The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-04-15
SAVE FOR A RAINY DAY.
Be Sure to Put by Something from Your In
confectionery in the Household.
BY MARGARET e. sANesrER.

/ BY MARGARET E. sANesTER.
The duty of laying up some provi-
sion for the future, of preparing for
the rainy day of sickness, misfortune
or old age, is incumbent on every
householder. If there is an income
that can be depended on, no matter
how small, some part of it should be
regularly laid aside and some thought
should be taken for the future, when
there may be need and feebleness and
inability for effort.
This is so obvious a truth that no
argument is called for to sustain it.
III theory we all accept it, and reflect
with more or less severity on the
needless people W no go dancing
through the days, taking no steps to
secure the coming nights from disas-
ter and sorrow. The parable of the
foolish virgins, who took no oil in
their vessels for their lamps, has more
than one modern application.
In practice a vast number of busy
Americans throw prudence to the
winds and scorn the homely and COM
monplace virtue of mere thrift. They
habitually live up to their income,
perhaps never going beyond its limit,
but saving nothing. By and by they
mean to save, but saving implies self
denial and makes necessary good
deal of sacrifice, and altogether is
thing that is rather out of fashion and
not in the least agreeable.
Frugality wears stern face. 1t
speaks in an uncompromising voice.
1t frowns on indulgence to the flesh
aud on the pomps and vanities. We
will save tomorrow, cry the easygoing,
light-hearted crowd which always see
tomorrow through roseate mists, and
today we will have good time and
enjoy ourselves.
WHEN THE BREADWINNER DIES.
A man died the other day, as some
times men do, without an instant pre-
monition. He had been carrying
large interests; he had made from
years end to years end very gen.
erous sum, which had slipped like
water through the sieve of an extrav-
agant family, to whom nothing that
he could give had ever been denied.
An immediate and sweeping reduction
of expenses followed his death. Pos
sibly the same wise retrenchment
twelve month sooner would have saw
ed his life.
The whole aspect of the home out
look was changed literally in the
twinkling of an eye for wide circle of
kinsfolk who look at the head of the
clan for help that was forthcoming at
hint or a suggestion of need, while
for some young children the future
assumed a different phase. Life is
uncertain for everyone. Nobody
knows definitely the appointed time
he shall stay on earth. For the sake
of ones dear ones there should be
looking onward to the possibilities of
10, 20 or more years yet to be.
"Where should economy begin :"
Granting that the man of the house
sees withclear eyes whathe oughtto do
in the case, should he not have the
CO operation, the hearty assistance and
the discreet counsel of his wife and
daughters. Cut down superfuities
first. Decide what the superhuities
are. Comforts are essential, but lux
uries may often be foregone to the
benefit of health and self-respect.
Plain living and high thinking beft
us as citizens of a great republic.
A common temptation with us is to
emulate in our ordinary expenditure
the style of someone who is better off
than ourselves. Men come to grief
because they have not the firmness to
say no to those they love.
IMPORTANCE oE SAYING NO.
In little rural township man
was financially in desperate straits, but
as his name was synonym for integ-
rity and his honor was unquestioned,
acquaintances who had means were
prepared to accommodate him with
timely loans. His beautiful young
daughter Jessie was the pride of his
heart, and she, as it happened, had
her heart OH new furnishings for her
room and costly summer outfit at
the very instant of his greatest strin-
gencv. Unfortunately, i'll common
with too many men, this father did
not tell his family the exact state OF
the situation. Every family ought to
know when disaster menaces it or
when there is anxiety to meet press
ing obligations, ard to do women
| justice, they would seldom plead for
a personal indulgence if they realized
the cost.
Jessie supposed her father able to
give her whatever she wanted, and
merely thought it was papa's way to
be wet blanket when she had some
thing surprising to propose. When
he refused her requests she still plead
ed, and he could not resist her tears.
He told her to go on, do what she
liked, and send the bills to him, trust
ing to good luck to pay them later
on.
"Jessie can get anything in the