Smyrna times., 1890-10-01
WHOLE NO. I.849.
What a Family Costs.
EXTRACTS FROM THE DIARY OF A
PRACTICAL MAN.-sHoEs BEAT
EVERYTHING.

what does it cost to bring up a fam.
lily? A gentleman whose experience
VIII be recognized as having points in
common with other householders. has
preserved an account of the expense to
which he has been 10 rearing a family
OF four children. To-day he entered
the following statement in his diary.
1t might be a valuable fact for the CEN
sus takers:
Today, 1 close my diary. Twenty
SIX years ago to-day undertook to
Keep an accurate account ofall nv
earnings and expenses, so that
might know accurately how much
1t costs to live in a married state.
Then all was anticipation. and nv
young wife counted our resources and
our expectations. l received Sl5 a
week, with the promise of more. 7
owned house comfortable enough for
frugal young people to begin life in.
we were spared house rent. therefore
and our expenses have never included
this item. Retrospectively, 1 see we
nave brought up four children in com.
paratively easy circumstances. Nv
health has been good and my earnings
nave been constantly received. 1 now
receive $50 week and we still own
the Old homestead without any great
addition to its wealth, except in an in.
creased amount of furniture. have
little more money than had when
hrst married. Perhaps, all told, I have
now $500 of assets; then had per.
haps, $4,000. We have never wanted
for bread. Sometimes we have felt the
need gilmore money. Three of the
children are now making their own
way. Next week the fourth graduates
at the high school, having received the
same schooling that others have had
and will begin to look out for himself
/ shall not necessarily be at any
more expense on account of nv chill
dren and my diary ends here. Would
l be able again to go through the same
experience of raising a family? I
asked my companion, who had born
the greater part, this question, and 1
know that she spoke with a heart full
of love, but was compelled to say: Not
for all that money could buy, would I
60 through again what has been nee
essary to rear a family
Expressed in dollars the totals are
these: In twenty-six years we have re-
ceived from my wages and incidental
moneys that came through my wife
and children, S40,9OO-or say $4,000
besides the amount of increase in the
permanent assets. Given plant of about
$1,000 and two employees, man and
wife, it has taken, therefore, about $1O,-
600 to each man produced. This, of
course, included all the employees ex-
penses. The plant is slightly enhan-
ced in value, but the employees have
seen their best days. The quality of
the goods is yet to be demonstrated.
Prospects happily point to cessation of
labor and an increase of receipts, but
there is no certainty about this. The
employees are proud of their work, but
don't want another job.
Some of the items of expense have
been these; Doctors bills (twenty-
seven years., $2,1OO land all paid, pro-
badly the only instance on record);
groceries average per week first five
years, 81; next three, 50; remainder
of the twenty-six years, $13 a week.
For ten years it has taken on an aver
age one pair of shoes per week for the
family, including myself and wife. The
most annoying thing that have ever
known of is the rapidity with which
children wear out shoes. Only one
thing approaches 1.-THE high price of
childrens shoes. never could under
stand how, with all the civilization of
the age and the demand for cheaper
results, children's shoes have not been
reduced in price. The human shoe is
a failure. No man, not rich can afford
to buy shoes for family, and if I had
it to do would go to Timbucktoo,
where neither ses,mules, camels nor
men are shod."