Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-10
THE LITTLE THINGS THAT COST

Some Sensible Observations -, ~
Figure UP Your Expense Accounts
and Get a Correct Estimate.
Inc niue Things of life cost so much
more than the big things that one can
qui'e ssHpatnize with the man-o,
woman or whoever it was-who said
"GaVe me the luxuries of life and tha
necessaries will take care of than,
selves. ! heard of an ;n,naonn,e,,.
lauy oiiee VINO had room to furnish
WIN very slender means with which 10
90 IT, sne bought muslin curtains and
rugs anu toilet silver first. IF I have
any money left l shall buy a bed and
some chairs,' she hopefully remarked
NO one Will allow me to sleep on the
1oor' ana shall have a bed given me-
no one can bear it to see me sitting m
the ped all the time, so l shall have a
chair given me. But no one would
cream OF giving me curtains or rugs or
pretty tnlngs for my dressing table. y
"A gentleman, and this is a true story
Tor know him lmyself-an artist-was
left behind in Chicago to see to the
furnishing of little apartment while
his wife went east to attend To the
financial end of things. She made
some saies-pawned her jewels, 1 dare
say Tor they were awfully poor, and
sent check to the artist husband.
buy some kitchen utensils first" she
said, so we can get in servant. and
begin to have cooking done: it is so
much cheaper. than going to res
taurants.'
In few days the lady returned tri-
| umphant. She had managed to raise
enough money to get things going, and
they mad furniture to start with. The
Kitchen was as empty as the day it
was made. but on the shelves in the
library, which the lady didn't know
she had, We're some beautiful red books
with white labels. "A set ] got cheap
Chambers Encyclopedias" the prac-
itcal husband gayly explained 1--WE
ought really to have them, and kitchen
| utensils, we can get at any time"
| There are those who aver that the
lady finding no language fitting to ex-
! press her despair, said with hopeful
| cynicism: "Oh, 1 see; you got a
Chambers instead of kitchen SET
After all, given the temperament
| for it must be conceded that there are
| those who would not be satisfied to
conduct life on so slippery a basis, the
artists who buy the books and leave it
to somebody else, even their wives, to
provide the pots and pans glide on
over life's seas in far more sprightly a
manner. They may not pillow the main
to any particular purpose, and they
may not arrive at port freighted with
rich merchandise, but they dance gayly
| and bob up and down, and sometimes
they careen and sometimes they tip
| over, to be sure, but then a storm. If
it is big enough, can wreck the strong
est and largest iron vessel.
! But this is too poetic for my every
day theme, which is the cost of trifles
in this life. Suppose you economic on
a 10-cent wall paper for your room
did You know that they charge you
over 80 cents a roll for putting it on:
| Suppose, to avoid the expense of car
pets, you have your floor painted, and
put down a cheap rug. You don't
| realize that it takes man to carry
that rug downstairs and out of doors tC
be beaten every week, and that the
floor has to be washed very often
Every economy you try to practice
battles you in this way.
You find an inexpensive stuff for a
gown. The material costs absolutely
| nothing" you proudly exclaim. Nc
dressmaker charges cent less thar
her usual rates for working on a CHEAP
material and when you have paid hel
and the bill for your lining. 'stiffen-
ing" braid, bones, hooks ribbons and
lace, the gown has cost ten times the
amount of your first outlay. If any
body offers you new dress. therefore
ask them to give you the markings
and findings" and you will get the
dress yourself 1t will be much
cheaper for you.
People who don't stop to think mucl
about the small expenses of life nave
wondered why other people boarded In
stead of occupying their own houses am
enjoying comfort such as no boarding
house or hotel can give: But the reason
is perfectly plain. 1t is because man o.
a woman who has to cut his living eX
penses according ITO his income likes II
know exactly how much he is spendin:
each week or each month, be the amour
little or big. In housekeeping you neve
can tell You may own your house, TIT
rent may be paid (in advance) your az
counts squared with the butcher the gro
| GER the milkman, the 1ceman, ana I'M
| affahle gas COMMUNICATION Dang! TIT
stove comes down, scalding Ehe cook, %
| a leak springs, flooding the premises, %
Il hailstorn breaks the windows, or you
best sofa gives out, or the doorbell won
ring or window won't open. Ihere l.
| a small bill every minute waking INTO eX
| istenre. an unexpected tax on your Sleli
der resources born every hour me no
| tel or clearinghouse Keeper knoWeth ~
these bgtternesses, but he charges enonSl
in the regular bill to cover everything
and Won prefer to pay it in that way
Then Won, know where you are. but you
| never know when you are subject TO new
demands at every turn.
Distrust the useholder-especEllly !
| he is y bachelor-who tells you now llttl
| it costs him to live, and II he mention
an abnormally small sum doubt NJ men
| taIlv and laugh in his face. lie ne'e
| reckons in his coal bill or his gas pm
his boot backing bill or his luncneon
downtown or his washing or ms VINE az
count. or. indeed, anything but the paf
rent. servants wages and genera aV
erage for groceries and butcheres,
which is never under. but always over
Doubt him on principle when ne look
Won scuarely in the eye and tells you n
eynansas are Just one-half yours. DE
pend mon ii he gets his tea at one place
: his fr,,it at another, his eggs at another
he has not counted in his newspapers
his f1rniture polish, his shelf paper, NJ
three dozen new towels FAST month, M
: three dozen new napkins tins: nor nj
} busters his constant repienlshins =
saucenans and tea kettles; his carpente
, had in by the hour to TINKER TINS IA