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HOME AND FLOWERS 



several pictures which are merely for wall 

 decorations and not valuable in an artistic 

 or educational way. 



The provision for the family clothing is 

 that upon which many families have very 

 serious thoughts. Food must be supplied, 

 hut it is often a great question how much 

 money can be spared for clothing. This 

 condition will be improved as good taste 

 and artistic ability are acquired. Much 

 money is spent simply for style. Often- 

 times a last season's hat, which is decidedly 

 becoming, is- more desirable to wear than 

 a new hat which, though it may not be the 

 latest style, is not suited to the wearer. 

 Garments are discarded before they are 

 half worn because they are not the latest 

 -cut. Many persons are kept busy changing 

 styles, but if a person has really secured a 

 garment which is very becoming and in 

 - which the material is good, he may expect 

 ^•to get much more service from it than 

 from one which is unbecoming though of 

 the latest style. A great saving in the 

 expense of clothing may be had by careful 

 judgment in selecting materials and in 

 an artistic sense of that which is suited 

 to the wearer. 



The American people suffer because so 

 many live beyond their income, and many 

 others spend to the full extent of their 

 incomes. The -tendency is to wait until 

 an opportunity is seen for saving larger 

 amounts before one really begins. The 

 greatest safety is in forming a habit of 

 saving. If one can save five dollars a year 

 the habit is a good one and will lead to 

 larger ability in this line. This small 

 amount forms the nucleus for larger 

 amounts and in time, too, amounts to no 

 mean acquirement. It may be that this 

 small saving will be just enough to pre- 

 vent suffering for the necessaries of life 

 in case of sickness, or to relieve when the 

 loss of the home is impending. 



Persons differ as to their ability to make 

 good investments. The utmost watchful- 

 ness is needed to avoid rashness and un- 

 fortunate speculations. It is desirable 

 that it become a part of the education of 



young people to learn to invest safely, 

 and to use judgment and discretion in the 

 use of money in business affairs. 



Systematic giving, as it relates to 

 benevolences, churches, missions, etc., 

 should be studied in all families. Chil- 

 dren should be made a part of the plan of 

 giving for these purposes. The motive 

 back of the gift, the character developed, 

 are as much to the giver as the gift may 

 be to the receiver. No person "in a family 

 should be deprived of the grace of giving, 

 but each one should have his own part as 

 a means of discipline in wise giving and 

 as a happiness for benefiting others. 



May the time .come when churches and 

 other organizations for good will be sup- 

 ported by direct pa}Tiients as gifts, rather 

 than by socials, fairs, games, etc. If it 

 is a privilege to give, it should not be 

 confined to a few persons in such an or- 

 ganization. It often happens that a few 

 women do the baking for a church social, 

 work harder for the success of the feast 

 than they would in their own homes, and 

 the church suppers are bought by their 

 own husbands and families. In addition 

 a man may buy the necessary articles for 

 cooking, his wife may do the work, and he 

 may buy the same cakes at a church sale 

 to take home for the family to eat. Leav- 

 ing the interests of the groceryman out of 

 the question, he might better give the 

 money at the first, and his wife be spared 

 the hard work of preparing for the event. 

 The question therefore arises, whether the 

 money was paid for the cake or whether it 

 was given for the cause. The habit of 

 direct giving for that which may benefit 

 humanity will obviate many difficulties. 



LETTERS FROM OUR CORRESPONDENTS 



"I think no one can judge of the work 

 and drudgery of farmers' wives except 

 women who have been right there and 

 speak from experience. You see they get 

 such poor pay for their products that 

 every penny must be saved to pay their 

 interest and taxes and necessary help in 

 raising and securing the crops "that there 

 is nothing left to rebuild or modernize 

 their homes with, not even to fix over the 



