Evening journal., 1901-02-08
DOLLARS and CENTS
IN THE HOUSEHOLD
Views Of Margaret h. Sang
Ster on the Important
Question
Copyright, 1901, The Christian Herald
New York.


liant figure, courteous and debonair, his
port as brave in her eyes as that of
some knight of the Middle Ages. Doris
herself. in her pretty daintiness of at
tire. her silk waist, her shining eyes,
her mass of golden hair, is as captiyat-
ing as a princess in a fairy tale, and
she carries herself as regally. What-
ever her station, she has been born IN
the purple, if an American girl. Farm
er's daughter. merchants, mechanic s.
or scholars child, she is well educated,
well hammered. and independent II
her people are rich, she has had money
in plenty; If poor, she has earned It,
AS a typewriter, teacher, an art st,
as singer in the church choir, as sales
woman, she has been her own mistress,
and, if wealthy she has had her allow
anoe or her fortune, and thus inde-
pendent, too. Sometimes, unfortunate
ly, marriage changes all this.
Once married, and settled in a home
however unostentatiOus. the question
of the excheQuer soon rears its fOrmid-
able head. and is neither TO be evaded
nor ignored. To carry on the simplest
household money is an absolutely nee
essary factor in the machinery
Though lovers, could they be brought
from the clouds to plain terra flrma,
would scout the notion that money
might one day be a persistent wedge to
ruin their happiness. the Little rff
within the lube, fatal to the mus c; yet
thousands of husbands and wives, in
candid moments, would confess that
they owed to that one cause all the
heart-burn'ngs they have ever had. Al
man says. grandly and sincerely
Whatever I earn belongs to my wife
She has only TO ask. But she dislikes
to ask. and IF her asking precele re-
luctant or hesitating or surprised
granting. she is covered with humilia-
tion as with a cloak Men seldom un-
derstand the multiform personal re-
quirements of women. The purse
bearer holds too heavy a balance Of au-
thDrity. No wife should be forced into
the position of a licensed mend.cant
in the marriage re.2tiOn. No wife can
enjoy this, though she may seem TO ac-
quiesce.
If the home is to be a type of heaven
in its sweetness and rest, the two who
are responsible for it, and who carry it
on. should arrive at an intelligent
agreement about its financial manage
ment very early in the day. If they
have been building on an unsubstantal
foundation they will do well to start
anew at any period in their common
career.
With an eye to the style of living
preferred, husband and wife may easily
estimate the cost OF various items in
the annual bill Of expense. Shelter
fuel. clothing. food. are the primitive
wants. The education of children. the
social ramifcations Of the family, q
margin for charity and for travel
come later. The wife. if she defray any
portion of the regular and ackncwl-
edged expenses Of the household, ser
wants wages. school bills, etc, and the
accounts of the grocer and the butcher
should have her allowance, paid to her
at stated intervals. for the purpose
Beyond this, and in accordance with
the family means. she should have
something for her individual expenses
her private purse If possible her sep
arate bank account, even If very
small. should be part of the domestic
scheme.
Men constantly complain Of or as
sert the business incompetence ol
women. Yet a woman may be treated
like child all her life, and if by hel
husbands illness or death, without
previous training or preparation, sh'
will meet the occasion, and prove her
self mistress Of its eXigencies. Th'
wife who never had any money in he
control. who perhaps bought what shl
chose and sent the bills to her hus
band. or did without desired cOnve
niences rather than face his criticism
will. when thrown upon her own re
sources. show a wonderful adaptability
She VIII not launch out as a spend
thrift. nor be foolishly wastefu
neither will she be miserly.
Women are born administrators an
economists, and given the opportunity
they manifest good judgment and com
mon sense. Obliged by an unw.se Gus
tom to accept the role of juvenility
their married lives. to explain thei
purchases and justify them, and to as
for what should be theirs by righ
they have no chance to reveal the
hidden ability.
I once knew a wife who saved bit
bit. in silver coins and coppers, out
her household expenses, enough none
to buy a gold chain f
her good mans birthds
present. Perhaps she might ha7
made a better choice, but she paid f'
it in the rain of small pieces which
had taken her a year to accumulat
and-her husband refused the gift al
compelled her to take it back and ha'
the money refunded. An extreme +
stance this Of Mr. Scrooge in marri
life.
Thrift is a virtue which should
cultivated. If not indigenous. A Fren
woman stands aghast at the lack OF
in an American, but the French wom
has had the advantage Of being alwa
a recognized partner in the domes
FIRM. Looking forward to old age.
to the dowry Of her daughters, and I
establishment in life Of her sons, S
has been in the confidence Of her HI
band and has assisted him to build
their united fortune American wiz
are often p,tiably ignorant Of tn