Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-10-29

To-day he entered the following statement
in his diary. 1t might be valuable fact
for the census takers.
To-day close my diary. Twenty-six
years ago to-day undertook to keep an
accurate statement of my earnings and eI-
penses, so that might know actually how
much it costs to live in a married state.
Then all was anticipation. / and my
young wife counted our resources and our
expectations. / received fifteen dollars
week, with the promise of more owned
ra house comfortable enough for frugal
young people to begin life in. We were
spared house rent, therefore, and our ex-
penses have never included this item. Ret
respectively, 1 see that We have brought
up four children in comparatively easy
circumstances My health has been good,
and my earnings have been constantly re-
ceived. l now receive thirty dollars a
week, and we still own the homestead,
without any great additions to its wealth
except in an increased amount of furni-
ture. 1 have little more money than had
when first married. Perhaps, all told, 1
have thirty-f five hundred dollars now of
assets; then I had perhaps twenty-five
hundred dollars. We have never wanted
for bread. Sometimes we have felt in
need of more money. Three of the chill
dren are now making their own way
Next week the fourth graduates at the
high school, having received the same
schooling that the others have had, and
will begin to look out for himself
81 shall not necessarily be at any more
expense on account of my children, and
the diary properly ends now. Would be
able to 60 through the same experience
again of raising a familya I asked my
| companion, who had borne the greater
part, this question, and I know that she
| spoke with heart full of love, but was
/ compelled to say: Not for all that money
could buy would I go through again what
| has been necessary to rear a family
| Expressed in dollars the totals are
these: In twenty-six years we have re-
| eys that came through my wife and chill
dren, forty thousand nine hundred dollars
or, say forty thousand dollars-besides
the amount of increase in the permanent
assets. Given a plant of about three
thousand dollars and two employees, a man
and wife, it has taken, therefore, about
ten thousand dollars to each man pro-
duced. This, of course, included all EN-.
ployes' expenses. The plant is slightly
enhanced in value, but the employees have
seen their best days. The quality of the
goods is yet TO De demonstrated. Prospects
happily point to cessation of labor and an
increase of receipts, but there is no GER
tainty about this. The employees are
proud of their work, but don't want an.
other job. s,. -.z- ese-
| "Some of the items of expense have
been these: Doctors bills Qwenty-seven
| years., twenty-one hundred dollars land
all paid, probably the only instance on re-
eord); groceries, average per week first five
years, seven dollars; next three, nine dol
lars; remainder of the twenty-six years,
thirteen dollars q week. For ten years il
has taken on an average one pair of shoes
per week for the family, including myself
and wife. The most annoying thing
have ever known is the rapidity with
which children wear out shoes. Only one
thing approaches 1.-THE high price oi
children's shoes. 1 never could under
stand how, with all the civilization of the
age and the demand for cheaper results
children's shoes havs not been reduced il
price. The human shoe is failure Nc
man not rich can afford to buy shoes for 4
family, and if had it to do would GO tC
Timbuctoo, where neither horses, mules
camels nor men are shod."