Smyrna times., 1873-07-16
MISce/IU ID f D us.
A Ten-Cent Story Of a Bazaar.
BY PATER FAMILIAS.

| felt bound to keep it.
1t was in this wise Mrs. Betterhalf asked
me in the morning, just as [ was starting Tor
my daily trip to the city III the cars, II would
bring her copy OF Uarper'S Bdzur, naming, l
think, the date, or the number, Or some ldentl-
tying mark. l hastily SAID yes; but no sooner
was the word out of my mouth than repented.
But repentance was too late, tor my wlte had
gone, and the cars were already trunding into
the statiOn.hOuse. Harper'S Weekly knew all
about. never tailed to buy 1t Oh Saturday
night. My Sunday dinner would have been
forgotten rather than this paper The edtO-
rialS were my literary and political meat and
drink, and from the sentiments there advanced
| took my weekly departures with serene conf
dence for in dozen years of acquaintance
Mr.. Curtis had never led me astray. He Was
always on the right side, morally, politically,
and intellectually And then Mrs. Betterhat
and Susie, my fourteen year-old daughter, liked
the stories, the smaller ones took kindly To the
pictures land so did we all), and thus it came
about that the Weekly was steady member of
the family circle.
But the Bdzdr had seen week by week on
the news stand. had noticed the rufhes, bows
crlmplngS, lacings, tutlngs, hounceS, and all the
mysterious paraphcrnalia of u ladys wardrobe
therein depicted. | had reached the solemn
conviction that it was running the simple tastes
and habits CT the women, while depicting the
pockets OF the men. At night when | took the
train for home, | bought my evening paper and
the inevitable Weekly | then in low voice
asked for Bd=dr. | felt half ashamed, tor
neighbOr GOodSpeed stood by, and both saw
and heard. But felt relieved when he said,
Mrs. GOodspeed says she cant keep house
without the Bazdr;" at which wondered, for
she was one OF the smartest and most capable
women in the village, and notable domestic
economist.
As usual, | read the daily paper in the cars,
and after tea took my Weekly, first giving the
children look at the pictures, and was soon
Obvious to things external. Once in while,
however, L would glance sidewise at my wife
and Susie, who in converse sweet were poring
over the ntricities of the Bdzdr. Visions of all
sorts OF female extravagances danced before my
eyes, although Mrs. Betterhalt was a model in
all matters of domestic expenditure; still. had
put temptation her way, and feared for the re-
suit. n few days passed on, and the Bdzar had
nearly faded from my mind, save tor divers Co
lOquIcS, and the unml>takable presence OF paper
patterns diSordered work baskets, etc. | an
tcipated u domestic scene not far in the future,
and had prepared myself to meet whatever OF
mental or financial misery my ten cents could
procure. The crisis came on Sunday morning,
as was brushing my hat in the front doorway,
|
church. heard an OminouS rustling of new
cloth, and turning round, saw Susie and hei
mother arrayed in garments the names o
which L could not then, nor can | now pro
nOunce, but which told only too well of What
the Bdzdr had accomplished My business
had been seriously interfered with by the Great
Fine, and new dresses had been summarily puI
upon the forbidden list, and so when saw the
new clothes in what presumed the height
OF fashion, | felt a trifle disturbed. Mrs
Betterhslf and Susie looked as placid and ha D
py as if | had never spent that unfortunate
ten-cent currency. | said nothing, but haC
; many thoughts, and the Buzar, the new
. dresses, and the sermon had about equal shares
Of my attention. | said nothing, for knew
when the bills came in there would be ample
! opportunity for practical observations. Blu
! days passed by, and there was no mention O
dressmakers and milliners, and at last [ spok,
to Mrs. b., for | wanted to know about tn,
monthly expenses She smiled, and Sus
laughed, and said had already paid the bill
E and it amounted to ten cents! Mrs b. seein,
my blank stare came to my relief, and said th
! patterns and directions were in the Bdzdr tha
d | bought, and she and Susie had done al
, the rest; in fact, had saved me twenty dollars
! ! more or less, and had as stylish dresses as an
9 one in the village and then the bonnets, the,
= too came from the Bdzdr, and here wa
: another ten-dollar bill saved. began to thinl
I my ten cents were bringing good dividends
|. and my wife and daughter enjoyed their tri
e umph not little. We discussed the matte
over a delicious pudding, which | compli
mented only 10 find that the receipt came from
d that same Bdzar! Days went by. | ha
e promised to take the little boys in town fo
Is some new clothes, but the right day had no
! seemed to come, and Mrs. B. had too much o.
5, her hands to allow her to leave home Just then
q What, then, was my surprise on Sunday morn
e ing to see Jamie and Johnnie dressed fo
r church in neat and handsome new suits
When did you go to town." said l. II hay
not been, but found those sweet patterns j
of the Bazdr, and bought the cloth at the villaR
IS store, and Susie and have done the restl"
At praised the Bdz1r as a household blessing
d and my wife and daughter as angels, but nc
Of disguised.
d: 1t is needless to say that began to purchas
Ett the Bdzar regularly, and was not long in fnC
b ing out that the reading matter was as exceller
10 of its kind for family use as that in m
cherished Weekly, and L, even with my ma
eyes, could see that on almost every page va
IN that which was worth the price of the paper
. dozen times over. 1t proved family comfor
e; slippers, wrappers, household ornaments. an
al patterns of all kinds recipes, suggestions etc
u adapted to all sorts of wants of all sorts
families, filled its pages, and while some of OF
nc neghbOrs wondered at our extravaganza, v
IT. felt sensible relief in the region of the fami
Ss St expense book. And then we all took a Who'll
e: some pride in seeing what could be accon
j; plished without the aid of professional DIRE
a5 s and bonnet makers
i'd Mrs. Goodspeed had gathered in a We,
he handsome sum of money the previous year
he he taking couple of city folks to board durir
q the hot weather, although as all said at ii
nsdi ed time, her new chamber set must have tax,
h. about all of it. We had large chamber b
Is alaS! not furnished as would be renuirpd
,29 S9 city boarders" One morning / found Nj
ISt GOodspeed and Mrs. Betterhalf in close co
Dc versaton, and as was starting for the cal
Mrs. b. asked me if she could have Amos Il
% hired MAN. few hours and also if | W
Ter going TO do anv thing with the great nile