Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-09-18
WHAT A MAN COSTS.
Diary OF a Householder Who Spent aAO,-
600 In Twenty-Six Years.

Diary OF a Householder Who Spent e4O,-
900 in Twenty-Six Years.
What does it cost to bring up fam
lily? A gentleman whose experiepce
will be recognized as having points In
common with other householders, hos,
preserved an account of the expense -
which he has been in rearing family
of four children. To-day he entered the
following statement in his diary. 1t
might be valuable statistical fact for
the census takers:
To-day 1 close my diary. Twenty.
six years ago to-day l undertook 70
keep an accurate statement Of all my
earnings and expenses, SO that might
know actually how much it costs to live
in the married state. Then all was
anticipation. 1 and my young wife
counted our resources and our expecta-
tons. / received SIS week, with a
promise of more. 1 owned house
comfortable enough for frugal young
people to begin life in. We wero
spared house-rent therefore, and our
expenses have never included this item.
Retrospectively 1 see that we have
brought up four children in compare
lively easy circumstances. My health
has been good and my earnings have
been constantly received. / now re-
ceive $50 a week and we still own the
homestead without any great additions
10 it's wealth, except in an increased
amount of furniture. have little more
money than / had when first married
Perhaps, all told, have $500 now OF
assets; then / had perhaps 81, 500. We
have never wanted for bread. Some
times we have felt in need Of more
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
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 chill
aren, and the diary properly ends now.
Would be willing to go through the
same experience again of rearing
family? 1 asked my companion, who
had borne the greater part this ques-
ton, and know that she spoke with
heart full of love, but was compelled
to say: Not for all that money could
buy would go through again what has
been necessary to rear family
Expressed in dollars, the totals are
these: In &c years we have received
from my wages and incidental moneys
that came through my wife and the
children, $40, 9O0-or say $40, Oo0-be-
sides the amount of increase in the per-
manent assets. Given plant Of about
IS, 900 and two employees, a man and
wife, it has taken therefore about S1O,-
900 to each man produced. This OF
course includes all employees expenses
The plant is slightly enhanced 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 in
crease OF receipts, but there is no GER
tainty about this. The employees are
proud of their work, but don't want an
other job.
''Some of the items of expense have
been these: Doctors bills III years.,
s., 100 land all paid, probably the only
instance on record); groceries, average
per week first five years, 81; next three,
SO; remainder of the 26 years, s13
week. For 10 years it has taken on an
average one pair of shoes per week for
the family, including myself and wife,
The most annoying thing l have ever
known is the rapidity with which chill
dren wear out shoes. Only one thing ap-
proaches THE high price of chill
drep oes never could understand
., with all the civilization of the
age, and the demand for cheaper re-
suits, 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 / had 1t
to do would go to Timbuctoo, where
neither horses, mules, camels nor men
are shod. p-Indianapo News
The Germans say that much of the
leather sold in London and other En-
rlish cities is manufactured in Ger
many-trunks and purses particularly.
England is still recognized as the mar
kst in which to secure the hest boots
! for men and boys, but the footwear
manufactured for ladies Is simply afro
cious, being neither cheap nor comedy
nor durable. The French women have
pretty feet and shapelV ankles, and
they issist upon hosiery and boots that
| At and are pleasing TO the eye. So IL Is
| in France that these articles are 10 b
found in the choicest quality and styles
in fact, in Paris you find that objects
de vertu are unique only among Won-
snkind. Chicago News