The times., 1897-09-26
DOMESTIC ECONOMIES.


up, At 81 per eek sees an endless sue
oession OF Struggling aspirants. II the
young woman is Successful and gets on,
as the phrase in. another year sees her
moved down a flight into a room which
seems absolute luxury after the year OF
dressing in tie middle " her folding
bed, heeause until it was closed for the
Gay there was not standing room on the
floor.
And then as she gets to know the great
city she hears the talk OF studio life with
its snack OF BsteTnis, and she tires OF the
boarding house environment and loIigs FOR
Bachelor quarters Of her own. But she
must be fairly well established financially,
before She makes the experiment. for 10
have room il q studio building is tc
assumetle responsibility u a year 'srental
thing many a wage-earning woman hest
tates 10 do.
As cu'e. studio women go in pairs. a
chuTn serving the purpose OF companion
ship and eoonomy, expenses being CON
siderably Iessened when shared by two.
But row aud then gtrl prefers to live
alone and finds a small rooln which she
thinks viii be advantageous in A build
ing which isperhaps occupied by a hundred
men and women each absorbed in some
profession. And then having taken the
room. there arises ths quest ion or furnish
Ing anG tie skill and ingenuity of the
woman 5 put TO the test
A Certain journalistic bachelor has
solved tie problem il most practical
fashion but with the true artistic touch.
went up town TO see her soon after she
had taken Possession Of her new quarters,
auc- WIKI an the enthusiasm OF house.
holder she showed nae about her long. mar
row roora.
l got an effect OF wall gay with pic
tures, a ,iiyan heaped with cushions. an
oid-faSnioned bookcase with glass doors.
o desk, = couple of screens, tabourettes
and a low table, VITA a few chairs scat
tered about the SKIS foot room. NV
dear" I exclaimed. you look absolutely
chauningl How have YOU managed il
aIlT''
'MakesIif@s,' - she answered. swinging
open tine bookcase doors and dis pIa wing an
array oC clothes This is nv wardrobe.
which 1 hide from he gaze of the curious
by putting silk curtains inside the glass
doors bur it doesn't begin 10 hold an my
things, SO / have another closet in the
corner She folded back the Jauanese
screen and / saw how inceniously she
had arranged IL. Tackled to the lower
part Of tee screen was her S hoe bag, and
on The upper rim a succession Of strong
hooss were screwed into the wood. and
held iaLumera5le articles OF wearing
apparel This imprisoned closet was pushed
close aheut her trunk, and so gay and
decorative was its japanese exterior that
one " would never have suspected the
practical purpose TO which il was put
Ny desk is my joy She said pushing
the screen back in place, for il gives me
lots Of TooHi u write and hOldshe8ps besides
A big shelf for my books, another under
ne3th whore ! tuck boxes, and, above all.
8 drawer. You must know what that
means to a wOnlanl''
''You haven't any bureau, have your
say, suddenly wondering what I would
do wi'ioat that supposedly feminine ne
cessity
'-of course not; it would spoil the eff
feet Of iay den, even If I had any place
for 1t, which I haven't. That's why /
value my desk drawer so-that and tie
one IN she bookcase have 10 answer every
purposeiT
sat down on the divan- and my gaze
was concentrated on another screen At
the further end of the room. was be
ginning 10 lie suspicious Of screens More
mystrIi's over there2-' / asked anxiouslv
She laughed. This corner is really N :
piece de resistance but l snail never di-
vulge its secrets TO anyone but YOU
Again shefolded haCka screen. and peeked
in. '-low is that FOR a toilet-kitchen com
biEaJion2" she humorously asked.
The set hasin in the corner was taxed
70 its utmost capacity, for one side OF
the marble slab was filled with tie usual
tndispen sal ble toilet articles, while on
the otner end stood a small oil stove. On
the wall over the bowl hung a mirror
and beside il hanging shelves held her
cooking utensils and crockery. Under
meath, in the space left by the open
plHnbng, were timed groceries. a dust.
pan and brush, broom, oil can and other
necessities Of bachelor housekeeping. But
oldest Of all was large tin bread box,
standing ON a tan on the floor When /
asked her about II she smiled knowingly,
and lifted the lid.
Behold my ice boxl You know they
the shops, but simply couldn't afford The
extravaganza cf paying 81, so I bough;
a bread box for 69 cents punched a h ole
in the bottom for the watertO drip through
stood il On pail, and there / am with a
place 20 keep food. and able 10 offer my
friends a cool drink when they drop in
OF 2 warm day" She took a syphon OF
soda and & jar Of milk off the ice filled
two glasses with the mixture, and drank
20 Ter clever ingenuity.
But the girl who sets up her house
hold goods in a studio, finds herself
forced into certain duties domestic that
are iIks0ne to the bachelor maid. To
be sure, she does not grapple with the
servant question, which forms the sole
topic Of conversation at SO many women's
clubs, but there are a thousand and one
details of domesticity that enter into beI
living.
Said another woman tome recently: Ny
dear stick 10 your boarding house. They
all IaiHd their business down there. yol,
have sufficient independence ana no work.
Then when summer comes sou can get out
Of iowa, leaving no running expenses be.
hind YOU"
"But you're 50 altogether independent and
sozy up here, L answered, enyiously. with
a glance about the pretty roon., "and you
have all the luxuries of electric lights and
elevator and mail and everything brought
70 your door,
'Df course, it's convenient and charming Y
III moi dispute that, and it's my own little
den, and I love it, but nevertheless. I do
maintain That fer women like you and ne,