt, I
hope2" "Oh, no, sir, I never runs in
debt; I knows just how much | am to
get each week, and, as the saying is, |
cuts my coat according to the cloth. !
cannot tell you exactly how much
everything costs, but I can tell you
what we do. In the first place we sets
aside what we have to pay each month
for rent, and the next what we have
to pay for coal-we must have roof
over our heads and fire to cook with
and keep US warm when the weather
is cold-then a few pennies are laid
aside which 60 to the society, that will
give US a decent burial; then we cal
culates just how much we can spend a
day for food, and have enough left
over for clothing, and little besides
We usually have meat once and some
times twice a week, and always on
Sundays, and we have plenty Of pota,
toes and bread. The city furnishes
ne with two suits of clothes year,
and my wife buys the cloth for the
other things I needs, and for her
clothes and the children's, and she
makes them up. I helps her myself,
sometimes, about the housework."
You say" remarked, you have
little left over; what do you do with
that''' Oh, sir, that is put in the
savings bank, SO that we may have
something to fall back upon if any Of
US gets sick" 'sDo you drink any
iquorY' mo, sir" tsNot even beerI"
Not often, I like a glass of beer as
well as anybody, but I might lose my
place If was often seen in beer shops,
and I can get along just as well with
out it; besides, sir, could not afford
to drink beer if I wanted to- ga good
many Of your class" I said, "do drink
it, and good deal OF. it." That is
true, sir; and a good many Of them
dies in the almshouse." ''Do you take
nothing in these long, chilly nights2"
Nothing but tea, sir, which my wife
makes for me. I takes bottle of it in
my pocket, and drinks that as I takes
my rounds. 1t isa good deal cheaper,
and l am sure it is good deal better
for me than beer" ',One question
more, and I have done; how is it about
your children; you don't let them grow
Up in ignorance, I supposed Who
zeaches them2" ''They goes to the
free school, sir; we have free schools
in London" I was good deal inter
ssted in this mans story, which |
drew out of him by questions. He
was man supporting himself and bis
family on 20 cents day, and yet hale,
hearty and contented. Who are more
entitled to respect than such men -
Hugh NcCulloch's Men and Measures