The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-03-27


- rich off what she could save on
the table. as she read the inspiring words
of some writer's on household economics,
saws writer in Twentieth Century Home
Never throw away a scrap. they cry. Save
every remnant of vegetable and meat Con-
vert the cold potatoes into melting Gro
quettes turn the stale bread into ravishing
buildings.
Without doubt, these housewifely scrimp
ings and parings would make for economy
il the operations were not so expensive that
they cost more than they come to. Usually
they are achievements entirely beyond the
average plain cook. and the game simply
isn't worth the candle. 1t is using 50
worth of time and so worth of temper to
save Is cents worth Of cold victuals.
1t is this curious and lopsded idea of econ
omy that women have that is responsible
for some of the greatest Affections of civ
iIization-the church fair and the charity
bazaar If you should ask II woman TO
subscribe So in actual cash toward helping
pay of the church debt or to endow the
new hospital. she would have heart fail
ure at the idea of giving much: but she
doesn't hesitate 10 subscribe a cake and a
bowl of chicken salad and freezer of ice
that in due course of time. after band of
heroic sisters have worked themselves TO
death getting up the fair. will be sold for
s3.15.
Heaven. that made woman. alone knows
in what mysterious manner her mind works
its marVeis To perform. but no amount OF
figuring Is ever going TO convince ner tnat
1t Is cheaper more effective and provoca-
tive or less work and worry and heart
burning and jealousy TO give the money
-4~xIr rfr-n hi faer hot
an unfortunate fellow-creature must be
bulldozed into buying. If all the food and
pincushions and dolls and other atrocities
that nobody wants were given in cash in
stead OF trumpery, there would be no need
of holding up the public in the name OF
charity. Somehcw-and woman can't help
it-when "a woman knits a fascinator or a
pair of bedroom slippers for a church fair,
she cannot help feeling that the Recording
Angel is crediting her account with "A larger
donation than he would If she had merely
turned in the actual value in money. and
she feels that she has scored of on the
economy side.
There is no use In speaking of the woman
whose thrifty spirit prompts her to do the
spring house cleaning, or put down carpets
herself instead of hiring a professional,
for she is joined 10 her idols. Doctors and
trained nurses have TO live. and these are
their perqulsites. Besides, no woman ever
admitted that she had made herself ill.
She may have brought on illness that
necessitated her spending the summer at
the seaside or in SanatOrium, but she
justhes the unusual expense by referring
proudly and triumphantly TO how she saved
painting that set of bedroom furniture
and hanging the curtains herself.
Neither is il necessary to speak of the
woman who contracts the fatal habit of
making homemade furniture. and who can
convert a cracker box into empire chair
that you cannot sit in. by means of about
$40 worth of curled hair and springs and
real brocade and a few Turkish rugs When
a woman gets bitten with the home ade
furniture mania there is no hope for her,
and no end for her unfortunate husband
except in the bankruptcy court.
The pathetic phase of this subject how
ever, IL the uselesSneSs of the sacrifices
women make in the name of economy.
They burden themselves with plumber they
dare not give away or throw away. for fear
they may need il some day, and then. if the
time ever comes TO use IL, IL is sure to be
moth-eaten rusted mildewed. They
wear clothes that they hate because they
were marked down from something to some
thing else. They eat pie lunches because
they are cheap. and pay out enough for a
fine dinner in dyspepsia remedies. and they
generally strain at a gnat of economy and
Women will never be emancipated until
they give up the idea that saving is the
fundamental duty of their sex, and that
economy consists in doing without the thing
you want in order To be able to buy the
thing you don't want. When they do this
the millennium of freedom will be in sight
for woman can never know how peaceful
and happy life may be. nor how much she
may save until she gives up trying 10 over
work a dollar. and just buys what she needs
and wants she sees it,