Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-06-16
TWO BITS PER DAY
is LOVE IN A COTTAGE AND
SMALL TABLE EXPENSES
PRACTICAL /?

Economists of General Federation of
Women's Clubs Say "Yes."-Provis-
ion Men Say "No, Not in ottumWa
at Least."-The Menus.
Love in cottage it not an ideal
lists dream" said the economists OF
the General Federation of Woman's
clubs in session last week at st. Paul,
MINI. 'sYou can live the simple life
and be happy on 25 cents per day.
That is all that is needed to supply the
wants of the normal inner man." How
ever, they admitted that number OF
irills and other things to tickle the
palate, may be added for SO cents per
day. This statement has almost Great
ed panic in some sections and in
deed, even in Ottumwa discussion has
not been lacking. At first it was gen.
orally looked upon as canard but
when it was found that the federation
was indeed responsible for the state
ment, it's truthfulness could no longer
be doubted.
The market man was ordered to get
up 100 menus for single days, show
Ing how family can live on two bits
per day. Remembering what he had
had for breakfast at his boarding
house that morning, the market re-
porter thought that he knew at least
one menu that came under the two bit
limit. But he didn't know it all For
when he came to hunt up prices, he
found that there weren't many times
that three-square family meals could
be bought with a quarter.
Now this is too bad. Contemplating
wv the butchers bill would look at
end of the month, dreaming over
small three-fgure bill of the gro
several we'll to do persons were
lnged into fits of ecstasy, while
me very poor people had the first
mute Of happiness they have ever
nown since the responsibilities Of
.eeping up home settled heavily
iown upon them.
The Menus.
For twenty-five cents per day you
can have in Ottumwa:
Monday, for breakfast. dinner and
supper, one egg, one cup Of coffee, one
slice of bread, one-fourth pound boiled
beans, one cup tea. two slices of bread.
Dish of rice without milk; two slices
of bread; glass of water; half dozen
radishes.
Tuesday you can have corn cakes for
breakfast, boiled potatoes for dinner;
fried potatoes for supper and half a
dozen stewed prunes.
When Wednesday rolls around, if the
inner man revolts against such coarse
food % cents will buy nine oranges,
and a fruit menu may be enjoyed.
Thursday, to get down to finer me-
nu, secure can of Clipped beef. or
three-fourths of a pound in bulk With
little -four and water this will make
gravy for three meals-chipped beef
in cream as it were, and loaf Of bread
will make some toast.
Thursday evening after supper there
will be few hours in which to fish. If
you are lucky you can have fish on
Friday. If you are not, buy cents
worth of army beans, 10 cents worth
of salt pork, and use cents worth of
gas to cook the beans properly. This
will make three square meals.
1t viii Cost Flesh.
BY careful economy, and cooking the
food in the new freless cookers, a
family of two can manage to get
through week living on Is cents per
day. in Ottumwa, and without losing
more than pounds of flesh during the
even days.
But it has been discovered that a
ide gulf yawns between the prettiest
.neory in the world and the plainest
ind of every dav fact
Any kind of meal of meat, the
trimmings of which will make hash
for the next meal, costs rs cents in
Ottumwa. To live on Is cents per day
would allow cents for bread, cents
for milk, 5 cents for vegetables, 5
cents for meat and cents for tea or
coffee. 1t would allow neither butter,
eggs nor fruits. Every days supply
would be consumed the day before by
the normal man who does a half days
work in twenty-four hours.
He Has His Doubts.
There may be halcyon regions
where man and woman can live on
25 cents per day and save money for
the baby's' cradle; and there may be
places where a home can be built on
800 capital, without signing an I. O.
u" said doubter today, "but how
ar we are from such place is shown
en- a careful investigation is made
see on what terms a home can be
1t on 500 capital