Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-03-24
FRIDAY.


Il must get these cards finished to-
night" said Mrs. Hooper as she moved
the lamp over to corner of the table so
she could see to work while Henry could
share the Light to read by while she was
busy.
Are you working on that card file
yet?" asked Henry. 81 thought you fin
ished it Wednesday night It seems to
me as if you had records enough for
detective instead of the ordinary data
assembled by housewife"
But the ordinary housewife doesn't
assemble her data this way" answered
Mrs Hooper pretending not to notice
HenTy's comment on her l8bors.
We'll, what are you gathering together
tonight from all those note books and
old bills and scraps Of paper"
1t viii certainly be a blessing when
these items are copied from all the
places they have been written and put
neatly away in my file. I didn't know
had such mass of note books and pa
pers."
But why preserve all those records
Mary,>I cant see for the life Of me. Now
what's that for instance"
You really don't deserve to be told
anything about this plan or be permitted
to see how much time and patience 1t
takes to make this file," said Mrs. Hooper
al she bent over her cards. THE better
way would be to let you discover some
time, how much easier It Is to find some
information that you need, than to have
to search all over the house for it."
I've granted that long ago." replied
Henry, but why so much is what I'm
asking now. 1 see quite clearly why the
indexes you have made for accounts and
the health cards and those house records
you made Wednesday night, but I can't
see what else there is TO add"
"Oh, much. said Mrs. Hooper sagely,
in order to have our household history
complete, all that I am doing IS abso-
lutely necessary. Now this record that
I'm beginning is the sheets, pillowcases,
bedding and table linen. It is a great
deal easier to keep track Of all those
various articles here on set Of cards
than to be eternally going through the
linen closets and drawers counting things.
Now I leave it to you If it isn't"
why, I should say It certainly was"
answered Henry, smiling.
Now" resumed Mrs. Hooper. "I put
on this card everything about the sheets.
the number I have, the size. the date on
which they were bought and the date
that l tear them up for old rags Also
the price I paid for them and where I
bought them"
But why all that information" asked
Henry, curiously. For all practical
purposes all you need to know Is how
many sheets you have and what sizes
they are so you can tell when to buy
new ones"
"On the contrary I want to know how
much l paid for them so I can compare
prices when I buy new ones" answered
Mrs. Hooper. also I want to know how
long they lasted and where I bought
them. If they.h have worn badly why buy
the same grade or patronize the same
shop again ?"
Il am answered" laughed Henry, that
is certainly gkod logic. What will the 4
next set Of card be. I see you have
others"
This one is to be headed House Fur-V
nishings, Costs and on the separate cards
in this compartment I'll put the price Of
everything we buy for this house and by
going through all my old books I can
find the prices Of nearly every thing we
own at Mayfeld."
THAT data won't be much use will it?"
asked Henry.
1T viii only he a guide to future buy
ing" answered Mrs. Hooper. But this
next set that has recorded the cost and
date Of all repairs that we make to this
place is rather important. Then IN this
compartment. too, I'll keep the addresses
and telephone numbers of the stores and
supply equipment places that I find are
the most desirable in Indianapolis"
THAT ends 1t then does it ?" inquired
Henry.
Yes that completes my household
file, which I will set up on the shelf next
to my house accounts file. But, you see,
I shall have to devise some sort Of file
to take care of these bills and receipts
and all these clippings that I have ac-
cumulated on various household subjects"