The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1857-08-19
MISCELI A N Y.
MY wIFE,s ECONOMY.

N1lS. OOllCS 10 d JCWCl VI et NoIiibh' L liz
dear creature lately came home from a
shopping excursion, in the most extrava
giant spirit.
81 have made such q bargain to-day"
said she, II have bought such a beautiful
dress for nine dollars only! So said to
myself, even if get Madame Flourish to
make it up, it will be economical"
Now, Madame Flourish was French
modesto, who lately came from Paris, and
had really great taste, but was most ex-
travagant in her charges: and [ never
heard her name without shuddcr. A
few months before, she made up a bro
cade for Mrs Jones, which everybody
said fitted beautifully. at looks rs if
YOU were born in it," enthusiastically de-
clarad a fr;onl, tend had grown with
you;" but my pleasure in contemplating
this masterpiece, | must confess, was
somewhat diminished whom the bill came
in, to the tune of ten dollars for making
and trimming it. However, ''it wasn't so
astonishing after ALL" as my wife reason
cd, 4" that dress which was worth thirty
dollars, should cost ten dollars to make it
up" and with this reflection / consoled
myself. SO when heard G proposal
to take this other dress to madame, | ar
gucd that, if she charged in the same pro-
potion, her bill would be three dollars
(which struck INC as not excessive, and ac-
corlingly | made no objection to the sug-
gestion, but lighting a cigar, sat thinking
of Mary AIMS many virtues, and espec-
tally her knack for economy.
In about fortnight the dress came
home. 1t was pretty blue affair, with
palms set in stripes, and Mrs. Jones really
looked like summer cloud in it, rs she
fitted about the room, displayingit in every
aspect, expatiating upon its merits. The
sleeves, which were short, were neatly
trimmed with sort of narrow lace, and
the cape, for it was cut low in the shout
ders, and dear Mary Ann always wears
capes over such dresses-was embelllshed
with a wider lace of similar pattern. L
thought to myself it was the cheapest
dress for twelve dollars, making and all
that had ever seen; and as smoked my
cigar, said mentally. "Ah! Jones, what
n happy dog you are to have wife with
such knack of economy~
Two days after the bill came in. My
wife opened it first, and I saw her draw
very long face as she ran her eye over 1t.
However she rallied immediately and
handed the missive over to me. l CLAN
ced over it.
"Whew!' said /. ''Eight dollars for
making dress that cost only nine Sure
", Mary Ann, there must be some mis-
take here?"
"Oh, no, my DEAR" she said briskly.-
"My brocade, you know, cost ten dollars
to make and trim; and this is two dollars
cheaper"
"But this dress cost only nine dollars"
said /.
"The cost OF the dress, my DEAR" she
replied, smiling benevolently at my igno
rance, "has very little to do with the cost
of making and trimming it." tH1H
"The dickens it HASN'T began.
"Hush~ said my wife, playfully put
ting her hand over her mouth, "Smithy
dear, you mustn't swear" And taking the
bill, she commenced going over it, item by
item. s-
"Hero p she said, s'it is charged for
making the dress, that is for fitting and
sewing it together, two dollars. Now
am sure" she continued, appealingly,
s.that's reasonable; for it 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. Don't you
see, dear! Z" wa v
| was forced to nod assent to the fair
logician, though it was with an internal
groan. IS @ -
"Then here's the Innings, buttons, and
other small items, one dollar, which is
| low, very low. Consider how these mat
! tors count up. Besides, it takes time to
90 about among the shops, matching the
| buttons to the dress"
l could not gainsay this either, but |
said to myself that there were five dollars
! vet unaccounted for, and it would puzzle