The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11
FOR FEMININE READERS
THE COST OF LIVING MAY AND DOES
DEPEND on MANY CONDITIONS.
Housekeeping the Only True Method
of Living for Married Couples
American Beauties as Brides.

A writer in the Philadelphia Press points
out that the personal factor must be consid-
cred in the laying down of general rules: No
sum Will come out right if there is any fac
tor that is variable. The same Of any prob
lem in sociology or economies; of many
things we can not assert that they are
absolutely good or bad. 1t is not safe to
say that this or that achievement is posi-
BILE until we know into whose hands it is
to be intrusted
At the recent convention of working
women's clubs in this city an excellent lady
read a paper on How to Dress on Fifty
Dollars a Year" She showed by figures
that the main articles of womans dress
can be brought within 1913 a year. leaving
a margin of SIT for gloves, wells and
thousand little things belonging to the toll
eft which have no name. Unquestionably it
can be done, very possibly it has been
done; but much depends. Has the woman
genius for cutting and fitting and MAX
ing her own dresses? Can she mend every
article Of clothing the moment a stitch is
needed, so thar dress or stockings will not
show the marks of age, but will retain the
eternal freshness Of youth? And, granting
the faculty, has she the tim, Still more
granting the faculty and the time, is this
ACNCo5clIily TIC very DGSL use WHICH she can
make of the time? 1t may be that in doing
twenty-five cents worth Of ;uending she
will use time that might be worth in other
ways as many dollars, or that might effect
a great saving in the housekeeping Then,
is her employment such as not TO demand
expensive dresses, or Is it such that she
must always be on dress parade? Is her
work such will be hard IN her dresses,
or the reverse? Then there are physical
peculiarities. A woman VINO perspires free
ly perhaps needs fresh wash dress every
day during the summer, while another
would wear dress for three weeks.
In the Ladies' Home Journal Mrs. Sarah
Tyson Rorer, a very high authority in all
household and domestic matters, says: "A
family of six with two servants can live
quite we'll with an expenditure for the table
of $14 a week. Where people have suf-
ticient means to live as the world calls well,
but which, from a hygienic standpoint, is
really bad, $500 a year is a very liberal al
loWance. On this in winter you may have
an occasional dish of terrapin, provided you
twice week, an entree now and then,
oysters and the more dainty varieties of
fish. Fourteen dollars week for eight
persons is about 20 cents a day for each
one, or 1-3 cents a meal Ten dollars
week is $1.25 for each person, or cents
a meal. No doubt life, and perhaps health,
we will not deny that you may have IAN
occasional dish of terrapin provided you
use the 1reSn Wdler)I ana poultry Twice
a week, with oysters and the more dainty
varieties of fish, but can this be done by
everybody. Can it be done by the average
woman who has not only the care of the
table, but also the other cares that come
to the head of the family, relating to the
house, the children, social duties, church
and charitable and club work? In another
paragraph of the same article Mrs. Rorer
speaks of her eighteen years experience
but it is not every housekeeper who is as
bright and resourceful as Mrs Rorer, or
who has her eighteen years experience or
her facilities for buying at the lowest mar
llet rates. When we read such articles we
are disposed to fear that they will fall
into the hands of those for whom they
were not designed. Some husband or father
who is frugal on the expenditures of every
one but himself will say to the wife or
daughter: Il have been allowing you 500
for dress, but 1 am satisfied that $50 is
enough" or, 81 have been allowing you $40
a week for the table, but l am convinced
lavish, and 1 shall expect terrapin, poultry
oysters and the more dainty variety of
fish"
We must allow for the personal fac
and professions. A new stove is adver-
tised which will bake a barrel of flour with
the expenditure of five, or possibly ten,
pounds of coal. Very likely this can be
the good faith of anyone; we do not doubt
that these stoves would achieve all these
wonders, and that one cake of the latest
invented soap would do a weeks washing
for a large family, but-in whose hands?
Pure mathematics is one thing-two and
two always make four. But in mind, in
domestic economy, in society, we cannot
tell. Two and two of what?
1t is very we'll that these estimates should
be made; they are suggestive and always
have an element of truth; but we must
learn to interpret figures, and we must
always and everywhere, allow for the per-