Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-01-13
IDEAL COOPERATION.
HOW FOUR AGREEABLE NEW YORK
WOMEN MANAGE TO LIVE.

"O"cN NTNNN0C " I've
IL Costs Them $3.50 IA Year Apiece, but
They Have Delightful Home-One
Woman Acts ms Agent-They Have
Hired a House-How They Furnished It
Don't talk to me OF cooperative house
keeping" said a prejudiced woman.
above all, don't talk OF cooperative
housekeeping for women alone. IL can't
be done. tell you no roof is strong enough
TO cover three or four women who think
they can keep house together A hornets
nest would be little paradise beside such
n home"
But cooperative housekeeping can be
made "a success. There must, of course, be
more or less OF individual compromise,
community of taste, good judgment and
plain, every day common sense employed
in It's workings. Method too. There must
be no ht-and-miss, go-as-you-please fash
ions adopted, but regular, unfaltering
system. Moreover, when choosing CO.
operators, two kinds of people should be
persistently avoided - those who love
everybody to gish and those who believe
they have special permit TO run the en-
tire solar system
Suppose for one moment that you are "a
lone, lOrn creetur," wearied of boarding,
and that you desire TO take unto yourself
seven other spirits do not select the woman
who Is externally telling you how sweet and
lovely you are, nor yet the one who is con-
stautly defining your duty. Take rather
the woman who can hold her tongue and
mind her business II such II rara avis can
he caught
Uptown, in one OF the nineties, this ex-
pertinent has been tried and with most
beautiful results. Four women, two Of
whom are well known journalists, the
third an author and the fourth an artist
have taken n pretty house at rental of
$1,000 q year The author, by virtue Of her
years, her lovely gray hair and bank &C
count, is the manager OF the establishment,
doing all the ordering, marketing paying
OF bills etc.
AT the end of each month the accounts
are presented TO the others, and each one
settles for her share of the comforts and
Inquiries enjoyed The lady manager puts
these accounts under four heads--house
expenses, including rent, gas, coal, ETC.;
service, which includes all help. in doors
and out, table expenses; breakage and
wear and tear. She keeps an itemized ac-
count OF all these expenses aud insists that
the Others shall examine her books at the
end of each month
The service consists of a maid, who does
everything about the house save the wash
ing and ironing, which is attended 20 BY
lauudres., who comes Monday and Tues.
day OF each week, and a colored man, who
attends 20 the furnace. takes care Of the
front walk, steps, windows and vestibule.
II special service ia required the manager
acts ~ her discretion.
In the matter OF food IL Is quite fortu-
nate that this quartet has a unsnimity Of
TASTE For breakfast there is ALWAYS "A
cereal with cream, fruit, eggs. toast and
coffee. There are always chops in the re-
frigerator Each member of the family
comes down when she pleases to find the
oatmeal and coffee hot, the eggs ready TO
lie boiled az moments notice, and If she
wishes "a chop has only 70 order il quickly
broiled Every one is away for luncheon.
For dinner there are always n soup. plain
salad, roast, three vegetables, dessert
and coffee
II wine is wished that, too. is paid for
from the common purse, though if one
wishes 10 bring home "a treat in the line of
wine or fruit no objection Is offered BY the
Others. Indeed, the newspaper women
generally get the fruit down town, as it can
be fought 50 much cheaper than at the up
town groceries. The subject is usually
discussed az breakfast. and il fruit is re-
quirei Miss \. or Miss Is volunteers to
bring IL home. Mrs C. pays Miss A or
Miss b for the box OF grapes or bag OF
I-ars and il l. charged in the table ex-
pefses
The entertainment of guests is provided
for after this manner: Guests are usually
hidden 10 diurcr on one of the evenings
when the lauudr,ss Is In the house. in
order that she may assist the maid of all
work, however, there IS no strict rule to |
be followed ANY member OF the house !
hold may bring home "a friend To An in
formal dinner, and he perfectly sure that
there will he enough and TO spare Each
member keeps "a list Of her guests, and
When she has bad twenty-One, which Is
considered an equivalent for one weak,
boaIu, She has s. added TO her share Of tho |
monthly table expense In case this han, |
py family wishes to give a tea or recepttop |
all EXPENSE including Invitations, nost- /
age, refreshmeut- special service and en- |
'e' '''iuiueui. ''' '''' ~" 10 manner !
of this
akin to
q gone
1920, 'uy iutuer AMI pride themselves
gu cooperative nilliner and u co-opera-
tive manicure and hairdrtSser.
The milliner IL worthy woman with nor
enough capital To set up au establishment
and prOtege Of til member Of this CO.
operative household, comes On certain |
days and proceeds t. make over and con |
struct hats and bUunets
Ia furnishing the house each woman |
brought what pieces Of furniture she had
The Kitchen and laundry furniture yyer.
bought from a common fund. Each mem
UT lurh'eHeu her own sleeping apartment,
anu the new furniture that was necessary |
was uouHht ~ their choice dictated The |
authUr bought the rugs for the receutiop |
room, hung its walls with her pictures and |
lined the library walls with old prints she |
had picked up ia Europe Tue artist did |
All sorts Of beautiful things with her brush |
and bought cabinets and dvans. The |
newspaper women furnished the dining /
room All contributed books aud brio a
trdC. One bedroom shows its owners in
dl'lduauts iu antique mahogany and hang
lug7 OF gold color, another Is "A dream of
white anu gold and blue, still another is
drapeu ana hung In fantastic chintzr.s. and |
each one thinks her'bower the prettiest.
And how do we get on" repeated a
member OF TINS unique household. Beau
Iltuly. And here is the secret: We let
each Other alone. We do Us we please; ask
no foolish or impairment Questions. do not
attempt % run each other. II one chooses
70 % Immediately 10 her nom after din
ler, feeling bit cru-s. the rest do not look
Il each other and say. 'Now, | wonder
What ais her II we wish o. read ne read
We do not expect TO be entertained or
pushed over We act like reasonable hu-
nAn beings, and we get on admirably"
The expenses Of this establishments mr.,
Don't N.vp1 year, or $50 for each mem
er. Tbs Is no greater expense than fash
enable boarding. and gives these women
ne delightful advantages OF a home ,
dun Sessions Upper in New York
World
VANQUiSHED az hnrc