Sauk Rapids frontierman. [volume] (Sauk Rapids, M.T. [i.e. Minn.]) 1855-1860, 1857-04-02

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with A. sort Of, narrow lace; and the
] cape, for ii was cut low on the shout
ders-aad dear Mary Ann always
wears capes over such dresses was
embelished with wider, lace Of the
same pattern. / thought to myself i
was the cheapest dress for two pounds
sterling, making and all, that I had ever
seen; and as | smoked ny .eig II said
mentally, "Ah, Jones, what lucky
dug You are to have wife with such a
knack for reconomyn'
Two days after the bill came in. My
wife opened it first and | saw her draw
a very long face as she ran her eye over
lit. However, she rallied Immediately,
and handed the missiye to me-. / IgIanced
over it. t.s's s2 .sa5
.Whew"' said /. "rwenty-fve
shillings for making a dress which cost
only thirty! Surely. Mary Ann, there
must be some mistake here?"
..sOh, no. my dear, /" she said, briskly.
my brocade, you know, cost two
pounds sterling to make and trim, and
This IS fifteen shiIlings cheaper,
but this dress cost only thirty shil-
iings," said /. '.s' ''.'-'
"The cost Of the dress, my dear, !
she replied, smiling benevolently at my
ignorance sshass very little 10 do with
the cost Of making and trimming: Il. !,
Z. ''The dickens it hasn't!'' began.
''Hush!' said my wife. playfully put
ting her hand over my mouth. 'ssmlthy,
dear, you mustn't swear And, taking
the bill, she commenced going over it,
item by item. sssz.'
4 ''Here," !" she said. ''is the charge for
making the dress-that is, for fitting
and sewing it together, eight shillings.
Now, IN surc,'' she continued appeal
ingly, ",hat's reasonable; for il takes
just as long, you know, to fit and sew
together cheap dress as costly one!
it's the time that has to be paid for
ilon't you see, dear?''
| was forced to nod assent to the fair
logician, though it was with an internal
grnan. ss
''Then. here's the Innings, buttons,
and other small items, FIVE shiIIings,
which is low, very low. Consider how
these matters count up. Besides, it
takes time to g6 about among the shops
matching the buttons to the Dress
Icould not gainsay this, either; but
! said to myselfthat there were twelve
shiIIings unaccounttd for, and that It
would puzzle 'PhiIadelphia lawyer
to reconcile this sum to any rational be-
ing's Eotle1 Of economy.
There ) twelve shill,ngs. left Y re-
snmed Mrs. Jones. (which is for the
VaIenciennes--. !. (. 4 5i, Z . 2s IS Isl 8 Il
p''The what?' i exclaimed. Is
I '.The vaienciennes, with which the
cape and sleeves are trimmed =
s'.Oh! that common-looking lace!''
said l..
..Common-looking!'' cried Mary Ann,
her eyes sparkling. Then she laughed
3cornically. "That shows what you men
know about laces. Why, smithy, dear,
it's.rcal Valenciennes lace, and very
cheap and what's more, / can use il
on something else, after the dress is
worn out 81 81 @ii
N 4 But why put real Valenciennes, as
You call IL, on SO cheap q dressl'' I
asked ,iii.n tone of vexation. eIsl
y ss1Ifssthat very yalsnciennes that
gives she dress such ! stylish look, 4
said fly wife, i.Fsvsrybody knows it's
Il cheap material. and IT'S only the
trimming that redeems il. All that /
rrquireis 4 VaIenciennes collar 10 match
Il, and u shall be complete. = 4
| could not speak for amazement i
was dumb, not merely at this strange
notion of Al, economical dress, but al
the utter Observation-Disclosures MY wife had,
that there was anything & sxtravagant'
about i. She aya.led herscs { of' my sirI
lence 10 expatiate on the bran.ies DC
valencisnnes, laces ii general. md On
That which trimmed l,er dress ii p,artic-
,aular:: and warming with hef subject,
made i finally appear that We were nns-