How I managed my house on two hundred pounds a year / by Mrs. Warren.

  • Warren, Mrs. (Eliza)
Date:
1864
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: How I managed my house on two hundred pounds a year / by Mrs. Warren. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    a little gem of ‘ lustre rare ?’ And now, wifey, tell me your troubles, that I may help you.” “ Oh ! I cannot pay Ellen’s wages, and I owe for this dress and some other things ; and I am not sure that I shall be able to pay Hardman, the butcher.” “Now, then, let us see. Ellen two pounds ten ” “ Yes ; and Hardman quite eight pounds.” “ Well, and the dress.” “ Oh ! it is not that only, but there are other things that come to sixteen pounds.” My husband looked grave—ay, graver than I had ever seen him ; his arm relaxed in the grasp in which it held me, finally he with- drew it, and held his head between his hands. “ Speak, Fred,” said I, “ oh ! speak, and do not be angry.” “ I am not angry, child ; but this is sad ; I did not dream of this,” was his reply. “ But you will be able to pay it ?” I asked. “ Pay it ? Oh, yes; but at what a risk ! You know your father would not give his consent to our marriage without I insured my life for a thou- sand pounds, as he co^'idered that, though I might become a rich man when I had fully entered into practice, yet death some- times sadly interfered with our brilliant schemes—and he was right. Now, here is the notice from the assurance office, that my payment for the next year falls due in fifteen days ; if I discharge your bills I cannot pay this without encroaching on our next year’s income. It is fortunate that I have reserved the money for the rent and taxes. Dry up your eyes, little fairy, and be cheerful. I cannot bear to see you thus.” “ But, oh ! Fred, will you pay the bills all through the next year ? I don’t want to have any money.” “ Darling, this must not—cannot be. It is out of my power to order the daily dinners—to look after the scraps, regulate the laundry expenditure, and control the thousand and one trifles which, however, at the end of the year make up the whole sum of two hundred pounds. So courage, little one, try the next year; we shall do, if God gives us health.” And thus the matter dropped. The end of the next year came, and a little daughter was added to our comfort. The last evening of the old year came steadily on. I will tell my husband now, thought I; he cannot be angry that I cannot pay this bill ; I have spent so much for our little treasure. And so, and so, and so it came out that I now owed twenty pounds more than I could pay, notwithstanding that I had pinched here and screwed there, till sometimes my life became an