St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-06-26
Rings and Bracelets. Carriages and
Opera Tickets, Flowers and Can
ters in the Park.
the Many Luxur1es INDUCED in
by the Darlings.

the old gentlemans marvelously fitting
black frock also considerably exceeded that
regulated by the fashionable statutes of to-
day In SAch case made and provided. The
old gentleman, in fact, had stuck to the
fashions OF the year of grace 1878. He has
friends who will recognize the description,
Tor he is Well-knOwn in the clubs and about
town.
Now. mind you," he said to the clerk
behind the showcase, 81 don't want to
Duy anything. want to see how much
engagement rings cost. l know something
ABOUT these matters myself, but I want to
get the fgures-the exact figures. know
young man who's going to be married."
continued the old dandy to friend beside
him. II never could afford it myself. I
want to see how he can on half my in
come"
The clerk produced bunch of keys, up-
locked the case and solemn1y laid two
SHINING trays on the glass under the old
gentleman'S nose. The latter adjusted
pair OF gold-bowed glasses and scanned
them critically. Then he produced gold
mounted guttapercha pencil and tiny
morocco notebook.
The cheapest of the engagement rings
is l',t the plain gold hoop" said the clerk.
THAT is So
'And the highest?" asked the old gen.
ueman, noting the figures.
The clerk said: 1.-The highest in this case
is this three-karat-$550; but we can 20
much higher than that if necessary"
''Oh, don't trouble yourself" said the old
gentleman, with sardonic chuckle and
another scratch in his notebook. NOW tell
me the average"
SOME COSTLY GIFTS
The clerk glanced a contemplative mo-
ment at the tray then pulled out three
quarter-karat brilliant. ''Well, about this"
he said, ''say 500 to $3.50" Good" said
the old gentleman, chuckling again. '.Say
from one month to one month and half's
salary. Now. those engagement bracelets"
The clerk unlocked the case again and
pulled out another tray. 1t was full of
bracelets, and each had for its clasp a tiny
lock in which was tiny gold key. "Umph!
happy man locks the bracelet and keeps the
key, eh?" said the old gentleman. ''Pretty
notionr SIS to $11, eh? Very cheap; much
obliged"
He put up his notebook and pencil with
his tremulous, large-veined old hands,
switched salutation to the clerk with his
gold headed cane and staggered out to the
street with gingerly airiness, swinging his
1SuI gloves DIS liz WdIk6u.
Now, let me see; flowers next"
b In at the fashionable florists another
clerk behind a forest of orchids reeled off
information at rate that called for fresh
pencil lead at the second lap. ..Corsage
bouquets?" he said. Eyes, I know; not
for full dress, but for the theater. say.
would be at least $3.50. not less at this
time of the year, mixed roses and lilies of
the valley. During the season. say twice
as much. At the time of the assembly our
prices were thirty-siX jacks, $685. A man
who is sending a box of flowers to a lady
will hardly get off for less than SIS, and we
can't tell how often he will send them.
That depends, of course, On the warmth of
his passion"
''Now," said the old gentleman, GIVE
got my other figures; let's go somewhere
and count this up"
Over a little Handicapped table in a
neighboring cafe, where the customers
spoke in whispers and the walters were
shOd seemingly in felt, the old dandy
struggled with his pencil and notebook, and
finally spoke oracularly.
FOOTING UP THE FRUGALITIEs.
s'Now, these are merely the hard neces-
sites Of a betrothal-the frugalities
(chucklel. I bar presents; for there's no
rule to go on there. Engagements lasting
one year:
LING; 500 90
Theatrical season lasting say five
months; attendance, say twice
month for three persons (under new
English dispensation Of chaperonage].
Tickets $3.50 for each of ten times. Is 90
''If he's contented with carriage from
one of the cab companies" continued
T ar,d will ,,1r
cost him 81; that is.............. 20 90
'NoW we come to a question where I
am at home" said the OLD dandy, strok-
ing his thin gray whiskerS and twink
ling watery beam from his faded
eye. ''Supper after the play; a nice
little set-out like this at the Bellevue:
say oysters, game Or sweetbreadS,
salad, coffee and sweetmeats, simplest
possible, $1.50 plate, 81. so for three;
add so for a bottle of special, So;
multiply by ten. 80 90
1--WE will average those corsage bou-
quetS at 81, which is under the mark,
l Think" said the old dandy. ut
Will give us. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 20 90
zone thing I forgot he continued,
''during opera season, say three times
in three weeks, tickets 50 each time
and flowers 81. Observation-Disclosures. 80 90
The mathematician went on, wiping his
fabby old face with q muSky hand
kerchief; 'I'm going to leave out the
presents of flowers with the other
things, because you can't be exact
about it; but during the season from
November, say, to the beginning of
Lent, usually in February, say four
months, the young lady will go to
some full-dress affair at least, the
very least, one evening week. I'm
putting this way down, you see. Then
the flowers can't cost under SIS. Six
teen times So is another. .......... so 90
~ am figuring that on these occasions
her papa will have to look after the
carriage bills.
$50 that I find said the old dandy,
holding his figures close up to his nose
that the. bare essentials of an en-
gagement during its first five months,
including the ring, show total of :. 37S 90
EXPENSES OF THE IDLE SUMMER
'tFor the summer, now" SAID the old
dandy, shaking his head at his figures,
and expressing the conviction that
they were entirely too low, ''if during
her two months in town after Easter
If she stays that long-the young man
can get off one afternoon a week, he
will ride in the park with her, and she
will have horse, if she doesn't drive
in the family carriage, and he will
have to hire one, and he can't get the
veriest screw for less than So time,
and four times for each of the two
months will be-. ...................... 10 90
"When he gets his vacation of two
weeks" continued the old gentleman,
she will spend it where she is at the
seashore, the mountains, Saratoga or
elsewhere, this depending on the time
OF tho year when he gets off. Hooked
over board rates at fashionable
summer hotel the other day and
found the lowest price-up under the
caves, suppose it must be-S11 so
week. For two weeks. ......3 30 90
"Railroad fare, it's hard to figure on,
but take it to Saratoga it's Sc. 20 each
way and 81 more for a parlor car,
which is....... ...................... II 40
Snow, then. you're all at sea for the in
cidentals Of those two weeks. There
may be boat-hire or there may be-
carriage-hire or there may be lunch
cons and / don't see my way toward
putting each of those twelve days
Qeaving out Sundays) during which
he has to put in his whole time in
amusing Dulcinea, at less than So