St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-01-04
OUR GIRLS.
Something of What They Cost
Outside Merely OF Dress.
New York World.

dress, a costume for demi-dress, an
evening toilette, a jacket, an ulster for
rough weather, and a few staples in the
shape of lingerie, four handkerchiefS.
scarfs, fascinatorS, inexpensive jewelry,
hair ornaments, a belt or two, few
gloves and visite to wear at the opera
or dinner party, very nice appearance
can be made on $3.50. or 81 day.
That is to cover the dress question.
There are greater difficulties to be met
for which money must be provided.
Take for instance her toilet. which is
one of the vital questions of the hour.
If she has no maid it will cost we'll
bred girl g month just to have her
hair brushed. There is S12 year which
can hardly be called an investment in
luXuries.
Then there are the baths to refreshen
the skin, brighten the complexion and
tone up the system generally. To the
uninitiated they are a mere waste of
money. TO the woman who studies her
glass, knows the value of beauty and
health and the price of youth, they are
the very best medicine that science can
prescribe. One steaming every two
months is ample, which will cost not
less than S1.5O. for the bathing mistress
who rubs her down with alcohol and
sprays her hair with bay rum is certain
ly entitled to 25-cent tip at the very
smallest calculation.
This means 50 year. Druggists
supplies. including soap. tooth. face and
manicure powder in moderation, cold
cream, vaSeline and benzoin, camphor
and ammonia, court plaster, mustard
and almond meal, toilet waters and
scent and brushes for the teeth, nails,
hsir and flesh will cost at the very low
est figure SIS a year, and are no more to
be dispensed with by a refined, gentle
born woman than bOnnetS and gloves.
Then there are the dentists fees of
$25 year for the regular care OF the
teeth. and in cases of accident or neg
lect that sum sWellS to treble expense.
Few girls escape the doctor, for in spite
of every precaution colds will settle on
delicate lungs, and stomachS get out OF
order, in which case a medical tax OF
IS year will be imposed.
And then comes the cost Of culture,
without which no woman can possibly
thrive. She may attend lectures, go to
art galleries, concerts or classes i'll lit
erature, language, Delsarte, music or
painting; she may join a club and have
innumerable advantages in social, in
tellectual and ethical way, but in any
instance her expenses will average $25.
And lastly comes the cost of popularity,
without which no girl can expect sue
cess.
Exempt from the obligation of giving
dinners, lunches, box parties and the
like, she is nevertheless expected to
make some slight acknowledgment of
courtesies received, and $40 year will
buy very few bouquets, books and SOU
venirs for the patroneSSes who have so
kindly assisted her in social way. In
the majority of cases these trifles will
necessary to deliver them properly.
Not to forget the details of the toilet
at least 500 will be eXpened for gloves,
slippers, wells, handkerchiefS, hosiery,
bits of lace, an occasional print. charity
and the cost af having dress cleaned,a
jacket pressed or the street hat re-
trimmed. Here is a total of $366.50 for
what may be called foolishness, but is
nevertheless the price OF wOman's
sweetness, refinement and femininity.
To be specific. here are some figures
regarding the cost of little girl of four
teen for the past year. She is the only
daughter of a teller in New York
bank. The family lives in a private
boarding house and the ambition of her
parents is to make the child a
bright, sweet, sensible woman. Her
wardrobe costs $125 year, includ-
ing laundry. She attends school up
town. where she pays $3.50 year. Last
season she was sent to dancing school at
an expense of 500. For this accomplish
ment she needed a special supply of
slippers, four little dancing frocks,
long quilted ulster and fifteen yards Of
sash ribbon, for which bill of ST. was
presented.
During the summer she learned to
swim, and the cost of her bathing suit
and the services of the bathing master
amounted to SIS. Her board for the
entire year cost $3.50. Here are some
trifles, as the mother calls them, copied
from the little girls expense account:
SIS; l doll, 50; l doll's carriage, $3.50:
to member. three days services, $3.50;
hospital attendance for dog, 81; burial
of same, S1.75; l gold ring, $3.50; rent
of tricycle., $2.S5; medical treatment,
S35; gifts for relatives, 81; monkey
muff and cape, S27; gum, ice cream,
soda water tripod, $24; tennis racket,
$3.50; opera glass, IS; silver watch, Sc;
treatment for suffering, $50.
Making the annual cost of this sweet
little tyrant S1,311.70.
A lady on West Fifty third street
allows a young lady daughter of seven
teen $500 for dress. The family is we'll
to do and no notice is taken of the actual
expenses attending the board, the maid
service or the laundry bills. Notwith-
standing her allowance the young woman
is financially straitened all the time,
the S41.50 received monthly barely suf-
hcing for her Immediate wants in the
shape of toilet accessories, amuSements,
Car fare, aims and reading matter. Last
year her extras, donated by her mother,
amounted to 800, including an upright
piano, Sealskin jacket and a modest
little ring with diamond in it.
A short time ago Mrs. William S.
Eagan, of East SiXty-fourth street, Pc
titioned Judge Beach in the court of
common pleas to have $4,000 of her late
husbands estate set aside for the edu.
cation and maintenance of her little
daughter Josephine Eagan. aged seven,
of whom she is guardian. A cry of
horror and establishment was raised
among the relatives and lawyers at the
stupendouS demand, but Mrs. Eagan
knew what she was about and present
ed an itemized account of probable ex-
penditures. Here it is:
Ice per month. SIS. $50; household ex-
penses, S1.920; toys, books and dolls,
$50; governess, $50: nurse. $50: music
lessons, vocal, $50; clothing, shoes, hats,
etc., $500; laundry, $50; medical treat
ment for nervous disorders, $500.
This bill is interesting in showing the
disparity between the professions of
nurse and governesS. The $500 item for
clothing may seem extravaganza,
but as an heiress = to $780,
600 estate there is no reason
why Miss Josephine should not
wears Irish embroidered muslin frock.
Persian lamb top coats, French kid
boots, Rembrandt hats with ostrich
plumes, aud sheer linen and pressed
flannel undergarments; but how these