The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-01-27
How Miss Duane Lost Her Best Gus.
TONER


Mamie Bristow, as she returned from hur-
ried walk, one clear, cold day in early Decem
Der.
"Disheartened, Mamie, why 2" and Mrs
Bristow raised her eyes to her daughters
face as she stood by the table, idly toying
with her muff and striving to keep back the
tears that threatened every moment to fall
"a long face, dear, for one who is expecting
so much enjoyment. really believe if Aunt
Ethel were not here you would cry"
Enjoyment that is just it, mamma!
can't have any pleasures at all; must either
stay at home or wear my old clothes, and that
| won't do, and here the threatened shower
began to fall from Nannie's eyes. 'Miss
Duane is just overrun with work The
Misses Fay are going to Beeohwood for the
holidays, and she has promised them that
she will not even cut dress for anyone until
their work is completed, and saw seven
no, nine dresses, with skirts and sacques,
lying about. o, dear what shall do ?"
"Let me into the secret, Mamie, and per-
haps can help you,' broke in Aunt Ethel's
cheerful voice, but Mamie had sunk upon
low seat at her mother feet, and was really
indulging in hearty cry.
81 don't see much help for Mamie" slowly
said Mrs. Bristow ''You remember, we had
but just returned from the city when you ar
rived last evening, where we bad spent the
day in making purchases for Mamie. Only
the day previous she had received an urgent
letter from niece of her fathers, requesting
that she should spend the holidays with
them. They are anticipating a merry time
Ellen, the eldest daughter, is to be married,
and wishes her sister and Mamie to act as
bridesmaids. The wedding was not expected
! to take place until spring, but for some
the ms has haap cba,uaJ Ill.,
mas Eve"
''Then, this Miss Duane is dressmaker !?
Is there no other in Gown ?" asked Aunt
Ethel, as Mrs. Brstow paused
Yes two more, but they are simply worth
less. Miss Edgar, whose styles never change,
and Mrs Stearns who ruined a nice silk for
me by its ill fit.
Don't despair yet, Mamie; you have
nlmble fingers and a good sewing machine
Christmas is three weeks off, and reliable
| paper patterns are numerous"
Paper patterns yes ?" and Nannie's face
was raised from the handkerchief, and looked
the contempt her voice could hardly be
trusted to speak
81 beg of you, Ethel, not to mention paper
patterns, for the only real merit | know of
their possessing is the sure cause they are of
spolllng both temper and cloth"
THAT is not my experience" was Aunt
Ethels rejoinder. "Did you notice the trav-
cling dress | wore on my arrival 2"
Yes, Auntie; and | thought then, if only
| could have your dressmaker!"
"Well, my dear. you can. She is at your
service"
"Why, Auntie, she wouldn't come two
hundred miles,"
Willingly. Five thousand, if desired"
But Auntie, I don't understand though
l do admire the neat and tasteful house-dress
you are wearing
What experience have you had with
paper patterns ?" queried Aunt Ethel, address
ing Mrs. Bristow
"All desire was that lady's hasty ejacu-
latlon. First, | ruined, utterly ruined, a
handsome merino for Mamie, by using those
| obnoxious paper patterns, which are warranted
to save dressmakers big bills. Then Duane
cut me sacque by one, which | proudly
wore to the city, expe : ing many compl-
ments on the fashionable dressy cut
OF my new garment, but strange to say,
received none At last my pride could bear
1t no longer, and appealed to a friend to
know If it was not neat and becoming
Imagine my surprise and disgust when she
Informed that she rather liked the style when
1t was tashionable-in fact, she, herself had
one like it two years previous The only
reply received to my protestations, that she
must be mistaken, as it was a pattern taken
from somebody's fall and winter catalogue
for that year. was that some of those paper
I patterns were standard fashions
so they are. Some, not ALL" nterposed
Amt Ethel
"And mamma" said Mamie, "do YOU
remember Bridget's overskirt? Bridget, our
second girl, is quite neat seamstress-for
| ordinary SEWING I mean of ao,r,a Sor,a
where she heard of these paper patterns, and
| bought one of an overskirt The first we
| knew OF 1t, she came to the parlor door one
evening to ask mamma if she was very busy
saying, l beg pardon, mum, fur my forrard-
Mss, but I've got quare thing here, cut list
by the pattern, but can't put it together in
no shape at all, num- Oh aunte it was
just fun 10 see the 'quare thing;' though |
was sorry enough for poor Bridget, who said
she had done Jlst as the print on the pattern
tould her. The overskirt was to be in five
pieces, and she had cut 'em fist so, but how
them five PAGES ever whit togither, 'twuz
more'n any poor craythur like her could tell
Why the pattern looked no more like the
cut in the book, than anything in the world"
Every likely it was not like it."
But they claim to import all of these pat
terms"
That is mostly nonsense There are none
of those paper patterns that are everywhere
offered for sale, or that dressmakers usually
keep on hand, that are either imported or fash
iona6le They are simply '',so,adesc7ipt," as
some one has aptly remarked, or as the
makers themselves put it they are ''deSeqned'
to initiate the wood cuts which have ap
peared in foreign periodicals several months
previous Why, friend of mine from New
York said the other day that no one there ever
{ supposes for moment that the Paper Fash
ions, or the so called Reliable Paper Patterns
issued and sold all over the country are fash
ionable, and that these patterns are seldom
bought in New York, except by poor people
or by those who are not at all careful about
their style of dressing"
why Aunt Ethel, and you advise me to
have my nice, new dresses made ~ such as
these 2"
''NoS at all, my dear; neither do | advise
that you take the old styles of two years
back, as did your mother. Do you think,
Mamie, that you would like my dressmaker
If so, will get her for you" and Aunt:Ethel
rose from her chair.
What, to-day, aunt Ethel?"
Eyes, to-day, Mamie. Wait and will
oh