Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-10-19
A STORY OF A BALL DRESS.

Fifty dollars, Nettie; not one cent
more," Mrs Locke said, decidedly.
Fifty dollarsn Nettie echoed, dis
contentedly. 90 dearl how far will
fifty dollars goS Dress, shoes, flowers,
gloves-that last packet Aunt Nell sent
me is exhausted, that is, all the evening
tints, and I'll have to buy pair. Let
me count up: gloves, three dollars and a
half; shoes, can buy pair for five dol
lars--cheap, but they'll have to do; can
manage with ten dollars worth of French
flowers if use them. with discretion.
OF course Phil will send me all the nat
ural flowers I'll need That leaves
thirty-one dollars and half for my
dress, not counting the dressmaker's bill,
of course; Nine. Perot will wait. Do
you thinkI can make it do, mamma9"
you will have to make it do, ,Nettie.
Your father says he can't possibly give
you any more. You know he has had
heavy losses in two or three directions,
owing to the recent failures"
Its. SO provokingl just now, too,
when especially want to make good
appearance at this party. I'm sure !
can't see why the banks couldn't have
waiied.a little longer before breaking up
in this horrid way. If they had only
waited till next week ! shouldn't have
cared so much," Nettie said, poutngly.
"They didn't break simply to vex you,
Nettie, rest assured of that; so forgive
them the misfortune" her mother re-
turned. half laughingly, half reprov-
ingly. And be content, my dear, that
it is no worse. Think how many girls
there are who cannot have warm and
comfortable clothing, even, much less
fifty dollars to expend on ball tineries."
II don't believe such people exist, ex.
cept in novels. don't know any girl
who hasn't comfortable and elegant
clothes. Why, even our servants dress
with certain style. Their clothes are
not only comfortable, but really hand,
some, of good material, and as fashiona.
bly, made as anyone's; and all my friends
dress elegantly. Nellie will spend three
or four hundred dollars for her new ball
dress; Clara will spend quite as much;
then Maud Campbell is to have magni,
ficent set of new jewels, and her dress -
/ wentJwith her to madam's to have it
fitted yesterday, and it's grand. / can't
begin to describe its magnihcence in the
way of Iaces and flowers. One single
spray cost Afifty-seven dollars; and fifty
--one beggarly fifty-for my entire dress,
shoes, gloves, flowers and everythingl o
dearl O dearl"
You have dozen dresses, Nettie,
that are plenty good enough to wear"
"Your idea of good enough and mine
are ferI different haven't thing fit
to be seem"
Your apricot silk?"
:" Is entirely passee."
"Your violetI"
"Never was becoming. Blondes OF
my style are horrid in violet"
"Your Nile greenS"
"Oh, don't mention it, please, mamma;
every blonde / know has worn green,
green, green, till I'm sick of the sight
of it,"
Your scarlet satin? am sure that
is color blondes don't often indulge in.
1t is certainly becoming, and undeniably
an elegant dress. You can take off the
white applique flounces and remodel with
my black Chantilly, trim it with white
and red roses, and you have dress fit
for an empress.p
Too imperial, mamma dear. It's en-
ttrelY too early IN the season to appear in
such a brilliant dress"
Then wear your blue gros grain. 1t
is beautiful dress, Nettie, and certainly
can't be objected to on the score of not
being becoming
Yes, it ts becoming" Nettie said.
casting a conscious glance toward the
mirror; but the truth ia, mamma, want
ReD dress. I'd be mortified to death to
wear one of my evening dresses of last
4" W hen l was girl, Nettie, one silk
dress Tor occasions of ceremony and a
quiet muslin with pink or blue ribbons
were considered a very nice outfit re.
member the night your father fell in love
with me | wore white muslin, with scar.
let roses in my hair, and he says it is the
lovellest dress a girl can wear"
can assure you, mamma dear, times
are changed A simple muslin and
scarlet rose dresses the heroine of novel
very prettily, but such commonplace
clay as Aettie Locke requires a gloss
OF satin and glimmer Of pearls, II she
expecte 70 reign queen rose of the rose
bud gafdeD Of girls. I'd wait long time
for Phil 70 fan in love with me dressed
like such q guy" Nettie said, with
laugh apd blush.
Walgamy dear, here is your allow.
ancei naKe yourself as gay as possible
with itP' Mrs. Locke returned, laugh.
ingly. 'If you will permit me TO make
suggestion, however | think the blue
gros gra i'm and your white lace overdress
will be ppGb haRdsOmer than a new cheap
81 d4n.t intend to buy cheap silk, |
mamma I'm going tOhaVe trailing silk |
illusion trimmed with pink azsleas-the
frailest, loYellest things exactly like
the real ones. Illusion viii be much pret.
tier tha4 silk on satin at this time of the
year, and diaphanous dresses are so be.
comlngn Il will be an improvement on
your quIet tmpslip and scarlet rose, nam.
ma" N4ftie prled, gayly, as she opened
her pretty Pnfse and pushed the crum.
pied notes In.
" Well, Nettie," her father asked her
- dinner, +" did your money 20 a. far a.