FIFTEEN SHILLINGS A WEEK.

[To THE EDITOR OF THE "8PECTATOE.”1

SIR,—Tbat unimportant creature, the cottage house-mother,, so seldom makes her voice heard that I thought one of her rare utterances might interest you, though it is some weeks since the correspondence on the subject closed. It is from. the Hereford Journal of March 8th.—I am, Sir, 8,:c.,

"Dear Sir,—I have been reading with great intrest your lettere and many others this week. I see you want some one to explain how 14 or 15 shillings is spent. I am taking this oppunity ia writing to you. I am the wife of a waggener he gets 13 shillings per week with 3 quarts of eider, a pint or quart of seperated milk, a cart load of small wood for fire and coals hauled; and potatoes ground 3 rows sometimes fairly long and sometimes short according to field. The ground is put ready for planting and I plant it and they are covered with mutter and turned out with the same at rising time and I gather them. I forgot to say house and a small garden, but a large garden is no use for he as no time to work it. I must do it or pay some one and that cannot be done out of 13 sh and rare a family of 8. I have 4 out and 4 at home but I find it behond keeping straight with those than a few years back, as everything is so dear and not near so good as regards cloths and boots. I must say that every carter and cowman and shepard ought to have £1 a week, house and garden, and the bits of perquisites. Oh, I forgot ..t1 10s. for harvest, which is hard earned; look at the hours thoy are on, a wa.ggner in perticular from 5 in the morning till 7 or and very often 8 at uight comes in tired out, and then perhaps very cress not feeling very well have to drag on or leave. Now as to the money : keeping a family we should be -4 starved if I did not get a little but it is very hard for a woman with a big family to have to turn out and do a man's work. I think every man ought to get enough to sup- port is wife and family. Now here is a list as near as possiable what it takes in one week and orderly enough :—

1 3 • 9 11 • 2 • 34 4 6 insuranco 6 • 1 141

• Sometimes none.

out of 13s. then there is a lot of odds and ends such as wool for tnending, laces, blue, starch, mustard, pepper, salt, cotton, cloths, boots, coals, and the husband's club. Now all the estras I have to make so how or other, and if I do not pay for these things soon

I shall be put in the county court. Yes I can tell you it is a hard life the poor wifes as to go without a lot. If the men Were better payed they could live better and more able to work, but when you have to work hard and live hard you soon loose your health and then the farmer does not want you.

I know 1 man he gets 13s. 6d. a week and pays rent and no milk nor any thing but potatoes ground and cider. Yes Mr. Box I am one as should like to handle more money ; thanking you and Mr. Lanford for the great enterest you are taking in the Farm Laboures and I hope it be a success. I think a great deal of the Laboures are very weak at heart.—I am your's

61b sugar tea...

soap ..,

candles .,. 1 ox tobacco

9 loaves bread ... quarter Hour ... 4 boxes matches ...

2 bacon 1 6

1 cheese 8 2 butter 2 4

2 fresh meat 1 5*

CLODDER,'S W1111.

You can do as you like by this letter."