Copyright, 1886,
By HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN & CO.
All rights reserved.
SEVENTH EDITION.
The Riverside Press, Cambridge:
Electrotyped and Printed by H. O. Houghton & Co.
PREFACE.
The success of “Ten Dollars Enough,” as it appeared serially in the pages of “Good Housekeeping,” and the numerous letters received by the editor of that magazine asking for it in more convenient shape, has led to its publication in its present form.
It is very pleasant to learn from these same letters that the writers have tried Molly’s recipes with such success, there being, I am assured by the same gentleman, but two exceptions (and one of these candidly says the fault might be her own) among the large number who expressed satisfaction.
This testimony is especially gratifying, showing, as it does, how earnest and faithful my readers have been; for, although the directions were minutely given and every effort made to meet difficulties, all my care would not have sufficed to produce success, had there not been faithful coöperation on the part of those who followed them. I take this opportunity to make clear two matters which, I found early in the course of the story, were lost sight of by two or three readers, perhaps others.
I allude to the prices of provisions and the amount of cooking accomplished in a given time.
To those who questioned the cost of articles I would say: they forgot, reading in December, when they were doubtless paying higher prices, that the prices quoted were for September. To another who quotes the high price she has to pay for certain things, I only say: Molly was keeping house with some luxury, on the same amount of table-money as many require to live very plainly. This could not be done except by buying everything only in its season; if beyond a certain price, she waited for it to get lower.