Los Cerrillos rustler. (Cerrillos, N.M.) 188?-1891, 1891-06-26
As A vlcE.


Economy h woman's pet vice hav-
ing made that statement now let IA be-
Ein 10 qualify. Economy isnt always
prudence Prudence il widely far~ighi-
ed. and makes accoun Of the end In the
means while economy deals with the
frugal possibilities Of the present alone.
Economy Il saving dollars fer the sake
Of the dollars; prudence may be the
spending Of dollars for the sake Of
something that il better worth ones
while than money.
Once In a while II happens that some
straight-brained woman finds out the
real nature Of economy. and gives Il rs
rightful place, but most women persist
In regarding II n the most shining
jewel in their crown Of virtues And
the mischief Of IL Is that this happens
often 20 the woman who has most need
of the broader outlook; namely, the
working-woman. To illustrates: A
working-woman starts out In her busi-
ness life with a capital represented by
three things: her special competence In
her work, her health and all the time
there Is The first Is likely 10 be in
creased by every days achievement;
she Is careful OF the second, because
she understands its value; of the neces-
sity OF making the third count as an in
vestment she usually has not the faint.
est conception. Let us calculate a little.
Eight hours a day are spent In her
work, eight more are given TO sleep.
Suppose she spends four more at meals
and in social enjoyment there are still
four hours left in each twenty-four,
amounting TO just two months out of
the twelve.
II is precisely In her disposition Of
this that she shows her lack of ono
mic foresight II she is not serious In
her work, and determined in her pur-
pose TO keep Il constantly increasing in
worth and dignity, she wastes this
time in idle chattering, in reading
worthless books, in dawdling and
dreaming. II she is serious, unless she
is wisely prudent and foresighted, she
does a thing that in its effect upon her
business future is no less certainly
harmful than the other. She practices
u mischievous and petty economy. She
begins TO save her dollars by doing f1
herself the things that she would have
TO pay dollars to somebody else for do
ing for her. In order that she may
have finer clothes or more of them
without increase of expense, or perhaps
in single-hearted and unselfish economy,
she makes her plain gown in her spare
hours, and trims her hats, and EN-
broiders her handkerchiefs, and makes
dainty adornments for her her neck.
And all the while she does these things
she hugs 10 her dear foolish heart tho
delusiSn that she is doing a praise.
worthy deed. As II there were no pru-
dence except the prudence of going
without! And yet about her lie the
wide fields of culture and the limitless
opportunities that como with n higher
competence. The hours she spends in
the course of n year in saving a few
dollars would, II invested in reading
helpful books, in studying along the
lines of her chosen work, bring n com
p~etence that would enable her 10 earn
five times the paltry saving.
A few weeks ago a young woman,
who was employed at an unusually
good salary by a great daily newspaper
as stenographer to the editorial staff,
showed the writer, with much joy, an
under-petticoat which she had just fin
ished for herself. 1t was of pale blue
flannel, handsomely embroidered about
the edges, and an elaborate flower pat.
tern ran halfway up the band.
81 did il all myself evenings" she e..
planned, gleefully, $50 IL didn't cost m Z
a cent, except for the materials"
Two weeks later tina poor girl wat
dismissed because she was not widely
enough informed on the topics OF the day
TO enable her TO take the dictation O.
editorial writers rapidly and accurate
ly. 1t was a gorgeous flannel pctticoa',
to be sure, but it wasn't worth her pos.-
ton, was IL?
Not long ago two working-women
earning nearly the same salaries were
discussing questions of common inter
est
Said the older: ~ make my own
gowns, because | can't afford TO put
them out"
"Ah," said the younger one, II put
mine out, because / can't afford to make
them!"
All this discusses the matter from the
standpoint Of worldly wisdom, OF dollar
prudence, and still leaves out of accoun;
the higher prudence that beeets the
love of knowledge and of mental
strength for their own sakes rattle,
than for what they will bring in open
market. And that is the real stand.
point, to be sure. But 1t is the purpose
of this article simply TO present the
business aspect of the matter, TO show.
II possible, the economic mistake Of the
working-woman who invests her time