Evening star., 1951-12-16
BUDGET.
(From E. T., Lanham.J

at our bank and each payday my
husband deposits part of his
salary, keeping out the amount he
will need for the car and his per-
sonal expenses and the amount I
expect to spend for food and in
cidentals. We then pay. by check,
for all large expenditures such as;
mortgage payments, insurance
premiums, utilities, furniture,
automobile repairs, doctor and
dentist bills and the more ex-
pensive items Of clothing. Our
cash expenditures include, food.
gas and oil. small items of cloth
ing. recreation, personal expenses.
gifts. contributions and household
expenses. This latter group and
the furniture and clothing in the
first group are the items we bud
get since most of the others are
inflexible items. However. we have
found that we can save a little by
paying our insurance premiums
at the yearly rate and my hus-
band does some Of the repairs on
the car himself.
About the checking account:
First we used the type where you
buy the checks by the book at
about 10c each and can use any
number of them. Later when we
had a larger amount in our ac-
count we changed to a minimum
balance account in which we are
allowed a certain number of checks
without charge. So far we have
paid no charges and this repre-
sents q small saving. It is impor-
tant to build up an emergency
fund to take care of unexpected
expenses, and budget experts rec
ommend an amount equal to two
months income. We haven't been
able to achieve that as yet. but we
are trying to spend a little less
than our income even II 1t means
doing without few things. We
are able to have everything we
need and a few extras. I've
learned to make my own clothes.
most Of the childrens and some Of
my husbands. We have electric
clippers and my husband and two
sons have their hair cut at home.
My husband does most of our
home repairs and painting. We
don't go out or entertain as much
as we'd like to and we don't eat
steak! Budgets aren't much fun,
but for people like us, with be-
low average income, they are a
necessity. On the brighter side,
budgeting has made it possible for
us to have a home Of our own,
furnish it and buy a 1850 car.
We have no debts, except our
mortgage. Good luck, Mrs. r. B.
I hope this will help you.
y X + y
/ POEMS.
(From Mrs. J. H. c., Alexandria,
I am sending two Of the four
poems requested by a lady in
Oklahoma, I think. I hope she
gets them. I have lost her initials.
The Farmers Wife" is all I have
along this line. I, too, would love
to have "If Ever I Get Married,
a Farmers Wife I'll Be-" I will
tell all the town girls a farmers
wife doesn't live in a bed of roses.
or didn't SO or rs years ago!
Voice Of experience speaking!
FARMERS WIFE.
Before the flaming Of the dawn
Shes up to put the coffee on,
TO set the table. to bake the bread.
To rattle the well chain down, to drop
From kitchen stoop the farm wife sees
The dawn flame over the dew dark trees.
The breakfast done. the bed quilts laid,
The butter churned in the dooryard shade.
hs all swept and the halls
Ths supper 0 to set and and The tRe sf Wass beenn be1nn.
Through the honeybee drone Of the after
noon
She washes and whistles homespun tune.
The dark comes early, comes cool and deep,
When supper is over. when children sleep,
When fingers are weary. when farmers
She scours the crock for the morning
cream.
When supper is over, when crickets cry,
When frogs are croaking. when bat wings
| fly.
The farm wife dims a dusky lamp,
At stepworn door sill stands spell
To breathe a breath of evening damp,
To watch the stars above the we'll
| BRANSON BLAKE.
MOTHER % MINE.
II were hanged on the highest hill
/. Mother o. mine, oh mother O. mine!
/ know whose love would follow me still
Mother O. mine, oh mother O. mine!
II were drowned in the deepest sea.
Mother O. mine. oh mother O. mine!
know whose tears would come down
Mother O. mine, oh mother O. mine
II I were damned by body and soul,
know, whose prayers would make me
Mother o. mine, oh mother O. mine
l RUDYARD KIpLING