Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-04-30
DOMESTIC EXTRAVAGANCE
Telephone and Passhook Are Causes CT
Much Waste-Cash, No Credit,
the Best Economy.

The telephone rightly called heavens
latest and most expensive gift to mani
and the passbook are the cause Of most
OF the extravaganza and waste. and es,H-
seqaenriy OF most of the unha pplness. IN
the home. Most American housekeepqqs.
WHO would laugh at poor Dora Copper
nesd isnorance, carry out her principle
when u comes TO the marketing. "Wouid
you knog, Defa. how to bur a leg of
mutton for the Sunday dinnex?" David
asked. No. but the butcher would know
DOW To sell il, 50 why should know any
thing about itT' was the triumphant an
swef. 1t seems pify-aye, more.
| s1ame.-tiiat there should be sllch hack
OF responsibility on the part of A nls,ri-
can wives. for American husbands ara
Tar and away the most generous in fhe
woFld-perhaps more generous than wise
IN the matter OF credit,
II we might suggest remedy, il wonld
be that every husband take his wife int
partnership, for things practical as wen
as spiritnal go 10 the making of hsme.
it rs strange men do not realize that all
women are like Becky Sharp in one par
tienlar; spendthrlfts that they are in rom
nlng up bills, they are all stingy with
ready money. Stories, humorous and pa
thetie. stories bordering on tragedy, coafa
be told of the penniless wives of rich
men. and, on the other hand. of the ex-
trlyagarce of womeR who abused their
husbands credit until the men we're dYiY-
en- to failufe-or worse,
But there has seldom been a case
where the wife has proved other thar
faithful to her trust when she was at
lowed settled income for bouseh I'D aud
personal expenses. The friend / know
the best of all had this experience Her
home was well ordered, her servant ideal:
but the house bills were always a bug
bear; her husband, bon vivant, had
habit of always speaking OF bills al the
table land one bill after another would
be tossed across the table, with the re-
mark:
for butter?" or How did you ever yua
up such a bill ut the market!" In short,
III that house ii was a case of "a stalled
OK and strife Herewith" The mistress
of the house resolved to try the dinner
of herbs with peace. Taking an account
of stock on hand, she managed TO KEGS
her table going for Il few days-thea
she asked her husband for So and kent
the household going for several DAYS
longer. Of course, the table was not
up to its usual mark, and the longed- for
inquiry came at last:
Aren't you running things on pretty
low pressureE" YES" very cheerfally.
'bnt you can't think what relief it is.
not 10 mind when l see you put your
a billt'
He was a sensible man. and he and
she took counsel together that very aay.
with the result that the tone OF CON
versation at the table has been raised
while the expenses have been lowered
without any evidence of economy in tho
style of living, says Janet Jameson in
exchange.
A woman of rare intuition whose p,o-
fession takes her into the very heart of
family life, says she can always tell bs
the atmosphere of home whether the
wife has the handling of money or Is
running up bills. In the home where the
wife has an allowance there is no deceit.
no hiding of the bills from the master
until the fatal day when they must be
shown, no fear that the children will be-
tray some secret expenditure, or, worse
still, be so canny as not 10 betray it!
1t is surprising that the American youth
is the frank, honest creature he usually
is, in view of the fact that he is often
brought up by mother who does So
much "surruptiously," as David HaruIn
would say. And so much depends upon
honor in the home--the future of our
children-the future of our own dear
country! A true self-respect, brave
sense of responsibility, steady cheer
funess, mark The ideal household where
the domestic problem has been solved by
living within ones income. In the words
of the immortal Micawber MY own
piece of advice, Copperfeld, you know.
Annual income twenty pounds. nineteeH
shiliings, and sixpence-result, happiness
Annual income twenty pounds. annual
expenditure twenty pounds. nought and
six result, misery !"-Selected.
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