The Potter journal and news item. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1872-1874, 1873-01-17

HS~ "SAA DJ ShAS IlIues Ale ILlcy 81
gerry poorp She dresses prettiiy, am
sure. wonder if people of that class
are not given to prodigality when they
have anythingp"
Being dressmaker, suppose she
knows how to put everything to the
best use," said. "She always makes
and trims her own hats; and her sister
is very ingenious. But Mr.. Austen has
done nothing for seven weeks; and now
Nellie has lost four weeks"
They must make considerable when
they are all well, though. I should not
think they would need to be so rery
poor"
Mr.. Austen gets eighteen dollars a
week, and, from not being very strong,
loses a good deal of time. Emma aver
ages about three dollars week the
year round, while Nellie makes from six
to eight"
But dressmakers charge fearfully,
my dear. l pay Miss McNair two dol
lars and q half dag, and she seldom
gets here until almost nine, always
leaves at six. Then she doesn't hurt
herself sewing, either; but she is styl-
ish."
Miss Austen works for a dollar q
day; fifty cents more when she has her
machine, and her home charges are
very moderate"
"Of course. I suppose she has had
no fashionable experience. But with
all that, my dear, they must have quite
a thousand dollars year, leaving out
the losses"
But do not believe one could pay
rent, take care of a family of five and
save much money on it," 1 said,
grimly.
"Oh, their tastes are not at all like
ours" she returned, with an indescrib-
able air. II am sorry, but I really
cannot give you anything this week. l
sent five dollars to my little nieces for
their fair, and the gentlemen are going
." rnaka Mr. Browne''-he was our
mlnister-"a present of set Oh uvvh.,,
and Mr.. Mason subscribed five dollars
toward that, so l feel quite poor, ~ and
she gave gay little laugh. but l
tell you what / will do. Sister Mary
has host of old dresses to be made
over into wrappers, and when Miss
Austen gets better will have her come
and do it, for it seems so extravagant
to pay first-clasS dressmaker for such
dawdling work. And now we will not
talk any more about her, for l have
something else on my mind. First,
have you and Miss Gerty any particular
engagement for next "Wednesday even
ing?"
1 colored little and said: II did not
think we had"
"Mr. Mason and were coming over
this evening to see. We are going to
have little informal dinner, just ask
ing in few neighbors. My friend, Mrs.
Wyllis, is to be here"
We had seen Mrs. Percy Wyllis one
Sunday at church. She was tall and
elegant, wrote poems for "our first
magazines, +" and read them beautifully.
Both Gertie and I had penchant for
literary people.
''She has lost hermother-in-l law lately,
so it would be in bad taste to give he1
regular party. am only going to ask
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry, Mr.. and Mrs.
Palmer, and Mrs. James, and two friends
of Mr.. Mason's are coming up. Iwant
you and Miss Gertrude and Mr.. Keith.
Mrs. Wyllis is extravagantly fond OF
music. Now don't refuse me-"
Il will see," said, gravely.
"Oh, you must come. will change
it to Tuesday or Thursday if either will
suit you better. Let me see-you will
} know by Monday, won't you? I'll be
over in the morning and see."
! AS there was no possibility Of getting
, anything, I rose to 60, feeling little
disappointed. Mrs. Mason was alway:
spoken of as being so charitable and Sc
yulPctluCtlS' Auo IuCd VI tahA1iS II
Nelly Austen because she could get hel
at lower rate than usual!
stopped to compare with Miss Col
by. l had twenty dollars, she eighteen
and together a good stock of provisions
Rob took ours over Saturday evening
on a wheel-barrow, The -four, some
bread, biscuit and cake, tea, coffee, su
, gar, a ham, pair of chickens and tel
fresh eggs, besides some delicacies.
don't know as car do justice to th'
: visiting part of it. Papa and MANN;
went-there were about twenty people
in all. Miss Colby headed the process
: sion-she had collected goodly store a
well-and she introduced everybody
wheel-barrows and all.
Mrs. Austin sat down and cried, and
: somehow I felt nightly like it myself
: But Miss Colby began with funn.
speech, and we all laughed. Nelly
color came and went and she looked
, really pretty. We had some hot coffe,
, and cake, we said all the gay things vi
) could think Of, Gertie and Mr.. Keitl
sang-Mr. Keith was Gertie's 'yount
man." clerk in bank, and organist o
one Of our city churches.
I believe I never felt 30 well repait
) for anything In my life. Emma drew
me over the arm OF her sofa, and con
> tessed that they had used their last mon
> ey for rent. and had barely enough foo,