The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-10-30
is SIS A WEEK SALARY
ENOUGH TO WE'D UPON?
By DOLLY DALRYMpLr

S15 a week?" said a thoughtful sensible
woman recently when the question came
up for discussion. Fifteen or 20 wears
ago girl was making a good match To
marry man who had a steady Job pay
ing him $15 a week, and prospects of pro-
motion. why, the girl was congratulated,
rather than commiserated."
do you think, you personally" asked
one of the women in the groHp that it
was a sensible thing to do?"
''Why not" she promptly returned
Marriage begun on a sensible simple
scale like they used to be, usually turned
out very happily. especially when the
caring power of the man increased, and
the little wife was frugal and not ex-
travagant. Think of the couples you
know, who 30 years ago were boarding in
one room and paying $40 a month board,
who today are living in the handsomest
homes on the most fashionable streets of
neutrality-suspicious. well to do. rep
resentative men and women of the city,
"But that was 10 or 20 years ago." said
the other woman. DO you think it would
be sensible thing for a couple to do now
marry on SIS week?"
| "Unless the whole thing-the theory--is
| wrong, why isn't 1t just as sensible?' tho
older woman answered, sticking firmly to
her position in the matter.
| Because the whole cost of living has
| l1cfedSSu SO leTIlDly, Sdu Ine Other,
equally as firm. ut costs twice as much
now for. a couple to live-yes, even to
board, as it did 20 years ago. II SIS a
wee'- would do then. it would take $50 a
week now. Don't you see?"
w hile the cost of living Is certainly
| higher" said the older woman, than It
used to be, there's greater demand
made by men and women for the luxur.es
and the extravagances than there was 20
years ago."
How about the time when you could get
good cook, first class cook, for Sc or IS a
month";" demanded the other woman.
Wages were not paid by the week then,
as they are now. 1t was by the montl9
and the biggest sort of families ddn' {
pay over So a month for the washing. in
cluding all the bed linen and table linen.
How do YOU get around that?'
ITS all up to the young people," said
the older woman. 'If they are frugal
and economical and don't try to go to
housekeeping on the scale that their par
ents are living on now, but are willing
to work up to that position as their par
ents have for 20 or 20 years. struggling and
saving. then l say that the high cost CT
living will have nothing TO do with it. but
that they can be as happy on SIS a week
as their fathers and mothers were when
they got married.
''Of course not" she continued. there's
girl has been making her own money-say
$50 or s75 a month, and she has been
spending it all on herself. and then turns
around and marries some man who makes
no more than she did. and the two OF
them have to live on 1t. why il will 20
pretty hard with her. OF course. If she
cares enough for the man to be real help
mate to him and save his money for him
and work for his good and her own. then
she, like the rest, will thrive and be
happy under the circumstances. even II
thev are a bit pinched at first"
you'd hate to try 1t, though wouidn
you?" asked the younger woman.
This is not a perSonal conversation.
the older woman reminded. I'VE are deal
ing in glttering generalities. There are.
of course. lots of ways around the ques-
tion and perhaps the most practical cue
that can be given is for the love sick
young lady to wait until the prospective
BRIDEGROOM is earning larger salary
but who wants the world to be altogether
practical when "loves young dream" il
mixed up with it's work-a-day old
schemes?"