Year: 1875

How Mrs. NI'Goochen Did her own wOrlk--

 and What 1t Cost to Do Without Hired

 Girl.

 One morning about two weeks ago, Mrs. M'Goochen beamed blandly across the breakfast table on her husband, and informed him that she had concluded to discharge the hired girl and do her own work. The announcement startled Mr. MGoochen almost as much as If she had declared her determination to commit suicide. He had long known that hired help was heavy drain upon his meager salary, but his wife had educated him to regard it as indispensable, and he made up his mind to endure it forever. That she should voluntarily offer to dispense with the services of girl was some thing for which he was not prepared. Looking at her with an expression in which hope and doubt painfully min gled, he said:

 You-why-you can't do it, Eliza. ''

 "Can't do it, indeed! I'd like to know what's the reasona Lots of women in this town do great deal more, and think nothing of it. Our family's small just you and me and Henry Ward and if I can't do the work for us three, I'd better go to hospital and done with it.

 "What put you into the notion9' asked her husband, hardly yet recovered from his surprise.

 "Well, Peter," she replied, speaking in tender, self-reproving tone, "I'll tell you. I've been thinking lately how hard you have to work, and how little I have done to assist you, in comparison with what might and ought to do, and it appears to me that should try to re- duce our expenses as much as possible, and the best way know of is to do my own housework. We are poor, just making 8 beginning in life, and it is my duty to help you.

 With voice almost choked with emo- tion at this unexpected evidence of his wife's devotion and energy, he feebly essayed to break her resolution, saying that he didn't want her to be slave for him, that she was too delicate for the task she contemplated, that all he asked of her was continued love and sympathy

 ooh, that's all nonsense" interrupted Mrs. M'Goochen. "It's high time my love and sympathy was assuming a practical form. I'll discharge the girl this very day. But there is one condi- tion, Peter.''

 "Name it, my noble wife,"

 'That new carpet you thought we were unable to get. Now, if do my own work it will save at least hundred dollars year, and you can certainly af- ford the carpet"

 "Of course, my love, if you are satis- fled you are not undertaking more than you can perform"

 She was satisfied, and so it was settled. Mack lugged the carpet home at noon, and found the girl gone. His wife was gone, too, but she returned shortly, hay ing only been around telling the neigh, bors that she was now doing her own work Dinner was late, but then it was the first meal by her fair fingers, and he could make allowance for the novelty oi the position in which she found herself placed.

 Acting on her suggestion, Mack brought home a new rocking chair when he came to supper. They were saving g hundred dollars 8 year, and could well afford such little things. When his wife returned from her visit to the rest of the neighbors, whom she had been informing that she was now doing her own work, she was delighted with the new chair, and declared that they must have full set of furniture to match it. 'You know, Peter, that I will more than save the cost of it in the course of year, and I will feel so proud to know that my labor secured it. This was said so beseechingly, and she hung so lovingly on his neck the while that Mack couldn't resist the appeal. The furniture was sent down the next day.

 About three days after, Mrs. M'Goo- chen coaxed Peter into buying her g silk dress, and the next day she wheedled him out ot set of jewelry. It was the same old plea-she was Tightening the expenses so much by doing her own work that she felt she was entitled tc something extra. It would amount tc no more, she reasoned, than the hire ot girl, and Peter could well afford tc give it to her.

 Mack began to get uneasy. Was there, after all, any saving in doing without g hired girl ? Wouldn't that sort of econ omy bankrupt him in less than year He got piece of paper and pencil an6 | figured: