New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-03-14
nv VINES Economy.

" Mrs. Jones is jewel Of woman. The dear crea-
tnre lately came home from shopping excursion in
Il the most extravagant spirits.
4 ~ have made such bargain to-day" said she.
\ lings only So Tsad to myself, even if get Mme
4 Flourish to make it up. it will be economical"
1 Now Nine Flourish was French modste who had
lately come from Paris, and had really great taste
! but was most eXtrayagant in her charges, ana
| never heard her name without shudder. few
months before she made up brocade for Mrs Jones,
which everybody said fitted beautifully II LOOKS as
If you were born in it,, enthusiastically declared
friend /" and it had grown with you. But my plea
sure in contemplating this masterpiece, must con-
| fess, was somewhat diminished when the bill came
in to the tune Of two pounds sterling Tor making and
trimming it. However, it wasn't so astonishing,
after ALL as my wife reasoned, that dress which
was worth six pounds sterling should cost two pounds
sterling to make it up,n and with this reflection l
consoled myself. So when heard the proposal to
take this other dress to Madame, argued that it she
charged in the same proportion, her bill would be
only ten shillings which struck as not excessive
and accordingly made no objection to the sugges-
ton, but, lighting cigar sat thinking of Mary AIMS
many virtues, and especially 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, as she
oated about the room, displaying it in every aspect,
and expatating upon its merits. The sleeves, which
were short, were neatly trimmed with sort Of mar
row lace; and the. cape, for it was cut low on the
shoulders-and dear Mary Ann always wears capes
over such dresses-was enbellished with wider lace
Of similar pattern l thought to myself it was the
cheapest dress for two pounds sterling, making and
ALL that had ever seen and as smoked my cigar,
said mentally, =" All Jones, what a happy dog you
are to have wife with such knack for economy
Two days after, the bill came in. My wife opened
it first, and saw her draw very long face as she
ran her eye over it. However she rallied Immediately
and handed the missive to me. glanced over it.
!" Whew p said l. twenty-five shillings for max
ing dress that cost only thirty Surely Mary Ann
there must be some mistake here y
| "Oh! no, my DEAR she said briskly. My bro
cade. you know, cost two pounds sterling to make
and trim. and this is fifteen shillings cheaper"
"But this dress cost only thirty shillings,' said |.
| ssThe cost Of the dress, my DEAR she replied
smiling beneyolently at my ignorance, " has very
little to do with the cost of making and trimming it.
1 " The Dickens it hasn't, began.
"Hush y said my wife, payfully putting her hand
| over my mouth. ' Smithy, dear you mustn't swear
4 And taking the bill she commenced going over it
4 item by item
4 Here she said, is the charge for making the
dress that is for fitting and sewing together
4 shillings. Now, I'm sure" she continued, appeal
4 ingly, that's reasonable; for it takes Just long
costly one It's the time that has to be paid for
Don't you see, dear r.
\ I was forced to nod assent to the fair logican
! though it was with an internal groan
Then here's the Innings, buttons and other small
items--fve shiilings, which is low very low. Consi
der how these matters count up Besides, it take
time to so about among the shops, matching the but
tons to the drsss."
| could not gainsay this, either but said to my
self that there were twelve shings still unaccountet
for, and that it would puzzle 6 Philadelphia Law
yer to reconcile this sum to any rational being
4 notion of economy.
"Theres twelve shillings left" resumed Mrs Jones
g which is for the Valenciennes-"
e The what ?" l exclaimed. .
The Yalenciennes with which the cape anG
| sleeves are trimmed"
tsOh. that communicating lace " said l.
" Communicating ~ cried Mary Anne, her eyes
| sparkling. Then she laughed comically. ssThat
shows what you men know about laces Why, Smithy,
dear, it's real Valenciennes, and very cheap and
what's more can use it on something else after the
dress is worn OUT
But why put real Yalencennes, as you call it, on
so cheap dress? asked in a tone of vexation.
!" It's that very Valenciennes that gives the dress
such stylish look" said my wife. Every body
knows it's cheap material and it's only the trim
ciennes collar to match itand shall be complete.
\ Icould not speak for amazement. was dumb
not merely at this strange notion of an economical
dress but at the utter Inconsistencies my wife had
that there was anything extravagant about it. She
availed herself ofmy silence to expatate the beauty
of Faencennes, laces in general and on that which
trimmed her dress in particular; and warming with
her subject made it finally to appear that we were
opportunity ofpayng this bill and buying collar to
match her Valenciennes. Mrs. Jones was so earnest
and sincere that thought it would be pity to break
her charming delusion. l resolved, therefore, to
smoke second-rate cigars for the next six months,
and indulge the dear creature in her wishes and she
looks SO lovely and seems happy in her new dress
and collar, that to confess the truth don't regret
what have done.
Nevertheless, as an abstract proposition, still
hold to the secret opinion, that paying twenty-five
shilngs for making and trimming "a dress that
cost only thirty, doesn't exactly show knack of
economy. [Smith Jones.