The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-01-12
HIS WIFE WAS WASTEFUL

If Mr.. Josephus Pangrew thought he
had one special mission In life, 1t was
to guard Mrs. Josephus Pangrew from
the sin of extravaganza.
To hear his frequent admonidons on
domestic wastefulness one would have
supposed that Mrs Pangrew was the
most prodigal of housewives, when in
reality she was one who conducted her
housewifery with a wise economy.
Jane" Mr.. Pangrew would say, its
the little dribbling waste In the house
that keeps most folks poor. A woman
will let a fortune leak out Of mans
pocket. and he never knows where it's
gone, by being wasteful with the little
things Jane, do be keerful and sayln'
in your housework."
Coming into the kitchen one day he
spied a bar Of soap lying in basin of
water, which his wife had accidentally
dropped there a minute before.
While bathing her hands one Of the
little children fell from a chair, and
Fastening To its rescue the soap she
was using slipped from her hands and
fell into the water. 1t was while Mrs.
Pangrew was comforting the child that
Mr.. Pangrew came into the room and
saw the soap.
Good gracious, Janer' he animated
ly exclaimed see that cake Of soap
meltin' away In that water. What do
you mean by such extravaganceT
"The soap dropped into the water
when / ran to pick Rosy up, and
couldn't stop to take ii out" replied
the wife.
abruptly. Rosy wouldn't a died in
that second. It's Jest such wasteful-
ness that keeps US always so hard up.
It's enough TO discourage any man TO
know that what he's workin so hard
fer is being wasted by his wife's keer-
lessness."
If occasionally a loaf Of bread was
burned. necessitadng the loss of the
crust, Mr.. Pangrew would reproach
his wife as earnestly as though the hoss
involved their final ,ial ruin. When
his wife would remind him that some
article of food was out he would ex-
claim:
well, I never saw things give out
as they do in this house I'm jest al
ways a-buyin' 1t didn't use to be so
in my fathers family. Ny mother was
keerful and made things last"
How can ] make things lastT' his
wife would say. I'VE have a large
family. and how can they lastT'
well, l saw some rice out on the
ground the other day that had been
thrown out " the chickens. Talk Of
bein' economical and feeding chickens
ON rice at ten cents a pound
ut was "A little rice that stuck TO the
bottom Of the kettle in cooking and
wasn't ft to eat" the annoyed wife
rejoined. II never waste any food
that is fit to eat"
We'll, that's jest where the point
nes,' persisted her husband. IF you
was keerful In cooking there wouldn't
be any such waste in the food"
II can't see 70 the life of me how
YOU manage to use 50 much coal in that
kitchen" be would say. Il know l
could do the work there and not use
half as much"
Many a time after heaping such re-
proaches on his wife Mr.. Pangrew
would go 10 town and spend half a
dollar for cigars. But that was not
wastefulness, o no.
She had become so worn out and dis
gusted with it that the very mention
Of the word economy" would produce
feeling of nausea through her physi-
cal being, the same as comes to some
people at the recollection of swallow
ing pills or taking castor oil.
One summer morning this good lady
happened TO 90 in the barn and found
her husband on the floor surrounded
by what seemed 10 be bushels of old
harness.
What are you doing?" she asked.
MY work harness is all giving out"
he replied, and I'm trying 10 patch it
up with some Of these old straps"
why. you haven't had that harness
very long, have youT' she inquired.
About five or six years" he replied.
You bought it for good harness,
didn't youY she persisted in inqUiTing
Yes, it was a first-class work har-
ness. / paid $50 for it,"
'Why, see how dry and cracked it
Vs." said his wife, examining ii more
closely. Don't you ever oil itT
''Ye-e-s."
How many times have you oiled 1t
since You had itY' continued the in
quisitive woman.
80, don't know-two or three
times, guess" replied the economical
man.
'No wonder it's wearing out" said
ll fe. MY father used to say that
a good harness would last fifteen years
II given good care He made it rule
70 oil his harness every time 1t got wet;
and oiled 1t every few months any
way"
"Of course harness will last longer
with such care" Mr.. Pangrew replied.
But I'm always so busy ! don't have
time to oil mine"
A few days after, glancing out of the
window, Mrs. Pangrew saw her hus-
band driving out of the field with the
harvester When he drove up she
asked:
Have you been harvesting? j didn't
know the grain was ripe"
mo, I'm just bringing the harvester
up to get II ready" was the answer.