The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-18
TWICE A WEEK, $l.5O A YEAR
How Family Lived Oh Ten Dolla,s q
Month.

quence in tho series of main topic
articles-the Feature stories," to use
newspaper }ingo-~publlshed in the
woman's department of tho journal
during the past few weeks, First:
"Does 1t Pay to Murryp second,
"Whnt Does 1t Cost to Be II Societ,
Bud?" and, third, today, tho hopeful
climax in tho story of how Il family
Of three lived on less than $40 n
month.
1t was quite by accident that the
knowledge of these last interesting
facts camo to this scribe.
1t happened this way:
My aunt came to 500 us-dcar,
bright, wide-awalse old lady that sh,
island in the course Of the conver.
sation (ono of those liberal convcrsa.
tior.s that shine alike upon tho just
and tho unjust) sho remarked in Il
swift transition from story Of OK
travaganco and ruin:
"Economy and work, that's what
tho people noed. There's no telling
what those two virtues will accom-
plish. Why, do you know that So.
and 80 and his wife and child lived
on $500 last month"; That's all
they spent for food-eight dollars"
"Not in whole month--you mean
in Il week." wo all exclaimed in Il
breath.
"No, L mem IS for tho whole
month";" sho repeated. "You go and
SEQ the vito herself, and she'll tell
you about it,"
"She won't think mo impcrtincnt ?"
| asked apprchcnsivc]y. 81 wouldn't
mention any names, though Of
course"
"No, she'll not mind it at ALL" was
tIo iSottluICt.
Now, tho lady in question is n
woman Of education and refinement,
and her husband, too, comes Of gen.
Ito birth. l was dubious about on.
crouching on delicate ground. How
over, it is q holpful sort of thing, l
muscd. Even with those who arc
not pinched by necessity there may
bo suggestivencss in the facts CLEANED
from this successful housewife. |
will present tho matter to her frankly,
and if she objects, why there's an
end Of it.
But she did not object.
l found her at h, mo in a pleasant
part Of the city in Il largo house
where sho occupies two bright, cheer
full rooms-rcar rooms they are, but
with good sized windows looking to-
wards tho south and west. One of
these rooms is q we'll. lurninhcd bed.
room and the other is Il combination
kitchen and dining room.
"That monthly expenditure named
which, by the way, is nearer ten
than eight dollars-does not include
rent, you know" sho began, "but it
does include washing | puy So Il
month for our washing; my little
girl wears dark aprons over hel
white dressos nearly all day while
she is at play, and in that way the
wash is made much smaller. Here
is the Kitchen" sho added aftor &
pause, passing into the smaller room
"And hero is tho secret of oul
small grocery bills--l am my owr
cook. There is not an ounce OF any
thing wasted-not ono ounce"
l smiled in sympathy with her on
thusiasm and locked about mo
There was large and commodious
gas stove on one side, shelves anC
utensils near by, and 4 safe; also {
table set for three. My glance came
back to tho stove.
"Gas is not expensive" [ suit
interrogativcly.
"Gas costs us so ccntc for iiftoer
days." she said.
"Well, one dollar for tho monln
gas, and two dollars for washing--
there arc three Of our ten gone al
ready," l said, shaking my houd.
eyes, aud tho other will come t,
about 81. Take your pencil, now
and see.
Tho pencil did ITS work ut the die
tation Of that genius of housewife
And here is what ita record nov
shows OF tho cost Of filling tha