170 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



In October 1896 I had a good offer for my town 

 house, and accepted it. I had purchased the 

 property eleven years before for $22,000, but, as 

 it was in bad condition, I had at once spent 

 $9000 on it and the stable. I sold it for $34,000, 

 with the understanding that I could occupy it 

 for the balance of the year if I wished. 



After selling the house, I calculated the cost 

 of the elementary necessities, food and shelter, 

 which I had been willing to pay during many 

 years of residence in the city. The record ran 

 about like this : 



Interest at 5 % on house valued at $34,000 . 11700.00 



Yearly taxes on same 340.00 



Insurance ....... 80.00 



Fuel and light 250.00 



Wages for one man and three women . . 1200.00 



Street sprinkling, watchman, etc. . . . 90.00 



Food, including water, ice, etc. . . . 1550.00 



Making a total of .... $5210.00 



It cost me $100 a week to shelter and feed my 

 family in the city. This, of course, took no ac- 

 count of personal expenses, travel, sight-seeing, 

 clothing, books, gifts, or the thousand and one 

 things which enter more or less prominently 

 into the everyday life of the family. 



If the farm was to furnish food and shelter 

 for us in the future, it would be no more than 

 fair to credit it with some portion of this expendi- 

 ture, which was to cease when we left the city 

 home. What portion of it could be justly cred- 

 ited to the farm was to be decided by compara- 



