St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1902-10-04
HOUSEHOLD ECONOMIES.
It II In the sms1l Things That Lies
the Secret of the Wise Honse-
keepers Genera1shlp.

pressing UHe HdLleI, DuV AluSA VI uCn
underlies the homely old maxim,
when you note the extravagant
waste and woful want in many
households, realizing only too well
wherein the trouble lies. For no
matter how lavish frugal man may
be with his money outside of his
home, he rarely, or in very excep-
tional cases, has anything to do with
the housekeeping expenditures be-
yond paying the bills, writes Sarah
Rodney, in Ladies' World, New York.
An exceedingly capable young
matron, one whose husband was
progressive in his affairs financially
to a surprising degree to onlookers,
recently made some practical re-
marks relative to this subject, which
gave an insight into the inner work
ings of domestic science that w6.
materially Tighten the cares of many
anxious housekeepers, if few OF
her theories were needed and prac-
ticed.
"The housekeeping all belongs ex.
clusively to a woman she said.
"Your husband really knows very
little about it, or whether you spend
his salary judiciously or not. If he
is a kind, considerate person, he eats
what is placed before him without
questioning the cost Of the material
used.
''What man realizes whether one
or one dozen eggs were used in the
cake which he consumes at luncheon,
or if you buy cheaper cuts of meat
and utilize the possibilities of your
meat-chopper in making them palat-
able? Or again, if all of the odds
and ends in culinary use are made
the most of by being served up in
dainty dishes, instead of thrown out
as so many do? It is the same
through all of the minor details OF
home management, for it is unques-
tionably the little foxes which spoil
the vines. And in the small things
lies the secret of the wise housekeep-
er's generalship."
It did not seem at all strange that
this woman's husband should be one
of the most prosperous young men
in the commounity.
Another struggling young husband
came in mind-one who was kind.
thrifty and Industrious, splendid
manager in every sense OF the word
where he was concerned or could
control the household expenses; yet
the haggard, care-worn look on his
kindly face was a constant anxiety
to his friends. His business oppor-
tunities at the starting point had
been fully equal if not better than
the other mans; but he had long
been surpassed in the race by the
seemingly more fortunate person,
and an insight Of his housekeeping
affairs told the story.
His wife was incidentally heard to
say: 1--WE always have angel-food at
our house twice week; the children
like it to piece on, and what are IL
eggs when eggs are cheap? It is
very small, apparently Insignificant
illustration, but volumes may DO
read between the lines.
In each family there were three lit
tie daughters. One family was grow
ing rich, happy and prosperous, with
every necessary comfort; while tho
second family struggled continually
against adverse circumstances.
There was the same noticeable diff.
ference in respect to the children's
clothing, where the judicious mother
dressed her little girls neatly and
Hastily in dainty ginghams and per-
Gales, which would launder and re-
tain fresh appearance until worn
out. The other children wore cheap,
sleasy silk waists and cloth skirts OF
corresponding texture, to school, the
mother explaining that the dainty
colored silks were so pretty and
cheap, for it only cost so cents per
yard, and two yards were sufficient
what was one dollar for q waist?
She did not realize in the least that
this same dollar would have bought
three dimity waists, which could have
been laundered repeatedly, keeping
the small wearer neat and wholesome
for long time, where the other
waist was soiled and ruined after Q
few weeks wear.
1t seems sometimes that good,
sound common sense, with the abil-
ity to apply it in daily use, is the
greatest boon that can be bestowed
on womankind, especially so if the
environments surrounding her in
clude limited means.
In many households you witness
the unnecessary struggle with adj
verse circumstances. In many homes
carping care reigns supreme, because
widely divergent ends refuse to meet
and the purse fails to supply the de-
mands of the family needs. This
might all SO frequently be avoided il
only common sense, the talisman to
prosperity, and also of most happi-
ness, was fastened to the helm.
The hand which guides this tiller,
too, is the housewives, and whether
she fails in her efforts, either through
inability or from willful disregard
Of the minor details of the work in
trusted to her care, the results are
relatively the same; and the home
life is either made or married there
by. Yet there is the trite old adage,
which carries encouragement in
every syllable to the woman who de-
sires to be a prudent housekeeper,
"she is never too old to learn" and
the small economies which make up
the sum of practical housekeeping,
are possible to her if she holds to the
determination of COnScienfiOrS1Y
making the most of her opportuni-
ties.