Nebraska advertiser., 1868-12-24
The village Sewing Circle
BY CHRISTINE H. CARPENTER.

The Village SeWing-ClrcIe.
BY christine II. CARPENTER.
A drowsy summer afternoon hung
Over the dainty little village of Mays
vile, nesting among the green Con-
neticut hills. The leaves of the clus-
tering vines framing the pretty white
cottages Just stirred in the sunshine,
while even the bees and butterflies
crept to shelter in the hearts of the
VgrRat WhitQandred roses, faintlynOd-
ding to some occ8sionaI zephyr as it
slalguishsd by. Ff0fn the open win
dOws of Widow Nays ''best room" a
hum Of voices stole out upon the seen
ted air, and within, more than a score
ofbusy hands fashioned divers fabrics
into fair shapeliness. It was the week
ly sewing-circle Of the Maysville
church, for whicha fair was in pros
pect, q fact that formed the secret OF
this feminine eonclave. Who ever
saw a sewing circle without its little
titbits of gossip? This was no excep-
ton to the rule. Presently a cherry
face looked up from its owners CLAN
cling needle:
'Do you know" said she to her
Deighbor, THAT FTequite alteredsmy
opinion Of MIS-. Webs, lately? Pray
don't start-she has notarrfved yet."
"HoW is that? You used to think
her the most extravagant woman in
the village, and I'm not sure but YOU
were quite right. To my certain
rkRoWledge she wears the most new
dressea new bonnefs, ana 50 costly,
to nothing Of the style in which
those children Of hers are primped up!
You don't pretend to imagine her hus-
band can stand &c 80 much better than
others I might mention 2"
"Oh! no; Mr.. Wells is not rich
only comfortable"
u can't afford two new dresses to
my neiehbOr's One.v
Maybe you don't know how to
econOmize."
Economics! I'd like you to point
out another woman in Maysville who
can stretch out a dollar further'n /
~
'fYes, I al do t."
"Just tell me, and I'll take lesson
right off,
|You might profit by it, too, as I
have.n
"Do tellt"
tits Mrs. Wells"
MIR. Wells! That does beat my
time-to set her up as my noodle!
Now, I dare say, If one really knew,
she spends Just three times as much"
"No, she doesn't, nor in fact any
more than you do"
EGO1 N4--o,~1oN H. Il 49, 81
over the four bonnets, and the dresses
and fancy furbeloWs one always sees
about her 2" The little matrOn shook
her head sagaciOusly. "No, no, Mrs.
Brown, I calculate the whole matter
in plain figures. Now, for instance /:
There were nay two bOnnets last year.
Ned thought rs how / should have
something better than the hideOus
things Miss Smith gets up in the viii
lage, 50 / went to New York. Well.
there were two days lost just going
and coming at the time I was most
wanted. / tired myself almost to
death locking for something reason
able, and at last had to take the near
est 70 my means. thought it would
do well enough till I got home, and
Mrs. Wells called on me next day
With The very lOvliest bonnet on her
head i ever saw. Itlnever cost less
than twenty-five dollars in the city.
mean that gray velvet she had last
ali.n
az know all about It. It didn't cost
but six dollars, and it didn't come
from the city,
HsElK dollarsl You must be dream
ing! And where, in the name Of ere
5 alton, could any one get sucha bonnet
in Maysville? Then, again, when I
was in the city I saw a dress some
thing like that blue merinO of Susie
Wells everybody liked so much. 1
thought I'd enough left to buy it for
Ada ] knew the stuff wasn't more
than fourteen shilling q yard, and il
takes Just four yards; but besides,
there YVES the making and trimming.
I went in and priced Il. It was eigh-
z teen dollars"
''And Susie Wells cost her mother
only about nine.n
'dThat beats me out and out. Where
does she GO to get such bargains ?'
"Not very often out Of Maysvi1e.n
"Why, never see them. When I
20 70 Miss Smith for anything new,
most likely it's some notion she's bOr-
rowed from the Wellses. / do believe
they set the fashions for this village
for dressmakers and all"
"Well, Mrs. Wells can do it IL she
likes, for the truth is she has a sure
guide. This Is the secret.n
"DO tell" s~uspending her work to
listen.
"Yes, and what's more, Mrs. Wells
doesn't buy half those new things
ready-made; she makes them herself.1'
"0hl it's all In gumptiOn, then. I
never had any"
"No, not that alone. went down
tothe house yesterday to take tea, and
we got chatting, and somehow we
.1cAme to talk about economy, and I
said didn't see how some folks man
: aged TO make such a show, when 9TH
ers, doing quite as wellin the world.
couldn't. Now, you don't mean me p
sad Mn. Wells, laughing. 'Wbv.
yes, said blnntly: 4 do; Team tell
you, Mrs. Wells ] went on. sMavs-
vile people do think youar r awfuI ex-
t~ravagant.' sWhy2' said she. Re
cause you have 50 many new things
and made so costly, and the children
are always furbelOw enough to cost a
small fortune, Now, IN warrant
said she, that all mine and the chill
dren's new things together don't cost
me any more than yours, or any other
family in the village as large as mine
why, how sthat?' said 1. Because
q make every penny tell, and just be-
cause I've got an invaluable aid to
give me the very best advice, and keep
me acquainted with the newest fash
ions. &c furnishes patterns n ideas
and tells what TO get and now e
make up, 80 explicitly, that q pody
can't help understanding. save AZ
the cost and timeand trouble Or golne
70 the city, for all / have 20 90 Is &
consult my Mentor for shape, sGyIt