Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-07-25
COmmOn-Sense.

ave got ten dollars, and know Just the
dress | want to buy, but it will cost nearly
every cent" said Matte Lee, as she threw
aside her hat and sat down by Grandma Lee
4" So thought | would come and see what
you would say about it,
"What is the general style of the material
you want to buy 7" asked Grandma Lee.
"Oh, it's Just perfectly splendid ~ vas the
enthusiastic reply. "Julia Vernon has one
and Alice Crosby, and they are the two best
dressed girls know"
"And have the richest fathers" added
grandma, softly
80 yes, | know | suppose they have
everything they want-of course they do
but all the same, | want to look as well as
anybody
And so you can" said grandma. "Now
tell me, if you get the dress, how about the
shoes p
"Well, they will do for little WHILE
said Matte, hesitatingly; that is, with
care but they are not nice"
"And the gloves ~
Perfectly horrible !" she responded, with
a nervous laugh.
And the laces and collars, the ribbons
and little things that young lady of fifteen
thinks indispensable 2"
80 dear, don't put me in mind of my
motley collection Father has had so little
business this year that haven't had any
money to speak of, and mother has fixed
over, and so have |, till am tired"
But how would the handsome dress look
with those worn-out things 2"
"Why, of course not so nice; but people
wouldn't think of them as long as the dress
was handsome"
"There is where you are mistaken, my
dear, and so are a great many girls. People
would notice them all the more Oh account
of your one piece of fnery. had rather
have handsome boots, gloves and laces, than
all the fine dresses you could give me. Now
| think of it, the pretty brown plaid you had
last summer cannot be worn out"
"No, it is quite good, but the style is not
fresh"
where is that ?"
"Al worn out Why, grandma that's a
fright"
But wouldn't some of it do for trim
ming 2"
81 have plenty of brown silk from dress
that mamma once had"
Then I'll tell you how to spend your ten
dollars. In the first place, rip up your dress,
and make it by new pattern. That you
can easily do il you trim with the silk. Add
new buttons, fresh sash, and | think you
do not need new suit Then buy yourself
an elegant pair of button gaiters,-I have
seen beautiful ones ior four dollars,-hand-
some new gloves would be two more, and
last you all the season. There are six of the
ten. Buy some lace and silk for dollar
and will show you how to manufacture
some pretty, stylish neck-ties.
sour friend, the milliner, with whom you
trade, is sure just now to have odds aud end,
of delicate shades of silk, which she will
let you have for mere song, and now
think of it, have some old lace which you
may use Your feather will do, with a
pretty new hat, and you can spend the rest
of your money in ribbon and few neat col
lars. | don't see but you may look sweet
and bright all the season if you expend youl
ten dollars in this manner, and those are the
externals that give one an assurance thai
one is well dressed.
Your new material would be of so fiimsy
a texture that it would not come out from
under your hands looking as it should, anC
certainly you coulG not afford to have il
made by dressmaker.
"When | see young lady careful to lJol
well about her hands, neck and feet, fee
sure that she never will make slovenly ap
pearance under any circumstances but
beg to dissent that snowy dress covers de
ficiencies of that kind. There, now, you hav
grandma's advice. Is it worth anything 7"
"Worth so much that shall follow it ?
said Matte, with decision. II never coul'
have bought gloves, let alone the shoes, an'
now think of the silk-there is abundanc
of it-I am sure nobody will know the ol'
| Irace unlar its fra foruiatio ~
And nobody did. Sometimes Matte CAV
a sigh to the memory of the "loveiy thing
she had coveted; but while hers seemed ye
fresh and tasteful, the others had to b
thrown aside as worn out So You see Mis-
Matte received and profted by one thoroug
lesson in oMMoN-sENsE-pO Youths Companion