The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1906-12-07
CLUB LIFE ECONOMIES.

a good many country visitors are
disappointed when they learn the
sober truth that New York has no
clubs composed exclusively of million.
aiers 1t is harder still to make coun-
try folks believe that hundreds of men
join the SO called clubs in larger part
from motives of economy.
There are scarcely three clubs in
the city that do not include a consid.
erable number of poor men in their
membership. The average income of
the whole membership of the ten best
known clubs in the city is probably
nearer $4,000 than $4,000 q yesr,
and almost every one Of these clubs
includes some scores of men with in
comes we'll telow SIC, 900 and a good
many with incomes we'll below IS, 900.
There is a real democracy of New
York club life. Youths In their early
twenties and just beginning their
careers on very moderate salaries
frequent truly palatial clubhouses.
breakfast in rooms such as few princes
ever use and lounge before fireplaces
that are to be matched only in the
most splendid buildings Of Europe.
The poor mans credit at the club
is as good as the rich mans, and both
are impartially posted when they ne.
glect to pay their bills in good season.
There are good many instances also
in which the monthly bills Of the
poor man are higher than those of his
rich fellow member, for the frequen.
ters OF clubs are apt to be the poorer
rather than the richer members.
Many a man of small means regards
his membership in first rate club in
the light OF profitable investment.
Such a man, if confirmed bachelor.
has probably lived tor twenty years
within half block of the club, pay.
ing few hundred year for . small
bedroom and finding all his luxuries
in the apartments of the clubhouse.
Without being in the least mean
be makes OF the club money saving
institution for himself. It's comfor-
table lounging rooms save him annual
ly from $500 to 81 900 year ID rent,
according to the location in which
he has his modest lodgings. After
that be saves fair percentage on
everything he eats and drinks at the
club.
His simple breakfast costs him per.
haps 10 per cent. less than it would
cost at any restaurant he would be
likely to frequent, and the same is
true of his dinners. II he takes three
fourths of his meals at the club he
saves annually about 500 in tips.
If he drinks wine at dinner he saves
from 10 to rs per cent. upon every
bottle. If he permits himself the luxury
of cab he saves handsome percent
age by ordering it through the club
and avoids all possibility of row with
the cabby over the amount of the fare.
Many man writes all his letters of q
social character and some of q bust.
ness character at the club, and thus
saves from SIS to 40 year in stations.
cry.
He need buy no books, nor need he
subscribe to library, for there is the
club library free for his use. He never
need buy periodical or even q neWs-
paper save when he travels, for all
that he reads are freely supplied by
the club. And the enjoyment Of all
these things imposes upon him no con-
siderable expenditure for extravagant
luxuries. He is sure, especially in
the college clubs, to find plenty Of
men with like modest incomes and
simple tastes as himself, and he may
sit for hours with cronies over the
cake table without spending money
that he cannot afford and without
giving ofense to the servants of the
house committee.
Most club members probably do
not keep debit and credit account
with the club, but the man of modest
means and moderate habits would find
the examination of such an account .
matter of great satisfaction. Such :
man, paying $3.50 as an entrance fee
and $75 year in dues, likely to fnd
himself at the end of twenty years :
long way ahead of the game. The club in
twenty years has cost him rather less
than $4,000 for entrance fees, dues
and contributions to the Christmas
box, and his savings by reason of the
club have been from $40 900 to SIG, 900.
Mike and Pat were on a ship look.
1 II