Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-03-10
What Shall l Buy !?

WHEN the care of providing your own
wardrobe falls upon you. as 1t mnst soonor
or later, 1t Will require much head work
to bring out matters even. The art Of
spending money well can no more come
to you" than the art of telegraphing
could. You must think well over it, and
study hard the details.
"Oh, what q trouble it ia not to have
abundant MEANS" sigh most who are
compelled to calculate and trim down
their expenses But that is not the diff
Guilty. Many with Thousands to command
are just as perplexed and harassed Is you.
They have only raised their real and fan
cied wants few grades higher in tho
scale. There has been just as much COM
fort got out of the judicious expenditure
of ten dollars as many receive from the
investment of thousand. Prudence in
the use Of money Is the magic that makes
it source of enjoyment to US.
A lady of fashion, who was much liked
in the gay circles Of Paris, fell by her ex-
travagance into the greatest want and
suffering, even for food. Her old-time
associates, taking pity upon her, raised
a very handsome sum to relieve her ne
cessities When she received 1t, she went
out Immediately and invested the most Of
it in the purchase of shell cap then in
fashion!
We want to lay down some principles
about our dress which will guide US in
the perplexing. business In the first
place a great deal is expended by in
experienced shoppers in trimmings, which
add very little To the handsome appear
ance of q dress, and yet consume money
vOraciOusly. have known q young lady
to pay two dollars for few yards Of bugle
trimming, when two dresses comprised
her whole stock in that line, both OF them
calico. The two dollars, as prices were
then, would have bought her two neat
calico dresses The trimming which was
to 20 on pointed black silk belt then in
fashion, lay for months unused. Another
dollar from her hard earnings went for
ribbon to make head dress, which she
would seldom wear after it was done. A
young domestic of mine, destitute when
she came to me of almost everything,
spent her first weeks earnings in some
sham jewelry. The earrings poisoned
one ear so badly that 1t was not healed
for five months.
Let young lady provide herself first
with good shoes and overshoes, neat hat
and pretty coat, lined and wadded in very
cold weather, and taken out in warmer
spring days, If she can afford but one
coat, and two, at least, good street dresses.
A fresh, bright-looking delaine is always
prettier than shabby, soiled poplin or
slazy silk. The latter IL only at for lin
ings; 20 person of taste will ever make It
into dress, when 10 many nice fabrics,
SO much cheaper and more beautiful,
abound in our shops. Make sure of the
dress, hat, coat and shoes first, and then
look over your money and see what 10 LEFT
for trimmings. In no case buy the trim
mings first. Your dresses can be made to
look very handsome without q particle
except what you can make of the scraps
Left In cutting them. Almost every young
lady of prudence and forethought can find
among her rolls pieces that will answer
for sleeve Innings, and often for facing9;
while very prudent, saving girls win
neatly rip apart, wash and roll up all good
fitting Innings of WORKOUT dresseA But
never bad fling lining. 1t is discomfort
enough to wear out one dress made over II.
Do not be too proud or too lazy to piece
lining where little labor Of that kind
will save you dime. With al your skin
you will scarcely equal the economy Of
the beautiful French lady, who would
look with amazement at what to her would
seem our vulgar American wastefulness.
Never fancy that waste is genteel 1t il
quite the reverse, and Il considered by the
well-bred to indicate very low origin.
Calculate your money carefully, with .
pencil and paper, before you spend it It
will be great help 10 you, and win ave
you from the dissatisfaction Of finding
that all Is gone, and you have nothing TO
show for II.
Several nicely made calico dresses ono
at least very light, viii be source of salts
ia :tion and comfort the year around. They
cost but little, and every time they arc
"done up" come out again as fresh -
new. There are many occasions in the
country when nothing else IL 20 suitable,
but often nice dress must be worn and
spoiled because no nice calico that "can
be washed without spelling" Is on hand.
-Counssy Gentleman.
FoYD MAMA" And what would
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