Ellis Parker Butler

Name: A Matter of Economy
Author: Ellis Parker Butler

A Matter of Economy (1906)

Summary

“A Matter of Economy”, published in 1906, is a work by Ellis Parker Butler. It explores elements such as soap, Heiney and Muller.

Quotes from A Matter of Economy (Ellis Parker Butler)

Ellis Parker Butler, A Matter of Economy (1906)

“ He held her attempts to be a good and careful housewife as naught, scoffing at them by sending home whole boxes of soap. Doubtless she ate more than she saved, anyway. Doubtless he would be better off without her. Doubtless he would be happier without her, but he would be sad enough if he should come home and find her dead. What had she to live for, if her husband was to scatter money like water, to be a spendthrift of her careful savings? Better dead than tied to such a man!
"You makes me sick, Heiney Muller!" ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ellis Parker Butler, A Matter of Economy (1906)

“ Gusta Muller. The house itself was bright and clean in new paint; for paint, preserving the wood, is an economy. Heiney Muller had painted the house himself. The rich yellow of the walls was relieved by the sky-blue of the door- and window-frames, and the door itself glowed in a warm red. The picket-fence repeated the blue of the door-frame, for the can of blue paint could not be wasted.
"He iss so nice like anythings," Gusta had said, when she viewed the completed work. "Nobody thinks how fine it is to be for so few moneys"; and Heiney, looking the job over critically, admitted it. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ellis Parker Butler, A Matter of Economy (1906)

“ Every one knows that the economical way to buy soap is by the quantity. If you buy a quantity and set it on the shelf in the wash-house, the cakes will dry and harden, and will not waste away so quickly in the dish-pan or the wash-tub. Mrs. Muller, when she had to buy soap, bought a quantity, unwrapped the bars, and put them on the shelf. The wrappers she put in the wood-box ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ellis Parker Butler, A Matter of Economy (1906)

“ He recalled how many wrappers he had burned. He had been burning something of value. Then he had a feeling of anger that his wife should have carelessly thrown away the valuable papers without first reading them; but as he recalled how many times she had out-economized him, he glowed with pleasure. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ellis Parker Butler, A Matter of Economy (1906)

“ She economized from pure love of saving, and one of her greatest sorrows was that she had grown so stout that a new dress for her ample form now demanded two yards more of material than were required five years before. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ellis Parker Butler, A Matter of Economy (1906)

“ But when the vines came up, sickly and thin, only to fall prey to the ravenous melon- worms, and Heiney rebelliously insisted on spending real money for Paris green to scatter on the hopelessly blighted leaves, she had become angry and they had quarreled.
"Him!" she now said, with stubborn anger—"him! All times making for expenses what iss no use for! Him mit his Paris greens! Ain't she money throwed away? Ain't she wasted? Ain't' I got half them Paris greens left yet, und no usefulness for her? Und nefer will be!" ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ellis Parker Butler, A Matter of Economy (1906)

“ Muller's lap.
"Heiney," she said, "I guess I don't wait by spring this year to make my soap. I guess I make her to-day. The keg iss full, und when this warm wedder keeps on, it sours quick. Please und get up the soap-kettle."
"Gusta," said Mr. Muller, gently, "this ain't no time to make soap alretty. It's better you wait by April. What comes by the fat you gets from now until hot wedder? He goes for nothings, yes?"
"He don't goes for nothings when we don't gets any, does he?" asked Mrs. Muller. "We have sausages awhile, und ham und eggs. I got a feeling like I must make soap to-day, Heiney. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Ellis Parker Butler, A Matter of Economy (1906)

“ You do this to me, Heiney Muller! You go and waste goot moneys on soap we ain't some needs for, yust to make me mad! So much you care for me! What goot iss it I work und save, und you go throw away our goot moneys on soap we ain't some needs for? 'T ain't some use in livin' when money gets throwed away for soap we ain't some needs for. ”

Ellis Parker Butler

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Quotes from A Matter of Economy (Ellis Parker Butler)

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