The Detroit times., 1910-03-28
BY JOHN YOUNGlOvE.
CHAPTER v.


Life with the elderly gentleman and
his son proved closer to our ideal of
most comfort for least cost than any
arrangement we had yet tried.
The four OF us rented terrace
apartment Tor half of a double house,
for S35 per month. With Constance's
careful management OF household af-
fairs our total expenses never ran over
$50 per month. and fell as low as $40.
making my share between $35 and
$40 per month. Allowing SIS per week
for clothes and incidentals, our total
cost OF living was about SIS per week
for Constance and me.
For a few weeks life ran smoothly.
Then We began to pay for our frugal
ity In loss of comforts. AS soon as
we got fairly to know our housemates
the son proved to be drunken prof
ligate and the father, weslearned, was
approaching divorce suit.
However. we endured it, for we were
living cheaply, paying up our debts
and replenishing our wardrobes. What
Is better, We could see clearly our
way clear ahead, and were only wait
ing TO recuperate fully before begin
ming our model way of living.
At the end of six months we were
ready to begin. And then, at the last
moment, we indIlged ourselves; We
dissipated. A friend of ours was leav
ing a beautiful homk In suburb to
spend the summer at a resort She
wanted someone to occupy her house
and she offered her furnished house tC
us at exactly the rental she was pay
ing-$30 per month.
| saw how pale Constance's cheeks
had become after the trying expert
ence Of the winter, and how wistfully
she looked ubout the suburban houses
grounds. And then | took the offer
There was garden behind the house
and tennis court near by, and we
would regard living there as an out
ing a bit expensive, but worth Ii.
We spent a delightful summer. We
improved the time by carefully estab
fishing our credit, SO that by early fall
we had open accounts with two of the
best dry goods stores and at the best
furniture store In the city. Also we
began looking for cheap apartment
one that should embody not few, but
all the conveniences one might expect
in a cheap fiat.
BY late fall we had found the jewel
The FIVE rooms were well arranged
The building was convenient to my
work and was just on the edge OF the
best residence section of the city. The
landlord agreed to redecorate the
apartment cheaply. but in the browns
we asked for. The rent was $22.5(
per month, but as 1t was early In the
season and he lacked tenants, he final
ly signed the lease giving us the suite
for $40 per month.
Then we began leisurely to select
furniture. piece by piece. At the FUR
niture store We now went to we found
prices were below those OF the othel
installment firms. their goods much
| better, and their terms OF payment
practically whatever we should pay.
In the fall friend OF ours broke
up housekeeping. and we bought from
him library table. an easy chair anc
two very good oriental rugs, all In
! splendid condition, for about half theil
original cost
In the late fall we moved into oul
new home. We left unfinished al
the start one of our two bedrooms
using the room for sort OF store
room. We bought bookcase, rugs, {
box couch easy chairs. and some hall
kitchen and laundry equipment from
the furniture store, curtains and dra
peries from one OF the dry goods
stores, insured everything for $500 a
cost of 81, and began real home life
at last
We had never parted with the fur
niture Constance had originally own
ed, and this was sufficient to furnish
one bedroom We decided not to In
vest in a diningroom outfit until w
should clear of the debts already In
Cured So, for a dining room table
we used an old-fashioned fall-leaf sew
ing table Constance had, and for din
ing-room chairs four wicker Bar Har
Dor chairs, intending them later 70
bedroom and living room chairs. Bu
this arrangement has proven so com
Portable in our dining-room chat W.
still cling TO II.
The couch is In our living room al
lounge when we are alone and a