The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-05-23
CHAPTER XVIII.
Maturing Plans.
other firms, and as a result of
thesa my wa RnS were advanced

these my wages were advanced
first to three dollars a day and
then to three and a half. Ruth still
refused to take things easier by increas-
ing the household expenses.
During the third year We lived exactly
as we had lived during the first year. In
a way 1t was easier to do this now that
we knew there was no actual necessity
for 1t. OF course II was easier. too, now
that we had fallen into a familiar rou-
tine. The things which had seemed to
us like necessities when we came down
here now seemed like luxuries.
And We none OF us had either the
craving for luxuries or the time to
enjoy them had We wished to spend the
money on them.
In the matter of clothes we cared for
nothing except to be warmly and clean
ly dressed. Strip the problem Of clothes
down to this and it's not a very serious
one. To realize that you've only to re-
member how the average farmer dresses
or how the homesteader dresses.
It's only when you Introduce style and
the conventions that the matter becomes
complicated. Perhaps 1t was easier for
me to dress as l pleased than for the
boy or Ruth, but even they got right
down to bed rock.
The boy wore gray flannel shirts, and
so at a stroke did away with collars
and cuffs. For the rest a simple blue
suit, a cap. stockings, and shoes were
all he needed outside his under clothes
which Ruth made for him. Ruth her
self dressed in plain gowns that she
could do up herself.
For the street she still had the cos
tunes she came down here with. None
of Us kept any extra clothes for parade.
We carried out the same IDEA in our
food, as I've tried to show; We insisted
that II must be wholesome and that
there must be enough of it. Those were
h. NVa1. WNUFn n gWNr haN
Variety except of the humblest kind,
we didn't strive for. I've seen cook
books which contain five hundred pages.
If Ruth compiled one it wouldn't have
the pioneer were our models.
If anyone in the country had lived the
way We were living, it wouldn't have
seemed worth telling about. I find the
ment was that we should have tried the
same standard in the city.
Everyone seems to think this was
most dangerous thing TO attempt. The
themselves we'll fed on such food as We
had to eat expect to starve TO death II
placed on the same diet once within
sound of the trolley cars.
And on the camping trip they do ten
times the physical labor. and do 1t month
after month in air that whets the ap-
petite. Then they come back and boast
how strong they've grown, and begin to
eat like hogs again and wonder why
they get sick.
we camped out in the city-thats all
we did And We did just what every
man In camp does; We stripped down to
essentials. We could have lived on pork
scraps and potatoes If that had been
necessary.
We could have worried along on hard
tack and ierked beef If we'd been pressed
hard enough. Men chase moose, and
climb mountains, and prospect for gold
on such food.
Why in Heavens name can't they
shovel dirt on the same diet?
So. too. about amusements. When 4
man is trying to clear thirty acres Of
pine stumps. ne doesn't fret at the end
Of the day because he can't go to the
theater.
He doesn't want to go. Bed and his
dreams are amusement enough for him.
And he isn't called a low-browed saw
Hes f e calIeG be he Tbs word at large s
doesn't say that ne has lowered the
standard of living; It boasts about him
for a true American. Why can't a man
lay bricks without the theater?
AS a matter of fact, however, we
could have had even the amusements If
we'd wanted them. For those who need
ed such things in order to preserve a
high standard of living they were here.
And I don't say they didn't serve a
useful purpose. What I do say is that
they aren't absolutely necessary; that
high standard of living isn't altogether
dependent on sirloin steaks, starched
collars, and music halls, as I've heard q
good many people claim.
This third year finished my course in
masonry. I came out in June with a
trade at which I could earn from three
dollars to five dollars a day, according
to my skill. 1t was a trade, too, where
there was pretty generally steady en-
ployment
Continuation of This Story VIII Bs