Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-01-17
WHAT 1T COST HER TO DRESS.
Thousand Dollars Year Now. but
$3.50 Would Do After the Wedding

| dS ue COulu DY Jlle ulD1 nHnL the cOSb Ol
her apparel. They had been engaged
for several months, and, having passed
that period of ecstatic bliss which OBJ
scures all thoughts of worldly affairs
they were able, at odd moments, tc
speculate about the future The parlol
was elaborately furnished, and every.
thing about the dear girl, from the tips
of her dainty patent leather shoes to the
gold pin in her hair, was suggestive OF
wealth.
The night was clear and cold and this
was one reason why the young man had
the power to look at things in a cold
worldly fashion. The night on which he
had Topped on one knee and laid his
heart at the feet of the fair creature had
been wild and stormy. She had accepted
him in particularly wild burst of rain
and wind, and thereafter on every stormy
night visions Of bliss swept over him and
made his rather poor prospects glitter
with unnatural brilliancy. On this night,
however, he saw things in their true
light, and after the heavy tread of his
dear girls mother had given way to a
low rumbling snore, he suddenly cried:
"How much did that dress cost?"
He touched the garment lightly, and
looked heseeohingly up in the girls
face.
"The material cost Sl5, making it cost
SIS"
"Phew! Can you make drcsses?"
"The idea! Of course not"
GLOW many dresses do you get in a
year,"
"Well," she said contemplatively.
"when | 20 away in the country usu-
ally take six new ones with me. They
cost on an average $40 each. Then | give
four receptions year, and, of course, a
new dress is necessary each time. The
four cost about $2l0. Then | suppose
have about five other dresses, which
come cheap; perhaps about $40 for each
one"
The young mau buried his face in his
hands for "a minute, and then said:
Hats and shoes pretty expensive?"
"Oh, my; no. replied the girl, with a
little cry of scorn. Il suppose my hats
and shoes do not cost more than $500 a
year"
"Now, look here, Jess" said the young
man desperately, what l am trying to
get at is how much it costs to dress you.
You do little figuring and let me see
what the result is"
Jess bent her dear little head over an
ivory tablet and scribbled away indus
triously aud bit her pencil thoughtfully
for five minutes. Then she submitted
this table:
Dresses. ............. $40 Wraps. $50
Hats ............... 125 Linen, etc.......... 100
SPSes Gloves .. '.'''''''' Sc ao Total e oao
The young man read these items over
and over again.
"Great Scott, Jess" he said "that's
pretty steep, isn't it,"
"Oh, | don't know" she replied.
"That is only a small part of what l
cost, for you have no idea what an ex-
pensive girl arr. You know l usually
spend month every summer at some
watering place, and then get rid of an
awful lot of money in helping the church
along. in car fares, bonbons and such
things"
"What does it cost to run this house,
any way?' asked the young man, saw
agely, for lie felt that the idol of his
heart was slipping away.
Il don't know exactly replied Jess,
"but, maybe, $4,000 a year will do it
nicely
"Humph! Let me do a little figuring. "
The young mans iiguring was like
this:
Probable cost of furniture, $1,000; yearly
lnstallnent5. ........... $500
Rent of fat Gin Brooklyn .........s........ 400
Wages Of servant. .......-.... 1sO
Wifes clothing (her estimote) ......,...... 1859
Ny clothing Cmy estimate Observation-Disclosures. 100
Necessary recreation vacations, and charity 900
FOOD .....t..- .......,.. ,. l5O
Total ................... ................... .S2,4i0
Ny salary y..........,........... .-...,...... 24JO
Deficit. ............-.... ... $40
Jess bent her head over this table and
studied it inteutly.
'Are You estimating what it win cost
us TO keep house, she asked