Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-01-17


meal without it
we Will not say any thing more about
that, then,' replied the young wife, who
beg the reader TO believe, would not will
! ingly have deprived her husband of any
real comfort. How do you suppose Mrs.
Farmer gels SO many dresses9'
4 don't know
'She seems TO come out with new one
almost every Sunday. She must have at
least, half a dozen silks and berages.'
4 hope her husband can afford them.'
replied Mrs. Green, shaking her head sig
nificantly.'
lie is no better off than James. They
have the same salary, and are in the same
concern
"a thousand dollars in these hard times
VIII not go a great way with a man who
has family to support, especially if his
wife has a great many silk dresses
But James saves two or three hundred
vi iiio o'utis every year.
Every young man ought to have some
thing
DO YOU suppose John Farmer doesG'
4 mink not at the rate his wife dresses
But it is too hard to wear the same
dress every Sunday. III had one more l
could get along very well.'
you would want another still
No l shouldn't mother
There is no end to it when You under
take to follow all these absurditics. When
was girl had only one dress to wear
to meeting, and that was a calico
The times have changed
Changed for the worse. I am sure not
such vanity as Haunting out different
dress every Sunday ever entered girls
head, especially girls whose fathers are
not independently rich.'
Nobody thinks of wearing the same
dress all the time. Only one more
One is enough, Sarah. If you lctsuch
silly notions get into your head, You will
never know where to stop. You could ca
silly spend all your husbands salary in
dress, and then not keep up with the de-
mands Of The tines
lam sure James can afford rlc a new
silk; il viii not cost much
DO not think oft, child. Be prudent.
careful and con!entcd, and when James is,
rich you may do different
Mrs. Bradley was satisfied after consid-
erable more demonstration on the part of
her mother, that she could get along with
out new silk. But It was hard to give
up ihe idea of competing with Mrs. Farmer
whose husband was 10 better of than
hers.
James Bradley and John Farmer were
clerks in a large house in .bc city, andb
resided in neat cottage i. tie suburbs
Thcir fortune had been ihus Ear very near
the same, and perhaps they might have
continued The same through life, but for
the different character of their wives.
MIS-. Bradley had been brought up to
live vi lin her means. A careful mother
who realized tic responsibility of her posi-
ton had rigidly inculcated the principles
ola sound economy, and trained her up to
habits Of prudence and thrift. And all
thesc practical qualities size had brought
with her into her domestic relation when
she embarked in a new sphere Of life.
Mrs. Farmer on the other hand, though
her parents were no better of in the world
had brought her mp to be a lady--to wear
fine dresses, and play the Iisno in the
parlor. Her knowledge and experience in
household duties was very narrow and SUI
perficial, md The husbands $1,000 a year
would barely support them. They were
obliged, in order to dress her as her habits
and wishes required, 20 .scrimp' in many
of The rosl comforts oflife. The provision
bill was kept at the lowest possible figure.
Mrs. Farmer thought beeisteaks were un-
healthy in the morning, and John found
it necessary to be other opinion. Six dol
lars year for ice would buy new Bonnet,
hence ice was the cause Of great many
ilat prevailed in summer.
All the salary was spent-was intended
to be spent-and the only question was
whether il should be pat an the body or ON
the body. The habi, of extravagance was
there and all the thrifS and economy which
Mrs. Farmer knew, was to save money for
new dresses. .. t-
She and Mrs. Bradley were on intimate
terms with each other, and as may readily
be supposed, the subject of dress was fire.
luently discussed. a few days after the
conversation of Mrs. Bradley with her
mother, her neighbor was making a call
Mrs. Farmer could talk of nothing but
iress. 4 was the study other iife--what
'he lived feF-what-sho most hoped for in
he future. As usual, theconyersstion inn $
DedIateiy dogQue rated into draae-.ff x.~ac.., ).