The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1894-12-28
AMATEUR INDUSTRY.

ACA AOhOI
at seems to me" and the speaker paused,
looking at a New York Times reporter In a
way that portended the utterance of an i'm,
portant truth, .'that there ought to be q So
ciety for the suppression of amateur indus
try, or at east for the encouragement Of it
only under certain conditions and limita-
tions.n
Which meansp said the reporter, ex.
pectantly interrogative.
Which MEANS - responded his interest
ing Wis a Wis, ''that l had quite an expert
ence the other day. / was lamenting to an
acquaintance that l wanted another bonnet,
but, as l had already INDUCED in several, l
doubted If my allowance would permit the
additional extravaganza.
"t0h, I'll fix that for you,' said she. Tn
give you a card to a friend Of mine, who
makes simply delicious bcnnets'-KItty's
adjectives, by the way, art apt to get little
misplaced she takes any little odd scraps
Of lace or ribbon that you may have,
punches them together in an indescribable
way, and uoilGl there is the bonnet in the
latest, most stylish effects
81 ventured to suggest that / presumed
her terms were proportionately stylish and
effective, but Kitty silenced me.
"'Not at ALL was her earnest reply; her
prices are simply absurd; you will laugh to
see the bill. Why, she has done ten hats
and bonnets for me this season, and they
have cost me less than my usual. five OF pre-.
ceding summers
"Of course l was eager for the where,
l ohorta Nf fhic dacfrahla norenn o-l ~ "a, fuoauJ
took her own card, writing under the en-
graved name introducing Mrs. K.'-myselt
and gave it to me with the address, add
ing: Don't go till tomorrow, for l must
send her a note announcing your visit
~ laughed at all this ceremony about q
milliner. but Kitty was very serious and EN-
phatlc. MY DEAR she said, solemnly, she
is a great swell, and of course / was duly
impressed.
"The next afternoon l presented myself
at Miss L. door, and l must say was rather
awed at the magniicence of my reception,
considering the errand. To begin with, the
house was just off Fifth avenue on an arts
tocratic street up town. A tootman in livery
answered my ring, and / was ushered into {
spacious ante-room, whose superb furnish
ings we're repeated in the suite of drawing
rooms beyond My card, with my friends
card, went up on a tiny gold salver, and very
soon the grand functionary returned with
the request that I would walk up stairs.
"In a charming %mornIng-room and a raw
ishing tea gown Miss L. received me. She
was a plump, lovely young creature, with
perfect manner and that peculiarly ripping
musical voice that l have noticed belongs tt
women with small mouths and narrow den
tai curves.
"'You want a bonnet she began, laugh
ingly, but going directly to the point. Kitty
wrote me about you. Yes, I'll do one fol-
you with pleasure. l suppose Kitty told yor
it is a passion with me, trimming bonnets
| positively dote on it, she went on.
"tYou don't mind laying aside your hat,
she continued. Il want to see the shape O.
. your head and face
"She studied both, looked over the mate
rails | had brought, asked what costume
} would wear it with chiefly, ETC., keeping VI
all the time a little bubble of chatter an(
laughter. and then, with great courtesy, al
, lowed me to take my leave.
, 1.-THE next day l sent for my bonnet. A,
Kitty had predicted, it was a marvel O
original style and effect, and 1 found, OF
= consulting an accompanying perfestly-ap
pointed little note, that one plain dolla.
: would settle my account with Miss l..
, !" 1t was really laughable. Any MILNE
OF any repute would have charged ne SIS
at least for the simple trimming, with lis
OF extras that would have swelled the bill
several times that. OF course it is tn
: greatest possible boon to me, and l onl
hope Miss L. will take me for a regular Gus
D toner, but do you know it hardly seem
right"
The reporter patiently aYalted elucida
ton upon the moral aspect of the scheme.
q SNOW, Miss L., Kitty tells me, has realI
= a large clientele, and might have an almos
9 unlimited one if she so chose. She has ali
solutely no especial need for the money
. and uses it generally in some extra extray
agance, as, for instance, buying a sixty
, dollar parasol with bonnet funds.
"She pursues the occupation merely be
q cause she is fond Of 1t. You see, however
that she takes trade from other and, | sur
) pose, proper channels, although milliners, a
y y uiot u ouSu OAGOTbOucTS i QOQ'b MN
depriving them of some Of their chances t
fleece US.
"And know plenty of girls in New YorI
who do various little things in the way O
decorative fancy work and sell them to pc
q really useless pocket money. met one o,
: Twenty-third street the other day. ID
come to lunch with me- she said; i've Jus
, been paid for some menu cards l hav
painted, and I'm too rich for any thing
"Idutifully accepted. We lunched on al
the expensive delicacies the carte offered
and my hostess paid a few cents over ST
} dollars for the bout.
snow, does that seem fairl Which /
why say finished this fair champion O
justice, logically repeating her openlnI
proposition, "that there ought to be
society for the suppression or regulation Q
amateur industry" ~