Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-03-20
Winifred's Excur-
sion Into Economy
En- Lee Wyndham.

goes!"
The pretty speaker was searching
her pocketbook disconsolately for a
bill she could not remember chang
ing.
81 can lend you some replied Dora
Woods, her fellow teacher.
Thank you" Winifred came up
from the depths of her pocketbook
with sigh. III pay you the day we
cash our checks"
But when that day came Winifred
had more than one small account to
settle. BY the time she stood fair and
square with her little world she had
not much left wherewith to purchase
needed summer suit
81 don't see where my money goes,
she repeated. Dora and another teach
err were calling on her "Take some
more chocolates. You pay more for
your clothes; you go away for the
summer, which rarely do; and you've
started bank accounts. How do you
manage it. when you have just the
same salary that | have?'
The other teacher, Mary Burns, clos
ed the box of candy in decisive man
ner.
Little leaks may sink the ship" she
said didactically. why, do you buy
candies when you expect us to call,
Winnie? Why do you stop every day
for a glass of ice cream soda? Why
do you throw away garments that
could be made wearable with a little
trouble? You're very extravagant
young woman, my dear"
Extravaganza" Winifred tried to
Jock more sorry than angry. well, l
don't pay fifteen dollars for straw
hat, as some people do"
THAT hat will clean, block, turn, do
any number of tricks, and will prob
ably be my best for three summers"
retorted Dora, who was the purchaser.
You gave nine for flimsy creation
of maline and silk roses that does look
like dream, but that will be very
much like a deserted cobweb by the
end Of the summer"
The other teacher spoke again:
"Winifred, if you wait twenty-four
hours before you spend penny-yes,
penny!-except for car fare, or for
some equally stern necessity, and then
hold a debate of one over the spend
ing, you'll save a great deal. l gave
up walking home with you because
could not afford the useless soda foun-
tain habit myself and certainly did not
wish to be perpetual guest. If you
keep a strict account of what you
spend on unconsidered trifles you will
find they and not good sensible
clothes, deplete your income and
strangle your bank account at It's
birth"
She'll never do it," sighed Dora,
rising. "Winifred must have COMPEL
ing motives"
That very day the motive came.
s. $50 come home as soon as you
can, DEAR concluded her sisters let
ter, land we'll give mother as much
rest as possible. Of course she ought
to go away for few weeks, but that
seems out of the question. If we only
hadn't had the house painted"
Winifred was a devoted daughter.
The thought of needed holiday being
unattainable seemed too hard. Then
came the idea! She would not get the
new summer suit at all, and she would
ecc~ o'liZe!
r. next day she called in the aid OF
a Girl who lived near, who was working
her way through college. For small
sum-compared with the price of a
new suit-she made the old one neat
and presentable Winifred started an
account in a little Japan box. She
found that it was quite possible, by ris-
ing earlier, to walk to school, Hither-
to she had ridden both ways, enjoying
the open cars. AS for candies, sodas,
peanuts. and other trifling indulgences
of the kind, the ceasing to enjoy those
rut many nickels in her bank. She
was almost Mortified to think how
large a portion of her small income
had dribbled away in these whims
Larger sums were saved by a sensible
use of her needle. She had planned
to buy four new shirt waists for
school wear. The cheapest would have
cost a dollar and a half each, while
her laundry bills could have known no
reduction. She made herself new
waist out of a half-worn black China
silk skirt, with a pretty Dutch neck.
and was cool and comfortable.
Not to multiply details, she soon sent
nome her savings, a sum that enabled
her mother to visit her son on the
farm. But Winifred did more than a
! filial duty She learned lesson that
| might best. perhaps, be summed up in
Mary Burns words "a little leak may
| sink ship" and from small econ
omies may come fund that can be
used to large ends.