The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-09-27

| evening" persisted Minnie. Couldn't
YOU get Que that would do-ready
| made, or somethlng?n
Alexander was panied. He said he
| trusted she did not speak in earnest.
s'Dear.n cried Minnie in despair,
what can we do? We can't take
| boarders. and you can't be a book
agent. wish somebody would leave
] US some money"
i so do l." murmured Alex with feel
| ing.
| Il know what" cried Minnie, with
| sudden brightness.
| Don't you ask your father for
| money" said Mr. Blossom, sternly.
| Il don't intend to-"
Alexander seemed to think she might
| have been a little more willful on this
| point But he tried to look much re-
| lieved, and issued another command
| that she was not to go in debt. Her
| assent to this was immediate. Alex
| ander had no more to say.
The next day Minnie, in pursuance
of her idea, went by stealth to the
| clothing emporium of Warrensburg
| aud demanded the price of dress suits.
| The answer was $75. She then asked
| the price of the cloth. This was a
| great surprise to the tailor. He affect
| ed to solve an intricate problem, and
| finally coming out with mathematical
| flourish of his pencil, said: Twenty
| dollars"
How much for cutting out?n
"Well,n said the tailor, chem! let
| me see. You wouldn't want it made
up here, you think, Well, coat, vest
! and-abOut $3.50"
Il should like to get the cloth and
the cutting both for $40, if you could"
said Minnie, family.
'.Well,n answered the tailor. patron
| izingly, CHATS it; we couldn't. You
can't get English goods, you know, at
Americ.n prices. We have cheaper
| goods, but
Il should want this" said Minnie.
well, as the best figure on that I'll
say &33. We don't make anything on
| it, anyway"
Mrs. Blossom was not deceived, but
| she pretended to be. and with another
| exertion of courage asked for a
| months credit. Then she directed the
| cutting to be done by Alexander's
| measure, already with the tailor, and
| the next day carried her bundle in
| triumph to her dressmaker. That was
her idea. Her dressmaker, of course,
| was one Of that infinite number of sew
ing women, found only by sheer good
luck, who arc called 'jewels'' by
feminine gossips, and who charge two
| prices. They are said to be reason
| able as distinguished from the real
| modiste. According to immemorial
| usage among dressmakers, this par
ticUlar '.iewci" of Minnie's did not set
price, but she said it was splendid
! plan that she would try, and that she
| would make everything satisfactory"
| What can be more satisfactory than
satisfactory? Minnie departed in great
spirits.
Time ratified on and brought the
| night of the clubs first meeting.
The Blossoms acceptance had been
| duly sent, and Alexander had been
complacently informed that a dress
suit would be provided. He trusted
| to his wife implicitly, believing, not
! that in two months she would create a
wonderful novel, as ladies so easily do
in other noyels-but that she would
| pursue the more useful and perhaps
more womanly plan of calling on her
|
| to their wives other than domestic vir-
! tues But one man was about to have
his masculine prejudices swept away.
| The important night having rolled in
to Narreasburg, Minnie came dane
| ing downstairs ia 'sone-thing" the
gifted dressnaker chad patched up
out of nothing and conscquentiahy
bade her dependent husband to ''cOme
up and get ready" He went. The
bundle was brought out for him u
open. 1t was n regular tailor's boz
! (such was Minnie's craftiness) and 10!
on the collar of the coat was the glori-
| fving name of a New York tailor,
| Minnie, Of course, had obtained the
name of her father and sewed it ON
with her own fair hands.
Alec, with full heart, donned the
| suit and stood before the mirror. He
| cast two careful, comprehensive
| glances at the trim reflection, clasped
! Minnie to the new coat and exclaimed.
in many raptures: You darling! It's
its the regular thing!n
Are YOU satisfied" asked the wife,
| wishing him to commit himself beyo yond
| retraction before she divulged the low
origin OF the suit.
! .'Of course,n cried Alec, warmly,
| wishing he were a woman, so that he
could gush little. Satisfied? Why
! it's one of Ackcrman's best-that's
what it is. See the way it fits. |
could tell that was Ackerman mile
eff"
When he had raved for ten minutes
Minnie confessed the history of the
| suit so you see, after ALL, she said
at last, 1--WE women do know some
thing"
Mr. Blossom looked ut the coat more
critically. trying to detect a blemish,
but he couldn't.
Are YOU still satisfied" asked
| Minnie. tie had to admit that he was.
Now, how much do you suppose it
cost?"
Mr.. Blossom couldn't tell. Now, a
tailor" began.
Tailor cried Minnie. "You mean
| robber. | counted on just $40, and out
of that have this suit, which you say
you like. and this dress of mine. You
would have paid SO for the suit alone.
| Tomorrow shall go and pay up and
l warn YOU that every cent have left
out of the $40 shall spend on candy,
every single cent" For Minnie had the
| woman's love of extravaganza after
sll.
So this was Mrs. Blossoms triumph.
Not man at the club was better
| dressed than her husband.
They were both in raptures. Alex
ander especially, when he had con-
vinced himself that his suit did not
proclaim to the world the disgraceful
truth that it had been constructed by a
| dresSmaker.
The next evening, when Mr.. Blossom
| came home and instituted the search
for Minnie. she did not leap out at
him from her old unthought-of hiding
place. She was in her room and cry
| ing.
whats the matter?" asked Alex
snder. She did not reply at first, but
| still kent her head from him, but when