1906. 
Living on a Small Income. 
Some years ago the writer had an op¬ 
portunity to observe a woman who had 
been obliged to take legal action in order 
to obtain support from her husband—a 
separate maintenance and $3 a week. 
This circumstance of the $150 a year was 
recalled to mind by an article in The 
R. N.-Y., “Living on $150 a Year,” and 
gives an opportunity to show what can be 
done on a limited income even in a city, 
not a big city, but one of over 100,000 
inhabitants. The principle difference in 
expense between living in a small village 
or a city is the rent. In order to rent 
a whole house, many people of limited 
means take a house and sublet to room¬ 
ers. rooms furnished or unfurnished, and 
thus have the benefit of more room than 
they could possibly have in any other 
way. The woman in question with her 
$3 a week, rented an upper front room 
with alcove and clothespress for $1.50 a 
week, in a modern house, on an asphalt 
paved street, one house from a corner and 
electric car line, a house renting for $28 
a month. Through a misplaced furnace 
this upper front room could not be heated ; 
thus the low rent (unfurnished), with fuel 
for a coal stove. A small second-hand 
parlor cook stove was secured for a few 
dollars which settled the question of heat 
and cooking faeijit'es, as housekeeping 
was allowed; also use of a fine cement- 
bottomed cellar, and a light roomy attic; 
bathroom, hot and cold water on the same 
floor; furnished, heated, and lighted en¬ 
trance and upper hallways. The main 
room was 12x15 feet, and served as the 
living and sleeping room. The alcove had 
a window, making three single glass win¬ 
dows in all. and was sufficiently large for 
the cookery implements—a little kitchen. 
This woman had in return for her $1.50 
a week all that she needed in the way of 
habitation and heat, and yet, $6 every 
month in a village would have given her a 
half if not a whole house, with fruit 
and garden plot. But she had for her 
money other advantages not to he found 
in a small village, such as street car serv¬ 
ice and postal delivery twice a day. Of 
the one hundred and more churches, seven 
were within walking distance—where she 
was in no danger of having her clothing 
criticised at the weekly meetings of the 
church societies. One square away was a 
university library and free reading room, 
and there were also both a public and a 
high school with free exhibits, and ad¬ 
dresses noon educational subjects, to keep 
her youthful-minded and up to date. 
There were many hospitals for sickness 
or accidents, especially the city hospital 
with free treatment, or pay according to 
income. The shoeing district was also 
within walking distance, with the depart¬ 
ment stores and their conveniences, their 
resting places—couches and easy chairs— 
all free to the purchaser of a spool of 
thread or a mere sightseer. With rela¬ 
tives, friends, and old neighbors at hand, 
this woman was in no danger of getting 
rusty and becoming a melancholy recluse, 
On account of a limited income. 
It is not know just how this woman 
expended her remaining $1.50 a week, or 
$78 a year. Oil for one lamp served her 
purpose; and she had, not the first, but the 
reading of a morning and an evening dailv 
newspaper, also a number of weekly and 
monthly publications. As to food, she 
had goods delivered, and a pint of milk 
each day. She drank tea, coffee, and 
cocoa, and ate potatoes, eggs, oranges, 
bananas, bread and butter, and meat occa¬ 
sionally when she went near a meat mar¬ 
ket. She went out more or less on pleas¬ 
ant days, and as walking stimulates the 
appetite, she no doubt had good food for 
her good appetite. In short, she probably 
used a full dollar a week for her house¬ 
hold supplies (perhaps more), and if so, 
she had a balance of $2(5 for clothing and 
miscellaneous items. 1 his woman was not 
under observation for a full year, but dur¬ 
ing the Winter months to April, and dur¬ 
ing that period nothing new in the way of 
clothing came under notice. Her supply 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER. 
of house and street gowns, hats, wraps, 
etc., in quantity and durability, appeared 
to be sufficient for a second Winter. It is 
just possible that $10 expended for cloth- 
in" during the remainder of the year, and 
$20 during the second year would have 
keot this woman dressed as well as she had 
been in the habit of dressing, leaving a bal¬ 
ance of $1(5, and $(> or $22 for miscellan¬ 
eous items during two years. 
If it were not for the fact that there 
is such a condition as comfortable poverty, 
and even genteel poverty, it would be ac¬ 
tually pathetic to sec middle-aged women 
dividing and sub-dividing so little as $3 
a week in order to obtain the necessities 
of life—shelter, heat, food and clothing. 
It is taken for granted that only a middle" 
aged woman would retire upon $150 a 
year. To the writer it is a question if an 
able-bodied woman at any age is justified 
in retiring on $150 a year, unless that 
amount represents the income from a 
safely invested principal—at least $3,750. 
According to the writer of The R. 
N.-Y. article, “Living on $150 a Year,” a 
woman can with a garden plot, fruit and 
chickens, live on $30 worth of food, and 
$15 worth of clothing a year. This is val" 
liable information to women who have 
a limited income thrust upon them; but 
should this golden secret be allowed to get 
out among the men? Is it well for a 
young man to know that he can feed his 
feminine choice on 58 cents, supplemented 
with home-grown fruit, vegetables, and 
less than four e""S a week? Of course, it 
has been done, hence numerous conditions 
of comfortable poverty. And is it well 
for women, married or single, to admit 
that the female form divine, can be clothed 
on less than “30 cents” a week—and not 
“look it?” Is it strategic? 
MEDORA CORBETT. 
The Rural Patterns. 
The boy’s suit shown is made with 
fronts and back and is drawn up at the 
waist line by means of elastic inserted in 
a hem. There is a patch pocket and the 
roll-over collar is joined to the neck by 
means of studs and buttonholes. The 
sleeves are tucked at the wrists to give 
the suggestion of cuffs. The knicker¬ 
bockers are drawn up beneath the knees 
and are kent in place by means of elastic 
inserted in the hems. There are three 
generous pockets. The quantity of ma¬ 
terial required for the medium size (8 
years) is 3)4 yards 27, 2% yards 36 or 
2§4 yards 44 inches wide. The pattern 
5386 is cut in sizes for boys of 4, 6, 8, 10 
and 12 years of age; price 10 cents. 
Another variation of the corselet skirt, 
to be worn with a bolero or short Eton, 
is shown in No. 5377. The skirt is made 
with front and back gores and circular 
side portions and the girdle, which is cut 
in six portions, the box plaits at front 
and back being extended for full length. 
The circular side portions are joined to 
the girdle and to the front and hack gores 
beneath the plaits, and the closing is 
made invisibly at the back. The quantity 
of material required for the medium size 
is 8 yards 27, 5/ yards 44 or 5 yards 52 
inches wide with 8 yards of banding to 
trim as illustrated. The pattern 5377 is 
cut in sizes for a 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30- 
inch waist measure; price 10 cents. 
The Bookshelf. 
“Entomology: With Special Reference 
to Its Biological and Economic Aspects,” 
by Dr. Justus Watson Folsom. This book 
has been written with the aim of giving a 
comprehensive and concise account of in¬ 
sects, and in an effort to provide a text¬ 
book for students which treats the sub¬ 
ject of entomology primarily from the 
biological and practical standpo'nts. The 
numerous illustrations are chiefly from 
the author’s original drawings and much 
material not hitherto available in text¬ 
books has been introduced in this volume. 
While the book must be regarded as 
largely technical, it contains a mass of 
information instructive to the general 
reader. The chapters on “Adaptive Col¬ 
oration” and “Insects in Relation to 
Plants” are especially interesting, while 
the chapter on “Interrelations of Insects” 
contains many extraordinary facts of so¬ 
cial life among these humble creatures. 
Published by P. Blakiston’s Son & Co., 
Philadelphia; octavo, 485 pages; five 
plates, one of which is colored, and 300 
other illustrations; price $3 net. 
Skirt Supports. —Since petticoats no 
longer have any belts, but are finished 
with yokes or narrow, rolled bindings at 
top, most of them sag woefully at the 
back. 1 his causes them to wear more 
about the bottom, and lets the fullness fall 
below the space where it is needed under 
the dress skirt at the belt. Supports are 
easily arranged and are a positive com¬ 
fort even if one never feels a backache. 
Two large eyes sewed on the upper edge 
can be passed over corresponding hooks 
on the waist. Loops of narrow linen tape, 
or even of a good white cord are better 
than eyes on white skirts. Four inches is 
a good distance to place them apart and 
always measuring will cause all sets of 
hooks and eyes or loops to meet accu¬ 
rately. PRUDENCE PRIMROSE. 
6o7 
WtieN yeti Write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal.” See guarantee, page 8. 
It’s Your Buggy 
It belongs to you for your free ' i ™“ 
use for THIRTY DAYS. Write 
us and we will send It. Fur¬ 
ther we’ll cover it with a 
promise that it will stay 
right two year--, backed by 
r* bank deposit of *25.000. 
The only factory that does 
this. *Buy direct from maker and save money. Writo 
for our big catalog giving full particulars. 
The Anderton Mtg. Co., 18 Third St., Cincinnati, O. 
WE’LL PAY THE FREIGHT 
and sc ad 4 lluirsy Wlircdv Steel Tire on . 
With Rubbor Tires lM 15.50. I mfit. wheels to 4 in. 
tread. Top Buggies, 128.75: Harness $4.25. Write for 
catalog. I.earn how to buy direct. Ilepalr Wheels $3.75. 
Wagon Umbrella FKEK.\V.K.ltOOH, Cincinnati.O. 
New York State Veterinary College 
of Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 
Free tuition to New York State Students. Extend¬ 
ed announcement. Address 
Prof. JAMES LAW, F. R. C. V. S., Director. 
YOUNG MEN WANTED —To learn the 
Veterinary Profession. Catalogue sent 
free. Address VETERINARY COLLEGE, 
Grand Rapids, Mich. 46 LOUIS STREET. 
PATENTS 
Frun rpiwirt no f.-. l: 
SECURED OK EEE 
_ - RETURNED. 
F roe report as to Patentability. Illustrated Guide 
am * Inventions Wanted, sent free. 
E V ANS, \V11.KENS & CO., Washington, D. C. 
A BREAKFAST SET. 
This is a premium we have secured espe 
dally for the good women of The R. N.-Y. 
family. It Is a beauty, and we are able to 
give a great bargain in it. 
It is a 31-piece breakfast set in Prince 
decoration, which is a beautiful pure gold bor¬ 
der with a decalcomania flower in the centre 
of each piece. The flower is fixed perma¬ 
nently by this process, and the design is very 
pretty and popular. The set consists of six 
plates, six cups, six saucers, six butters, six 
oatmeal aud oue meat plate. 
We will send this set by express safely 
packed to every woman reader who will send 
us a club of five new yearly subscribers, 
at $1 each. The new subscribers will get the 
Rural New-Yorker for a year, and a copy 
of “The Farmer's Garden,” described pre¬ 
viously. Now, ladies, this is your oppor¬ 
tunity. Get after your friends; you ought 
to have a set. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER, NEW YORK. 
VERY LOW RATES TO MINNEAPOLIS 
AND RETURN VIA NICKEL 
PLATE ROAD. 
August 10th, 11th and 12th, account 
G. A. R. National Encampment. Choice 
of routes beyond Chicago. Final re¬ 
turn limit may be extended to Septem¬ 
ber 30th. For full information call on 
A. VV. ECCLESTONE, D. P. A., 385 
Broadway, New York City, or write 
R. E. PAYNE, General Agent, 291 Main 
St., Buffalo, N. Y. 
4 % 
Simpson - Eddystone 
Solid Blacks 
Dignified and substantial dress-goods. 
Finest quality of fabric with rich per¬ 
manent color not moved by perspira¬ 
tion, washing or sunlight. 
A sk your dealer for 
EDdvstonE 
PRINTS The Eddystone Mfg Co (Sole Makers) Philadelphia 
Simpson-Eddystone Solid Blacks. 
Three generations of Simpsons 
have made Simpson Prints. 
Jayne'-s Tonic Ye rmifude 
gives rosy cheeks, and aefiva health to pale, sickly children.® 
And it is good for their elders, too. 
Ask your druggist for it 
