The San Francisco call., 1898-12-04

However, they are smart enough for reception wear. I bought myself a black velvet but that was one of the greatest bargains I ever bought, for only paid $S50 for 1t, and I can wear it in the evening with low waist, all it, for I do think if anything is poverty stricken it is this idea of one skirt to do duty with two or three waists.
 A Matchmaking Mamma.
 I am anxious that they should both marry, and marry we'll and, to be quite frank that is one reason why we are in town this year. But what I shall do when it comes to the question of trous- Seau l can't imagine, for l want my girls to be as well turned out as any body else is, and yet when a lot of us were discussing this subject atluncheon yesterday, we agreed that girl ought to have at least 5000 to buy her trous- seau. Of course, it can be done with less, but then the people in our set don't do it.
 It's very puzzling to know whether it's best to give girls an allowance and let them see what they can do for themselves before they start out on their rousseau: but then they don't know where to go as well as I do, and can't possibly afford to give them more than $3000 year to dress on, that is, for each one of them.
 Extravagant? My, No
 And I do not bring up my girls ex- travagantly, but wish them to be sur rounded with the same atmosphere that they will be in when they are married I do not expect them to marry out of their own set. It would not be advisable for them to do so, and they must ac- cordingly learn how to dress and live in the way they always will, if nothing happens.
 This matter of Aiken in the winter eats up a good deal of money, but no doubt there is a good deal of social benefit to be gained therefrom. It is like going in for Meadow Brook and the hunting set generally. It cannot be done without considerable expenditure but we look upon this, my husband and l. as a most necessary expense, and our friends, there is not a cent spent foolishly.
 Pinched on $6O.OOO Year.
 It is all very we'll for people who are not in the social swim to comment on the amount of money that is spent and 900 is certainly at first sight a large sum-. but there are very few years when even with the most careful manage ment we do not run over this amount.
 In order to keep up the town and country houses that are necessary lot of servants must be kept in the differ ent establishments. There is nothing much more telling than to have the country house always open and, ready to take a house party there for few days, and this can only be done by hav- ing each and every house in order with a full equipment of linen, china, etc. And even if only few servants are left l~<@ Nf 4I,. lAr-f 6 ICf hC ready and waiting for telephone message.
 The Stables.
 The style of living in a country house need not be as formal as in the city. but there must be a sufficient number of horses and traps ready at mo- ment's notice, so that virtually two stables must be kept going. We do not bring all our horses to town, so we are in better shape in this respect than some of our friends, and my husband IS capital at keeping up the stables. so I really don't bother much about that He is awfully good about most things, and does not limit me in the money l spend But this autumn he has asked me once or twice if I did not think was rather rushing 1t, and, certainly, when we stopped to think of it, to be paying over S100 for a hat and $700 for d Siodh VI 6OHh uoSS oSSiii travagant.
 I suppose it is all the effect of the war, for every one has told me that after the civil war there was the great est extravagance and that people adopted style of living far and away ahead of anything that had ever been seen before so this is probably just a repetition of the same thing.
 Making Both Ends Meet
 
 I certainly do not intend to set up as a social reformer, and all I can do is to make the best showing possible on our