Possibly it may be the invasion of woman into all the trades and professions of men that accounts for this dollarless portion of many young men. Where once they reigned supreme, they are now dethroned and doomed to grow round shouldered over a ledger at twelve dollars a week, while a gay, irresponsible miss of seventeen fresh from the Business College runs everything in the office from the temperature to " The Boss," and draws eighteen or twenty dollars from its coffers every Saturday night.

A man of good family and enviable social connections who may be obliged to work for a meagre stipend, has to forego many pleasures that rightfully belong to him. He may not afford his club, his favorite military organization must be stricken from his list; he is chary of accepting social obligations which he may not return, therefore is obliged to miss many a pleasant evening. He is too proud to become a " hanger on," and if he has had money and lost it, then is his lot even harder, for he is often patronized by his one-time friends. Only a man who has lost his money knows how many of his friends went with it.

The strictest economy is his allotment; and even with a salary of twenty-five or thirty dollars a week, he may not indulge in many social pleasures. If he has been accustomed to the good things of life, it is indeed hard for him to give up the things he most enjoys. A twenty-one-meal ticket at four dollars will keep away hunger, but one might almost prefer hunger's pangs occasionally to the agonies of a public dining-room with its poor ventilation, mixed company and hurried service. These would combine to make a perfect dinner unendurable. And the average dinner of the boarding house is far from perfection.

But after all, there is compensation in this state, as in all things. The Impecunious Bachelor has his true and loyal friends, and he can always depend upon them in any emergency. They are his friends for friendship's sake, not for what he may possess in worldly goods. And if he is inclined to be philosophical, he may extract from his dull routine many pleasures that are denied his more fortunate brothers.

The Bachelor who earns about $1000 a year, may, if he does a little careful thinking, live comfortably, even luxuriously, if he sets up his Lares and Penates in an unfurnished room and builds for himself therein at least one room of his " house of dreams."

Here, his individuality may run riot, and because he is poor is by no means a reason why he should be commonplace. His one room may be as artistic as he desires, and if he is willing to sacrifice a little of his time and thought, the result will soon be in evidence. Its decorations may reflect his tastes, whether they be for riding, fishing and hunting, good pictures or athletic sports. He may not be a bachelor from choice; but it is far easier to put money by for the home which he expects to have one day, if he has comfortable bachelor quarters in which to spend his evenings. With his books, his pipe, all his treasures about him, and a few loyal friends to drop in now and then to keep him company, he will soon cease to regret the absence of club life, and in his own little circle will be far happier than many men of ten times his income.

Suppose a man has an income of $1200 a year. This means $25 a week, and upon this basis he may live delightfully - if he knows how to deny himself certain things.

Ordinarily, a man would pay for a furnished room in a good locality no less than $5.00 a week. For from $150 to $175 a year it is possible in most cities to get a large unfurnished room with a good closet, and in some cases hot and cold water in the room, together with the privilege of the bath on the same floor - which, however, he is likely to have to share with two or three others.

If he takes an unfurnished room at $150, this leaves a margin of $100 with which to purchase his own belongings. Perhaps he will feel that he can afford to spend another $50, since it is only for the first year that this additional expense of furnishing will be had.

Upon taking it by the year, the proprietors of the house or apartments are supposed to put it in perfect order. Generally they are willing to paper it for a permanent tenant, allowing him to choose the paper for himself. If he can induce them to put up a plate rail about five feet from the floor, so much the better.

There may be a figured paper in warm crimsons, cool dark blues or sage greens, according to the exposure of the room and its allowance of sunlight, below the plate rail. Above it, plain cartridge paper of the same prevailing shade will make an excellent background for his pictures and other decorations.

The floor will also be done over and nicely waxed, and window shades are supposed to be furnished. Also heat and hot and cold water. The gas or electric lights are generally extra and each room provided with a meter.

If one has no book case, and there is a corner in the room where bookshelves could be built, a carpenter will, for a comparatively small amount, fashion shelves to fit that particular space and deliver them painted or stained to match the woodwork of the room. He will also make for three or four dollars, a frame for a window seat which the bachelor may upholster himself if he be inclined. If the room has a bay window, the seat would cost a trifle more, but the result would be well worth the expenditure. The bookshelves may be fitted with glass doors, or a simple brass rod upon which a curtain may be hung.

Weathered oak, despite the fact that it is so commonly used now, makes ideal furnishing for bachelor quarters. If he prefers to buy old mahongany, and has the time to attend auction sales, he may pick up great bargains and for a half more gratify his taste for antiques.

If he decides upon weathered oak, a fair idea of the expense may be gained from the following prices:

Chiffonier, which should be severely plain with brass knobs, $24.00; round table, four feet in diameter with a shelf beneath, $6.00; a bed-couch, four feet wide and eight feet long with National springs, may be bought with mattress for $7.00; a Morris chair in weathered oak with cushions at from $12.00 (leatherette cushions) to $20.00 (with real leather) ; two colonial chairs at $1.85 each, $3.70; an arm chair or rocking chair with leather seat, $5.00; a closed or flat-top desk will be $8.00 more - although they are to be had at from $5.00 upwards - and a desk chair with leather seat to match will be $4.00 more. For from $15.00 to $20.00, cabinets for chafing dish and " Bachelor's Cabinets " for bottles and glasses may be had. Doubtless he will want but one, and if so. let this be for the bottles. A settee at $6.00 with a back which forms a table is a convenient piece of furniture for a bachelor. In the seat, he may keep his overshoes, gloves or anything he chooses. Some bachelors use them for tea things, which are thus kept free from dust. This is admirable to use for chafing dish cookery, because of its ample size, and is to be recommended rather than a small table.

A tabouret for smoking things and a rack for plates and steins will cost respectively $2.50 and $3.00 more; if he includes in the furnishings a piano which may be hired for $40.00 a year or purchased upon the instalThe Impecunious Bachelor ment plan for about the same sum, this will be sufficient furniture for a room of ordinary size.

If the room has an alcove, so much the better. In this his chiffonier may be set, and portieres may screen it from sight. He may sleep upon his couch, and the alcove might serve as a dressing-room. If the man is handy with tools, he might make for himself from old packing boxes a cupboard for his boots, shoes, blacking brushes, etc., to be kept here. A shelf could be put across one side of the alcove, upon which to keep hat boxes, with hooks beneath; a curtain tacked along this shelf would cover his clothing and keep the dust from it. With this provision, his closet could be used for the storage of his eatables or as a " kitchenette." If it be fitted with running water, as many closets are in old-fashioned houses, so much the better.

If the bachelor wants to pay a particular compliment to one of his women friends, then let him ask her to help select the curtains. For $2.00 a pair at the most he should succeed in finding something quite recherche that will be in keeping with the hangings of the room. If he wishes sash curtains, then let them, together with the curtains before the bookshelves, be of raw pongee silk. If the lady is a very particular friend, perhaps she'll offer to make them for him.

As for rugs - that's a delicate question. But let us suggest that for temporary use the bachelor purchase some of the pretty Japanese cotton rugs that come in pleasing designs and rich colorings. These may be had 3x6 at $1.50 each, and look as well as many a ten-dollar rug. Then, when he sees a special bargain in good Persian, Turkish or Afghanistan rug, he may buy whatever strikes his fancy; excellent books on rugs with beautiful illustrations are available at the Public Libraries, and a few evenings' study on the subject will give a man an insight into rug buying that will stand him in good stead, provided he is not already a connoisseur.

The furniture already mentioned will cost about $104.00. Then there will be the additional expense of couch and table covers, curtains and sash curtains, linen, and pillows or cushions.

For this room the bachelor will need six sheets and six pillow slips, half a dozen bath towels, a dozen and a half of hand towels, a couple of scarves for the chiffonier, a dozen glass towels and three or four dusters. These will cost as follow:- sheets, $3.00; pillow slips, $1.50. Three slips may be sufficient. Bath towels, $1.50 to $3.00, according to quality; hand towels, $4.50; dusters, which may be of cheesecloth, 25c; and glass towels, $1.50 to $2.00. He will also need a pair of blankets at from $3.00 to $5.00 and possibly a puff or comforter, which will be $3.00 for cotton and $10.00 for down.

This linen he will include in his laundry, and it will probably average a dozen and a half pieces a week, for which he will pay at the rate of $.50 the dozen.

The lights will probably average about $1.50 to $2.00 extra a month and the service of a maid is generally ten cents an hour or $1.00 a week, which includes giving the room a thorough cleaning once a week and " doing it up " on other days, making the bed, dusting and airing, washing what dishes may be left from breakfast or the night before and putting things to rights generally. Thus the actual expense of the room and laundry will average about $5.00 to $5.25 a week. If the bachelor particularly wishes to retrench, he may, as many men do, care for his own room.

"When I was a bachelor, I lived by myself, And all the bread and cheese I had, I put upon the shelf."

- Mother Goose.