Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-01-22

TT surely was stroke OF good fortune
for me that made Mrs. Jones choose
the empty seat beside me on the sub
urban car. felt. rather than saw. she
was reading with me the advertisement
OF q special sale that had taken out
Of my shopping bag to consult again.
I looked up and caught her eye. sne
smiled pleasantly.
us your husband q Government
clerk?" she asked.
eyes" replied. Something impelled
me to add. II am Mrs. Miller. have
been married three months and we
are renting a little house in suburb"
I'm Mrs. Jones and I've been mar
ried 20 years. she said. He glance
strayed to the advertisement. Finding
1t hard to manage? Excuse my being
personal, but I've helped so many girls
get started that feel Ike q profess
an idea of what you are up against.
up against rather expressed 1t. 1
interrupted. MT Miller and I find we
hadn't in the least realized the problem
OF living on 81 800 a year"
Mrs. Jones gave me a sympathetic
look. I'VE started on 81 200 and now
have $4,000. but what with the increase
in the cost of living. 1t hardly seems
any more than our first salary. NOW
there isn't any set rule TO go by, Just
as there isn't any standard way Of liv-
ing for government clerks. ana their
families. One fact remains though.
which is that there are about $4,000
civil service workers earning from
81 500 10 s2,400 with the average salary
around $1,000, and with US married
ones, it is the wife who has to make
the salary butter cover each years loaf
| Of life. After We had been married two
wears. We came out to the suburb and
| believe that the suburbs are the best
places to live in. Life is easier. friends
| are nearer, you are more content TO
stay at home in the evenings and you
save money-always the main point
in spite of the expense Of car or train
fare.
1T took us IL years TO pay for our
| home, and we are among the lucky.
owning one. Very few of US. married
during or since the World War. own
or even try to buy homes. It's only
natural to dread saddling yourself with
a huge debt. with the constant fear OF
getting behind in payments, so the
popular choice is TO rent a house or
take an apartment. or rooms for light
housekeeping. I've talked with num-
bers of women and know pretty large
group intimately. and the home owners
are the ones who have inherited money
| who work themselves or have children
old enough to be working and helping.
You hear people denounce the in
stallment plan of buying. Well, all
can say Is. it enables us to buy furni-
ture and clothing. The evil OF 1t lies
in the ignorance of those who literally
owe their whole months pay before they
have earned 1t. That is very bad.
Mainly, though. we buy cheap shoes.
coats and hats, etc. at sales, because
we are afraid of a charge account l
saw an advertisement the other day OF
a woman dressed in a plain hat. sub
stantial looking coat and sensible shoes,
She was called Mrs Marked Down. the
special sales and bargain hunter. ]
thought. now II the artist had Just put
an enormous sack OF groceries und--
. each OF her arms she would be per
feet picture Of me.
But with all its serious side. We ha
a great deal 70 make life pleas
Though we can't travel. beyond a s.
excursion once a year. perhaps. "
ington gives us a lot Of free plees
with its parks, Fairgrounds, gals
museums, etc Then. too. with CT
cars. its possible for us 70 own
! and the pleasure We get from
makes up for the saving and pinc!,
. We did to get 1t.
, However you put 1t, though. w
, got to think Of the cost Of living. mo-
ing. noon and night There's always :.
fear of want and the realization that
sickness comes. and 1t does ineyitah.