Smyrna times., 1877-04-04
Buying a Bridal " Trossy."

One day last week a powerfully built
young man, to whose right arm was linked
tall, thin girl of eighteen, with a sharn
nose, pale blue eyes and hair the color of
an old knife handle, entered a CHICAGO
store with both eyes full of business. As
the pair took seats a clerk intimated that
he was ready to make bottom price on any
goods in the store, from tho finest silk to
the glaziest calico.
" This IS kinder delicate business for us"
replied the young man "But CESS we'I
live through it, Molly, so here goes. What
we want is trossy for this girl-a bridal
trossy, | believe they call it.
" That's exactly what they call it." re.
Piled the clerk, "and now tell me what
article, you want and I'll give you the
lowest figures"
The pair looked at each other in foolish
way Tor minute, and then the girl hid her
face behind a stack of goods.
"A ieGtle skeery, but she'll get over it,"
unused the lover. "The first thing, | s'pose.
is Il dress
From one to sixteen dresses, as You
like. You'll take black silk, perhaps ?'i
"And perhaps | won't. There's no stvlo
about us, Mister. We marry for love. and
we've got to make lectle money 90 lone
"oh, Zeke!' gasped the girl, suddenly
showing her face.
Well, we'll go leetle better. then.
though calico is my motto Hand us down
something about Poe. per yard. Give us
dove color, for doves are meek and lovely.
and so is Molly"
Twelve yards Of dovc-colored goods were
cut Oft, and Zcke looked around and said
Less see. s'pose a back comb, two
yards OF blue ribbon, bunch of hair pins
and two or three collars ought to fgger in
somewheres.''
The clerk agreed, and they were figured
in.
Less see. She'll wear her sister, hat
to stand up in, and her shoes won't show if
she has long dress on. | guess that's
about all, isn't it, Molly?"
The girl blushcd very red, beckoncd him
closer, and after a minute lie turned to the |
clerk, and said:
It's kinder throwing money away, but
she's purity good and gentle, and don't |
mind. She thinks she ought to have fifty |
cent corset and two pairs of stockings"
The articles were brought, inspected. |
and placed with the "trossy.'' and after
the lovers had held another whispered con- |
Zebe observed:
~ IH"I . an TlHSef ef up and !
there's your cash. We've got to 30 and |
rit some hair oil, and a dollar gold chain
with locket to it, and pair of sleeve
buttons and some shoe strings, and Won soc
the outfit is going to squeeze me bad"
i" When does the marriage come Off"
asked the clerk.
8 In about ten days Shes COOL girl
md loves me, and | am trying to do the
FAIR thing by her 'Tain't many young
men who would put up seven or eight dol
ars for bridal trossy for his girl: but
when make up my mind to marry any one
m almost reckless as to wealth. She
ildnt need that corset any more than I
needed suspenders, but she had a sister
married with corset on and she didn't
want to be behind her"
" hope you'll be happy"
" We shall be-can't help. This ere
,lrl can sling more enthusiasm into a mess
u .taters than any queen in Europe, and
IS for her fried pork-yum She can
compose poetry, chop wood, draw pictures,
mix COW, build a suit of clothes or spell
Town anybody that stands on legs. and
when winter howls around our little home
We ii sit with our feet in the oven. chaw
-pples. and remember that / had to take
Ter old dad by the collar and jerk his heels
o the ceiling before he'd consent to the
marriage. Well, goodbye. Come, GAL"