Year: 1863

energies Of our industrial population ;


Now this ia one of the pleasant evi


dences that this article upon econom.


ID food is doing its mission.


But must tell the writer that die


not do with his dollar as he bid me.


did not give it TO hot poor woman


Before / could see her. another came


one knew-one who did live neat anC


respectable. and respected by all whC


knew her. as wife or widow Of an hon


est. hard working city carpenter; WHIT


dying. as we all must, left her. a


thirty-eight years old. with FIVE chil


dren under fifteen.


How THE PooR WIDow LIVED


What a task-a living deathl Dying
that they might live. With feeble
health-a toll worn and torn constitu.
tion-her children sickly--sick for


want OF accustomed food and comforts
that came with the fathers daily wages,
and were daily spent. so that when
death came, and custom-fashion, with
its inexorable law--demanded costly
coffin and an expensive "last home" in
eonsecraIed ground for the dead. there
was no living left for the living--no
home and food and fire for family Of
whom it had been said, "How we'll
they live" Yes, they lived well as
the word goes-they did not live BY
the laws of economy. 1t was lesson
never taught in their school 1t was a
need they had never needed. They
need il now. Now. when a dime is
more than dollar then. Now. when
for one whole week. for that feeble,
tender-reared American woman--and
for four hungry children. who never.
till their fathers death. knew the want
Of a full meal; they have known it often
since--ior whole week. the only food
that entered the widows desolate home,
was two dimes worth OF dear bakers
bread.


The only fire was made of two pecks
Of coal For food and fuel for FIVE per-
sons, not FIVE, but seven days, three
dimes and halt was all they had, and
that was not economically expended. as
was the dime of which you read, be
cause the woman did not understand
the art; and it was no time TO learn it,
and her children starving the while,
Just as well might you tell the drown
ing man to hold on. and you would read
him dissertation upon the art Of swim
ming. Just as vel might you tell the
hungry dog that the bone he stole to
,im was useless, because he knew not
he art Of making soup. Three dimes
md half week Tor a whole familyl
That is not the art of economy--it is
I'-- -, af s,arUinu IN haaIh withnpt hy-
ng. 1t might sustain a family IN the
woods of Kentucky, where fuel is
worthless, and corn but dime BUSH
i, as l have often seen it sold Ii is
learer now-very much dearer here
md no teaching o. economy can tell
how to live upon so little.


1t was to this woman that | gave the
mans ten dimes. I gave her. too,
What another "friend Of the poor" had
tent me--some clothes and shoes for
her children; for of the latter they had
lone, and Of the former, only the garb
hat makes them feel they are but beg
yars. Yet they are not--they are true
born American children. Perhaps,
children of parents that did not prac
ice economy, and did not lay up a
store out of dimes wasted. 1t is poor
to waste good flesh and blood
hands, heads, hearts, souls Of our
fell


Yet, without the economy of saving
such from waste, 10 worse than waste
thew must go.


Economy in food would save all from
want


Economy in clothes would clothe
all the destitute.


Economy in drink would make all
rich, for that is all waste.