Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-10-28

a bad beginning"
$50 | bought only two summer
gowns this year in addition to my
/ lightweight suit. l had to get lot of
new waists because they don't wear
short sleeves any more, but my sum-
mer dresses were going to be cheap
I enough to make up for that. | don't
have time to sew, so took my dresses
| TO the dressmaker"
and probably forgot to ask how
much she'd charge to make them?"
Indeed, | didn't. They were to be
81. 90 each without the findings"
"The what?"
"The hooks and eyes and thread and
things. They added quite lot to the
cost Then there We're the trimmings.
The dressmaker wanted IL yards of
embroidery for the pink dress and
she showed me sample. l went
cheerfully down to buy that and found
it would cost 1920"
"Whew,"
"That particular dress cost So, so
1920 for trimmings seemed a trifle
large | hunted around till | found
some for so cents a yard that looked
almost as good. The saleswoman
didn't think it would wear very well,
but I said it would have to do"
WAS that all?"
Then | had TO get the trimmings
for the blue dress. They cost me s.
and | came home feeling crushed in
soul and pocket book"
Cheer up! Other people have their
troubles"
Wait" cried Loretta. THAT is only
the beginning. When it came TO hats
this spring | bought a walking hat
and took my last summers best hat
to be made over. Though the milliner
laughed when she saw it, she made it
look all right for a small price, and l
thought l was fixed But neither of
light gowns"
Some young women are too partic-
ular."
$50 went to the milliner's again and
was obliged to invest in $40 straw"
That's economy for you'll"
ut wasn't much for the hat. It's
Milan straw and can be used next
year-though the milliners always say
that and hats never can be used next
year. Besides, | always expect to
have more money next year. The
roses are lovely Still, the milliner
wouldn't guarantee that they would
not fade. She said l positively must
have parasol for sunny days"
you never use one"
II know it, ] perfectly hate them"
said Loretta, fiercely But I went
meekly and bought one. That made
S6 more"
Il can see you swelling around at
summer resort"
But you know I'm going camping
this season. These creap dresses were
for just wearing around home. That
wasn't all, either"
Go on
"The dressmaker sent word at the
last minute that she would need three
yards of embroidery and four more of
lace or the dresses would be ruined
So of course | obediently sent the ma
terial TO her. | bought the original
trimming at sales and when I got the
extra amount | had to pay almost
double what | paid at first. Three
different days the dressmaker forgot
to telephone me that she was not
ready for me and besides I had three
true fittings; so, as it takes two car
fares to get to her house, that added
$120"
Anything else?"
"She sent the dresses home Thurs
day of last week and her girl got no
answer when she rang our bell so
she took them back again. Then I
had to pay boy to go and get them
for me. They have just come with
the bill and I've been counting up how
much those two cheap gowns have
cost me-"
Well never mind they'll look fine"
That's the worst of it," groaned Lo-
retta. They are so provokingly sim
ple-looking that everybody'll think I
made them myself or bought them
ready-made. | saw one downtown not
a bit less pretty for Sc, yet the two
outfits cost me $3.50. The next time
j economize I'll know il. I might as
well have the fun of being extravagant
Al