Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-22
LIGHT HOUSEKEEPING.
The Convenienccs and Inconveniences Of Liv-
ing In ROOma

The Convenienccs and Inconveniences Of Liv-
ing In Rooma
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
How the average citizen can live comfortably
and economically is a problem that has been
solved in Washington better perhaps than in
any other American city. The fact that so many
people live here on dc finite salaries that insure
certain sum, while leaving small margin for
waste. has made such habit and necessity for
calculation and plan that it would be strange il
the cost Of getting the most from ones means
had not reached here fine point.
What is called Eight housekeeping" in one,
two or more rooms. is a common and popular
method of solving the problem of daily living.
Ibis plan omits the laundry from the limited
households thing easily done in city where
most OF the house-working women prefer half
adollar earned at home at their own convenience
to whole dollar earned in service place where
their time is not their own. Light housekeep-
Ing, too, is supposed to exclude the cooking
that requires much fire or dliuses offensively
Its odors through the house-accumulates
garbage In objectionable quantity, and is at
tended with the errands OF grocers milkmen.
icemen, servants, DC. in any appreciable guam
tity. In these days. where the art of earning food
has been so successful, and with a market 20
excellent and 90 willing to sell in small quanti-
ties as Washington markets are. it is quite pos
sible for one person to live comfortably and
economically in one room by light housekeep-
ing. and so to manage IL that it shall not be an
Undesirable nuisance 70 those of whom they rent
that one room. The tenants can SO manage
that the person who owns the house shall not
do az one in this city once did, advertise rooms
Tor amy legitimate purpose under heaven ex-
cept light housekeeping"
One lady that knew resorting to light house.
she lived as we'll a. she wished to on 81 o month
Another said she was comfortable with S5. OF
course these ladies had rare skill as cooks and
could prepare food palatsbly and without
waste or they could never have accomplished
this.
Light housekeeping is resorted to by many
small families in order to be rid of the neces-
sity OF employing servant, and where servants
are dishonest it is great gain TO be able to do
without them The ringing of the door bell
need not make the tenant in rooms frantic,
ring they never so loudly. The care of the
pavement and a thousand other petty cases do
not devolve upon them; in Short housekeeper
can never know how many troubles she escapes
until she has tried the independence she finds
In being made comfortable In some other per-
sons house.
1t Is common saying that no house is large
enough for two families but that this common
saying Is not true saying many well-behaved
and well-disposed persons in this city have
proved. Il have always got along well
IN these Washington boarding houses,
for have always made up my mind to
get everything could for my money" This
remark was made by one woman to another,
who replied: II, too. have always got along
very we'll in them. and l have done it by con-
: .g now l should like to be treated by
them il were in their place" An amazed
look OF perple1ity was the answer to this last
remark. Seldom does the Golden Rule need to
come oftener into use than in the everyday
life Of room re- nting, boarding and light house
keeping that distinguishes this city, nor would
4 q ha of EntI, Md
the pulpit to emphasize this fact.
The breaking of verbal engagements in these
matters among psople who usually are supposed
to lie honorable Is So common that it il gener-
ally accepted now that no engagement is bind
ing that is rot accompanied by q deposit
offered and received. Experience has taught
this to many who at first scOrned the precau-
ton.
1t seems generally understood in this COM
munity that light housekeeping with other
peoples carpets and furniture is hardly fair.
and unfurnished rooms usually called for;
yet halls and stairways must have extra use
the bath room must be used more OF less as a
kitchen-and with the best of intentions and
care the front door bell must ring more for a
Housekeeping than for an ordinary lodger SO
that every one should in justice expect to pay
higher price for such privilege. Where it
happens. as have known 1t to happen in more
than one instance, that members Of the family
rooming in other houses We're boarded by the
one who had received in one the privilege Of
cooking the case becomes serious. Ii, in adj
dition to this the garbage is thrown into the
water pipes and plumbers bill is to pay,
as Is sometimes the case, no wonder
that positive veto is entered against light
housekeeping by the indignant landlord or
landlady. still the fact remains that this
method Of living can be SO managed that COM
fort can be secured at about hah the expense
Of ordinary methods and no serious damage
done to the houses and tempers Of others.
In the upper story Of a house the odors Of
cooking need not annoy. With care the water
pipes need not be choked up. The grocer need
not ring beyond ordinary patience to bear and
and comfort. nc