The southern enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1854-1870, 1856-04-17

get along very we'll" EsAl 4, z, s.,
40 You would want another still."t g
No Ishouldn't mother s.s
!, There is no end of 1t when you under
take to follow all these absurdiiies. When
was girl I had only one dress to wear to
meeting, and that was Calico"
The times have changed"
"Cbanged for the worse. s I am sure no
such vanity US Haunting out ip different
dress every Sunday, ever entered a girls
head, especially girls whose fathers are not
independently rich"
Nobody tlIinks Of wearing tho same dress
a'l the fine. Only one, nio,e--.''s
eOne il enough, Sarah. If you let such,
silly notions get into your head, you will
never know where to stop. You could easi-
ly spend all your husbands salary in dress,
and then not keep up with the demands of
the,times.n
Il am sure James can afford me new
silk il will not cost much"
DO not think If il, Child. Be prudent,
careful, and contented, and when james is
rich you may do different
Mrs. Bradley was satisfied, after consider
able more demonstration on the part of her
mother, that she could get along without a
new silk. But it-,ras hard 10 give up the
idea Of competing with Mrs. Farmer, whose
husband was no better off than hers
James Bradley and John Farmer were
clerks in large house in the city, and both
resided IN neat cottage in the suburbs
Their fortune had been thus far very much
the same, and perhaps they might have con-
tinued the same through life but for the
different character of their wives.
Mrs. Bradley had been brought up TO live
within her means. A careful mother who
realized the responsibility, Of her position
had rigidly inculcated the principles of
sound economy, and trained her up to hab-
its of prudence and thrift. And all these
practical qualities she had brought with her
into domestic relations, when she embarked
in new sphere of life.
Mrs. Farmer, on the other hand, though
her parents were no better off in the world,
had brought her up to be a ladY--to wear fine
dresses, and play the piano in the parlor.-
Her knowledge and experience in household
duties was very narrow and superficial, and
her husbands thousand dollars a year would
hardly support them. They were obliged,
in order to dress her as her habits and wish.
es required. to '.scrimp" in many of the real
comforts Of life. The provision bill was kept
at the lowest possible figure. Mrs. Farmer
thought be,.fseaks were unhealthy in the
morning. and John found il necessary to be
of her opinion. Six dollars year for ice
would buy a new bonnet, hence ice was the
cause If great many complaints that pre-.
vailed in summer
The comforts of living were sacrificed to
the luxuries Of dress. Beefteak at twenty
cents a pound was unhealthy but new bon
nets at ten dollars piece were necessaries
of life. Mutton.chops at fifteen cents
pound caused the dyspepsia, but silk dress.
es at a dollar and u half yard, were not
only healthy. but indispensable to the hap
piness of the lady.
= AL the salary was spent--was intended TO
be spent the only question was wheth.
er it should be put in the body or oas the
body. The habit of extravagance was there,
and all the thrift and economy which Mrs.
Farmer knew, was TO save money for new
dresses
She and Mrs. Bradley were on intimate
terms with each other, and. as may readily
be supposed, the subject OF dress was fire.
quently discussed. ~ ~ < -. .
"A few days after the conversation Of Mrs.
Bradley. with her mother. her Ieighbor was
making acall" Mrs Farmer could talk
of nothing but dress. 1t was the study Of
her life what she lived for--w hat she most
hoped for in the future. As usual, the con
yersation immediately degenerated into dress
lit WIS all Mrs. Farmer knew.
Allow do You like my new silka" asked
cl.A ftar al -. t<~s