The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1915-05-25
The Charm of Thrift.
From the Youths Companion.

Doctor Johnson, who was one of the
wisest of men, always advised his friends
to marry well to do women, because they,
and only they knew the true value of an
Income. A woman of fortune" he was
wont to say, being used to the handling
OF money, spends judiciously. But a wo-
man who gets command of money for the
first time upon her marriage has such
gust in spending it that she throws it
away with great profusion."
This gust in spending, or rather this
profound distaste for economy as an ugly
and irkSOme thing, characterizes American
women OF all classes; but it works most haV-
oc in families whose incomes are large
enough for sufticiency and security-thOSe
twin blessings of life-but not for a prOdi-
gality that is equally stupid and unjustifed.
Economy, as understood and as practced by
Latin nations is not irksome. 1t is part OF
| the game of life, limitation accepted in
good faith, and managed with such dexterity
| that, although it may rub now and then, it
seldom pinches hard. A year or two ago
writer in the Atlantic Monthly gave a vivid
and sympathetic sketch of a French middle
class household, with its assured comfort, its
touch OF elegance, its carefully balanced eX-
penditures. The picture was as accurate as
1t was pleasing. A French woman takes an
honest and just pride in making every penny
or her money bring it's fair equivalent; ana
she knows that her family keenly apprecl-
ateS the results of her excellent manage
ment. She goes to market. The artichokes
are big and green and beautifully fresh. Her
husband likes artichokes Very well, then,
there must be no salad and no cherries.
Artichokes represent the days extravaganza,
and the rest of her marketing deals with the
necessar1es of life. 1t no more occurs to her
to buy both the artichokes and the salad
than it occurs to her to be sorry for her
self because she cannot do so. Her good
&c hnScu souoI1;0 ov1d
culties overcome. She has sense enough to
relish the situation. Does an Alpine climber
want to be carried in a sedan chair? WnaE
charm, after all, encircles the mountain top
but the supreme sense of triumph?
In this land of plenty economy is i'll IN
derstood and distasteful. Housekeepers ig-
more it, servants despise it. A Boston wo-
man whose daughter had lived for two years
in Italy lamented WhimsicaIly that the girl
could no longer be permitted to run the
house at home. "She did fairly well before
she went away" sighed the amused parent
''but now she asks the cook what has be-
come of the other half of the onion, and the
cook gets up and goes"
In Italy, where everything can be purcnaS
ed in small quantities. half an onion looms
large on the horizon If customer chances
to want one egg she buys one egg No dear
er looks askance at her because she does
not take a dozen. If she wants a pat Oh
fresh butter and tiny flash of cream she
buys them for few cents, and has the com
fort OF knowing that both are SuperlauVeiy
good. Italians are more intolerant Of stare
eggs than we dare to be, and they abhor tne
sailed butter that we contentedly consume.
But no food is wasted, and no one considers
wasting as a privilege. You seldom near
economy preached in France or Italy OF
Spain; instead it is universally practiced'
Every time that Mr. Taft talks he says
something that the whole country can en-
dorse. He is the most loved and rospect
ed republican living today.-Darien "a
zntta