Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1874-10-30
MRS. JONES' ECONOMY.

Ny wife is 4 jewel of woman. The
dear creature lately came home from a
shopping excursion in the most eXtrava-
CANT spirits.
~ have made such n bargain to-day -
s..i,. she. ~ ba,e fought such beautiful
dress for only sixteen dollars: o. ~nid
TO myself, even if / get Madame Flourish
to make it up, it will be economical"
Now, Madame Flourish was 4 French
ll1oIis'e, who had lately come from Paris,
and had really great taste, but was most
extravasant in her charges aud l never
heard her name without shudder. \
few months before, she made up a brocade
for Mrs. Jones, which everybody said fitted
beautifully. 1T looks as though you were
born in it," enthusiastically declared I
friend, land it had growth with YOU"
But nay pleasure in contemplating this
master piece, l must confess, was some
what diminished when the bill came in, to
the tune of fifty dollars and eighty
cents. for making and trimming it. How
ever, ''it wasn't so astonishing, s<ter all, "
rs my wife reasoned, THAT 4 dress which
was worth sixty dollars should cost ~
much more 10 make it up - and with this
reflection | consoled myself. So when l
heard this proposal TO take this ether dress
to madame, | argued that, if she charged
in the same proportion, her bill would be
oul, 4 little over thirty dollars, which
struck me as not excessive; and accord
ingly | made no objection to the sugSes-
ton. but, lighting cigar, sat thinking
about Mary AIMS many virtues, and es-
DeciaIly her knack for economy.
In about Il fortnight the dress came
home. Il was 4 pretty, blue affair, and
Mrs. Jones really looked like : summer
cloud in it, az she fioated about the room
displaying it in every aspect, and e1patiat'
inc upon it's merits. thought to mysel
II was the cheapest dress that | had eveI
seen. and as / smoked my cigar, l saic
mentally, "Ah, Jones, what happy dos
Won are TO have a wife with such q knacl
for economy ~
Two days after the DILL came in. Ny
wife opened it first, and | saw her draw
= very long face rs she ran her eyes over il
However. she rallied Immediately, ant
handed The missive to me. | glanced owe
it.
..Whew :, said l. "Forty-live dollar
for making dress that cost only sixteen
Surely. Mary ann, there must be som
mistake here?
oh. no, my dear" she said, briskly
NV brocade, you know, cost nearly sixt
~ make and trim and this is fifteen dollar
cheaper
"Rut this dress cost only sixteen" sal
I.
The cost OF the dress, my DEAR" sh
replied, smiling benevolently at my ignc
rance, "has very little to do with the cos
of making and trimming it."
Tho dickens it hasn't " began.
"Hush ~ saiJ my wife, playfully putin
her hand over my mouth. johnny, deal
Won mustn't swear.'' And, taking tn
bill. she commenced going over it item b
item.
Here" she said, sis the charge fc
making the dress-that is, for fitting an
sewing it together, ten dollars. Now, II
sure, = she continued, appealinsly, that
reasonable for it takes just as long, 20
I-,- 60 ft on1 sau, touether a cheap dres
as a costly one Its the time that has
be paid for. Don't you see, dear ?
, was forced to nod assent to the ia
: logician, though it was with an intern'
) groan.
? "Then here's the Innings, buttons, an
, other small items, five dollars, which
low, very low. Consider how these ma
3 ters count up. Besides it taxes time to