The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1905-07-15
by MARGARET 70. sANGsTER.


With the most careful management
many h~ouseholders discover that their
yearly expenditure ONE to more h a
they intended it should when they made
ZIP their schedule. People who are
thrifty and f~orehanded do not like to
oVerrun a certain nicely calculated
amount in the cost of living. Few OF the
rank and file have fortunes so large that
they need not consider ways and means.
1t is incumbent on the majority to
scrutinize every item so that while as
Suring comfort to the home, they may
not hang around their necks a mill
stone of debt. Debt is the child OF Satan
himself.
Prince Albert, whose discretion and
wisdom so largely aided Queen Victoria
an the guidance of her realm and the
bringing up of their children, used to-
say to his daughter, afterward tn
crown princess of Germany: Away
be sure that you have a margin" NevesN
was more practical advice given to any
one. SO long as there is a margin, no
matter how small, ease and peace OF
mind are certain, but the moment there
as no margin, even if outgo exactly
matches income, there are breakers
ahead. No one can prophesy what is
to be the course of family life for a
month or three months or twelve. Ill
ness may swoop down on a house as the
spring freshet pouring over the hills
brings destruction in its path. The
children, so rosy and happy at their play
this week, may come down with scarlet
fever next, three or four of them at once.
typhoid fever may steal into the home
like a thief in the night. In the wax OF
severe illness come hosts Of expenses,
for nurses, doctors, remedies and all
sorts of appliances. The duty to be pro-
vident is never intermitted. One never
knows at what hour some dear one may
be ordered to submit to a critical
surgical operation, and this means a
hospital and a train of bills later On.
One must have a margin or suffer great
inconvenience.
However secure q mans business
position may be, business itself is sub
lest III Iu1S COuALlJ III OAAO " hNS
duations and reverses against which no
prudence can guard. If there be no mar
gin the possibility is always lying in
wait that a day may come when the mar
must look financial embarrassment in
the face. To a person of Independent
mind and honorable principle it is in
s%upportable to be obliged to ask assist
aance from friends and relatives. In
deed. there are very few in the circle OF
kinsfols1 or friends who receive such
solicitation without a change OF mental
attitude if not of kind feeling toward
the one who is obliged to become a
suitor. Friendship freezes when at
tackled by impecunious and irritating
suitors for favor. q.
In every age the borrower is servant
TO the lender, and beggars can never be
ehoosers. Therefore, it is wise for every
reason to provide in the day OF prosper
ity a margin for the day of adversely.
In considering on what footing house
hold expenses shall be arranged, econ
omy dictates that there shall be some
thing left over for an emergency.
The usual necessary expenses OF liv-
ing include the roof, fuel, clothing,
taxes, pew rent, school bills, commute
aion and car fare, and the cost of the
table. Some persons get along without
paying pew rent, but most American
householders have some connection
with a church and feel called upon in
some way to contribute to its support.
have not included b~enevolence in this
schedule, yet it is a churlish household
which does nothing for the neighbor
who is in want, and sends nothing to
aid a favorite cause which makes a
claim on sympathy.
Whatever may be the style of the
home it is somehow to be paid for. II
owned there are taxes and the expenses
Incidental to keeping it in good repair.
Sometimes there is a mortgage and this
means annual interest which must be
met, and payments from time to time to
diminish this incumbrance. If the house
is not owned, rent is to be paid to the
landlord at stated intervals. The gen
eral order of expense for the entire liv-
ing of a family should be graduated
from this item, the cost of the home it.
self. People who live in a modest cot
tage should not dress as extensively as
those who live in q palace. The tempta-
/ to spend an undue amount on cloth.
ing besets us in a land where to be i'll
dressed is to be conspicuous, and where
In some way or another every one from
the poorest to the richest endeavors tc
nut the best foot forward On every occa.
sion. But velvet, lace and jewels ar
not appropriate for the wives of clerks
and statesmen.
A man may he very s~elf-denying ant
c~ontented to go shabbily dressed, but h,
does not like to deny anything needfu
cr desirable to his wife and daughters
IN the other hand, in some lines o
eusiness. a man cannot hope to succeed
nn1ess he presents a creditable and pros
1erous appearance, and he must there
fore spend somewhat laVishly on dress
altbaugh the home people are stinted.
In some directions frugality is hardl,
,ossible. Our arctic winters max
ceeessary the purchase of large guam