The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-07-21
AN AFTERNOONS ECONOMY.

BY HARRIET PRESCOTT sPoFFoRD.
I'm sure I've always advocated econo-
my, and practiced it, too, for the matter
OF that. bought a set of ma olica only
yesterday on purpose that | might spare
the French china; and instead of taking
that jeweled singing bird at two hun
dred dollars that tempted me so when l
was in New York, went without it, and
took wonderfully taught mocking- bird
at half the price. I'm so sorry the poor
little thing died | do have the strangest
luck! And then l never give my servants
presents of money, but always of my
haif-worn clothes, so they look about as
fine as | do. My silk dresses, by the
way, wear great deal longer than other
peoples stuff ones; so that if they cost
more in the beginning they're cheaper in
the end. | always have them turned by
Kitty, and made over with something
handsome-velvet, you know, to exc
out, or lace to hide the cracks; and al
though Rex says they're like the Scotch
laird's hose, of which there were none of
the original left, and that it would be a
great deal better if there wasn't, since
the making over costs more than another
whole silk would do, and all that sort of
nonsense, still the fact remains that there
is an exquisite dress, as good as new,
which cost nobody a penny; and he can
put that in his pipe and smoke it! And
there's the velvet and lace, besides, to
trim another dress by and by, of course
although lace does fray out and catch
so. Only the other night, running up to
Mrs. Gleason's cottage on the cliff, | Just
threw my shawl over my head-that
lovely Chantilly of Grandma Marsden's-
and the wind blew it against the sweet
brier, and the sweet brier waved one way
and | ran the other, and suppose it will
cost me forty dollars to have it mended,
if there is laCemaker in the city who
can NEEDLE with that stitch. However,
that's neither here nor there. | say APP
prove of economy at least l do if he
wants me to; at least | used to do So
and Rex says | don't even know how to
spell the word, and that when 90 shop
ping l say to the salesman: "Dear me,
how cheap! can't you take little more?"
1t wasn't, you know, as if we were in
want that we would have this talk about
economy; for between the money that
dear papa left, and all that Grandma
Marsden has given me, and the income
entailed on Rex, we are able to do pref
ty much as we please, within bounds,
and allow ourselves some one great eX-
travagance every year. We took it last
year in foot of wood. A foot of wood?
I'll tell you all about it. But, as | was
saying, Rex approves of economy whether
| do or not; he thinks he does; he SAYS
that's the way papa and Grandma Mars
den made and kept; and once he said
that to 60 on as we were going would
make prince come to the end of his
purse. And | said: /" How do we go?"
Id li6itum," said he.
"And how would you have us go?" ]
asked.
CAS- if there was day after to-mor-
row." he returned.
Pm sure, Reginald Parks, don't
know what you mean. As if there were
a day after tomorrow! OF course there
is unless the world comes to an end"
q don't mean that. | mean with some
thought for the future"
con, if you only mean foresight, l
have day after to-morrow's dinner
ordered to .day-white soup, salmon, lob
ster outlets and sweet breads, roast
chicken and tongue, peas and potatoes,
and ratatia pudding and strawberry
Greenland l should think that was
foresight enough for anybody"
"Dinner enough. A dinner like that
for two! Well, after we've picked lit
tie of it, what becomes of the rest?"
Becomes of the rest? How do you
suppose know?"
"You ought to know"
"Why, it goes into the kitchen"
"And them"
Reginald Parks! what on earth has
become of you? Do you suppose Pm
going round spying through the kitchen
to see if the servants eat too much?"
"No, don't suppose you are. That's
Just what l say But l suppose you
should."
Hurry into the kitchen and say,
Save this and Don't touch that'-all
dressed for dinner, tool That's Just
your idea of economy, Rex! Take one of
my beautiful toilets into that steamy,
greasy place where a dinner has just
been concocted, keep, perhaps, the breast
of bird and lose breadth of silk You
put me 10 mind of old Tom at his cider
barrel, saving at the Spite and spilling
at the bung.'"
Every inelegant, my dear, and mean
nothing of the sort. If were a house.
keeper, should 60 in IN the morning
my morning toilets are just as pref.
ty."
ooh, hang your toilets! l should &C
in in the morning and take my inventory
and my measures together. And If the
servants knew you were coming daily