Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-10-25
OYSTERS AND CELERY
Received Daily by Express
By Victor ID Fuchs,
30 and Ill Jefferson OF, AT
CHURCH MATTERS.
A Chat and q Spat About Summers
Snu Concerts.
80

A Chat and a spst AbOut suppers
ana Concerts.
Austin (Texas) statefman.l
This thing Of churches and societies
giving concerts and suppers to raise
funds 10 liquidate Indebtedness is a mat
ter deserving Of a little more thought
than has ever been given to the subject
in Austin. We venture the assertion
hat no concert or supper has been given
in Austin in the last three years that has
not cest double what was realized. For
Instance this, that or the other church
gets up a supper. The first thing to be
considered is, what will that supper cost.
and who will get it up? OF course the
members and friends of the church have
to foot the bills, and it is safe to make
the assertion that the actual cost of the
supper, not counting the labor, fret and
worry of the ladies' who prepare it, will
not fall one cent below $500. Here, then.
is an outlay. to begin with, of $500. The
night OF the supper rolls round, and by a
careful survey Of the audience present it
will be seen, nine times out of ten. that
lour'fiths of the people present are mem
bers or friends OF the church giving the
supper. The receipts of the supper. saw.
we put down at $500. and iour.ffths Of
this is $4OO, making 5000 that said sup
per has now cost the members and
friends Of the church, not saying any.
thing about doctors bills for cramp collie.
etc, the next day, Say then that the
bills for fruit, nuts, ice, rent, gas, ser.
wants, broken dishes, drayage, etc
amount to 5000, but $500 Of the $500
taken in then remains to 20 to the
church, and so on the general wiud.up a
church realizes but $500 on what costs
It's members and friends even three tines
that amount. But this is not all. II is
not unreasonable to estimate that a large
proportion OF the ladies present at the
supper spent from FIVE to fifteen dol
lars in pufs, bows, ribbons, gloves
and collars, etc, 10 enable them to
appear as nice and elegant as the
dressy and fashionable Mrs. Brown.
whose husband no doubt owes every
store in town that would give him credit.
to concerts, they are much the same.
They are generally gotten up to pay an
indebtedness OF from say one hundred to
hundred dollars. Ii there are twenty
ladies' taking part in a concert, it may
be safely said that every one of them
had to have a new dress, hat, or shawl
and an innumerable number of costly
little stceteras in the way of white slim
pers, kid gloves, etc, netting not less
Than S25 TO the head, aud this none
out of the fathers and husbands |
of the ladies, who suffered for a week
sore throsts after the great suuall.
which it was expected would set the
whole city spinning round on one ear.
Here, then, we have it that the fathers
aud husbands OF twenty women have in
vested $500 in a concert which has oplv
in $500 at the door, and perbqns
300 of this has to be paid out for rent.
gas, orchestra, hacks, etc and the men
are mortified to learn that the church or
only realizes $500 for what thew
paid $500.
But there is another side To this oues.
ion, and when it is properly considered
perhaps many will admit and assert that
concerts and suppers are o lrst rate
hing and well worth to The many what
hey cost the few, aud in this class will
found the merchants, the dressmakers,
he owners OF halls and hacks, and the
Dr%inter-all these and many more will
lbout and vote for concerts and suppers.
Young men who love to court, and the
beautiful damsels who love TO be court
ID, and to hirt, all believe in concerts
public suppers, and even some OF
he men with musical and society
daughters and wives go it heavy " on
concerts and parties. They love to
Zee their fair ones show of and
in public gatherings, and after
out rolls Of g%reenbacks at the be-.
of a public entertainment they
ire still willing to squanier more cash
IN the paper that will "daub il on thick"
when speaking Of the wonderful vocal
powers of Miss Leather Lungs, or Of the
'ewitching beauty OF Miss Samantha
'queaky, who, unfortunately, was aflict.
d with q bad cold the night of the cou.
ert, and could not do full justice to her
'ell cultivated voice, All these things
nd many more are to be taken into ao.
cunt, and, upon the whole, the States,
nan is by no means opposed to concerts,
md as for suppers, W. cannot remember
hat We ever declined an invitation to
tssIst in slowing away q square meal. I