The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1856-02-20
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One Dress More,

TO think of wearing the same dress to church
Sunday after Sunday! exclaimed Mrs Bradley,
a young lady, to Mrs. Green, her mother.
Why not. Sarah?' ef
Folks will think it is the only one I have
which is fit to wear to meeting
1t is, isn't it?' E-.-
I know it, but don't care about all the
world knowing it.
You would not make all the world believe
that which is not true, would you@
/ don't care, / mean to have new silk i'm
mediately.'
But Sarah, your husband cannot afford it,
Yes he can; at least we can curtai our ex
penses in something else
What?
We'll, | Idon't know; we could make our pro-
vision bill less
Mrs. Green shook her head.
/ don't think there is any need of our hav
ing beafsteaks and mutton-chops every morn
inc for breakfast. We never had such things
at home you know. / would not give straw
to have meat for breakfast
But James depends upon it. .....-..
4 know it; vet for the sake of letting me ap-
pear little better on Sunday he would willing
Would you be willing to ask the question:
Yes, why not?'
Would you ask him TO go without his break
fast in order that you may have an extra silk
dress?'
Go without his breakfast, mother! | never
thought of such thing said Mrs. Bradley,
with disturbed look.
But you know it amounts to the same thing
to him. He was brought up in the country,
where he had meat for breakfast, and he does
not think he could make meal without it,
We will not say anything more about that,
then replied the young wife, who. beg the
reader to believe, would not have willingly de-
prived her husband Of any real comfort. How
do you suppose Mrs. Farmer gets SO many
dresses"
1 don't know
She seems to come out with new one al
most every Sunday. She must have, at least,
half dozen silks and bareges'
I hopehe husband can afford Them replied
Mrs. Green, shaking her head significantly.
He is not better off than James. They have
the same salary, and are in the same concern
"A thousand dollars in these hard times will
not 60 a great ways with man who has a fam
lily to support. especially if his wife has great
many silk dresses
But James saves two or three hundred Of
Of his salary every year.
Every young man ought to save something.'
DO you suppose John Farmer does?'
L think not, at the rate his wife dresses
But it is too hard to wear the same dress
every Sunday. If l had one more could get
along very we'll
You would want another still
No, shouldn't, mother
There is no end to it, when you undertake
to follow all these absurdities When | was a
girl l had only one dress to wear to meeting
and that was a calico
The times have changed
Changed for the worse. am sure no such
vanity as founing Cut in different dress ev-
cry Sunday ever entered girls head, especl-
ally whose fathers were not independently rich.
Nobody thinks Of wearing the same dress
all the time. Only one more
One is enough. Sarah. lfyou let such silly
notions get into your head, you will never know
where TO stop. You could easily spend all
your husbands salary in dress, and then not
keep up with the demands of the times
| i am sure James can afford me new silk;
it will not cost much
Do not think of it child Be prudent, care
| full 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 new
silk But it was 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 near the same and per-
haps they might have continued the same
through life, but for the different character of
their wives.
Mr. Bradley had been brought up to live
within her means. A careful mother who re-
allied the responsibility of her position had rig
| idly nculcated the principles of a sound econ
omy, and trained her up to habits of prudence
and thrift. And all these practical qualities she
had brought with her into her domestic rea-
tons when she embarked in a 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 ady-to wear fine dres-
$50 anu pidJ 'hC t'dilo III 'he pe''o'' AN !
knowled &c and experience in household duties
were very narrow and superficial, and her hus-
bands thousand dollars a year would barely
support them. They were obliged, in order TO
dress her AS her habits and wishes required, to
'scrmp' in many of the real comforts of life
The provision bill was kept at the lowest pos
sible figure. Mrs. Farmer thought beefsteaks
were unhealthy in the morning. and John found
it necessary to be of her opinion. Six dollars
year for ice would buy a new bonnet, hence
ice was the cause of great many complaints
that prevailed in summer.
The comforts of living were sacrificed to the
luxuries Of dress. Beafsteaks at 10 cents
pound was unhealthy; but new bonnets at ten
dollars apiece were necessaries OF life. Nut
ton chops at fifteen cents pound caused the
dyspepsia, but silk dresses at a dollar and
halt yard were not only healthy, but indis-
pensable TO the happiness of a lady
All the salary was spent-was intended to
be sptnt-and the only question was whether
it Should be put in or on the body. The habit
of extravaganza was there, and all the thrift
and econ,,n,u ,v hicb Mrs Farm er knew was to