The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-06-09


Grocer, $50: Jane, s15; butcher,
$15; coal, IS; everything else, $40;
altogether, S7S-$78 out of a hun
dred leaves $22 = say $40 two
$40. One of these suits
don't cost more than that, does it?'
she asked, confidently.
"Costs s75," replied the gloomy
Alexander.
"EIumph !" cried Minnie. Cant
you manage? If it were SIS dress,
$40 would be plenty"
Alexander shook his head
"But the club meets early in the
evening" persisted Minnie. Couldn't
you get one that would do-ready
made, or something?"
Alexander was panied. He said
he trusted she did not speak in
earnest.
"Dear !" cried Minnie in despair,
"what can we do2 We can't take
boarders and you can't be book
agent. l wish somebody would leave
us some money.
$50 do l." murmured Alec, with
feeling.
81 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 little more wilful
on this point. But he tried to look
much relieved, and issued another
command that she was not to go
into debt. Her assent te this was
immediate. Alexander had no
more to say.
The next day Minnie, in pursu-
ance of her idea, went by stealth to
the clothing emporium Of WarIens-
burg and 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 affected to solve an in
tricate problem, and finally coming
out with a mathematical flourish of
his pencil, said: "Twenty dollars
"How much for cutting out. ?"
"Well," said the tailor, chem let
me see. You wouldn't want it
up here, you think? "Well, coat,
vest and-about $3.50.
81 should like to get the cloth and
the cutting both for $50, if you
could" said Minnie family.
"Well, answered the tailor,
patronizingly, "that's it; we couldn't.
You can't get English goods, you
know, at American prices. We have
cheaper goods, but"
81 should want this, said Minnie.
"Well, as the best figure on that
I'll say thirty-three. 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 months credit. Then she di-
rected the cutting to be done by
Alexander's measure, already with
the tailor, and the next day carried
the bundle in triumph to her dress
maker That was her idea. Her
dressmaker, of course, was one of
that infinite number of sewing-wo-
men, found only by sheer good luck
who are called "jewels" by feminine
gossips, and who charge two prices.
They are said to be reasonable" as
distinguished from the real modiste.
This particular one did not set the
price but she said it was a splendid
plan, that she would try and make
everything Satisfactory" Minnie
departed in great spirits.
The Blossoms acceptance had
been duly sent, and Alexander had
been informed that dress suit
would be forthcoming.
He'trusted to his wife implicitly,
believing not that in two months she
would create wonderful novel, as
ladies easily do-in other novels
but that she would pursue the more
useful and perhaps more womanly
plan of calling on her father. Men
are so tardy in conceding to their
wives other than domestic virtues.
But ore man was about to have his
prejudice swept away.
The important night having roll
ed into Warrensburg, Minnie came
dancing down stairs in something"
the gifted dressmaker chad patched
up out of nothing" and consequent
ly bade her dependent husband to
get ready. He went. The bundle
was brought out for him to open.
1t was a regular tailor's box, and lol
on the collar of the coat was the
clarifying name of a New York tail