The San Francisco call., 1913-11-11
By MABEL HERBERT URNER

40H, she's ruined it, She's just
lRUINED it.' almost sobbed
" Helen, turning away from the
mirror in despair.
Couldn't you fix IL, MissT sug-
gested Nora, who had been called in
to hook up the gown that just came
from the dressmakers.
How CAN fix it." excitedly. when
there isn't any more goods? got
that in Paris-s3.5o yard, And now
look at it, Unhook it, There's no use
keeping it ont only makes me wild
TO think about it."
1T don't look bad on you. Miss"
ventured Nora. comfortingly.
You don't think I'd wear anything
like that. do you? Why the skirts
so narrow I can't step-and look how
It draws over the hips. And this sleeve
did you ever see anything set like
that? Why. a cheap seamstress could
do better-and she charged s1S-s1S
for running my dress"
Helen's voice grew shrill with ex-
angry tears.
q wouldn't let it upset me, Miss.
Maybe if you'll take it back she can
fix it"
HELEN HYSTERICAL
"she CAN'T fix it, tell you" turn
ing to Nora almost fiercely. The
whole things cut wrong I'll send her
back the dress as a present-that's
what I'll do" chokingly and write
her a letter. toov'
Nora had gone out to answer the
kitchen bell and Helen, who was now
thoroughly wrought up and excited,
talked on to herself.
IF I told her once I told her a
dozen times to make the skirt at
least a yard and -quarters-and
It's not over a yard and half Oh.
where Is the tape measure?" angrily
stirring up the work basket
The skirt measured scant yard
and a half around the bottom. and
Helen's anger increased at this verifi-
cation.
I'll call up Mrs. Stevens right now.
I want to ask her how she could
recommend such a woman"
Her voice trembled with indigna-
tion when she gave the number, but
fortunately Mrs. Stevens was not IN.
She would call up the dressmaker
herself! she could not wait to write.
A dozen half formed. sarcastic. indig-
nant phrases quivered on her lips. If
that woman thought she would quiet
" accept such a dress with such
bill. But where was the bill?9 She
should have it before her when she
phoned.
1t was several moments before she
could find the bill. and by that time
she decided that she could not do the
matter justice over the phone. She
had better write.
Again she went over the biil-every
item bringing fresh wave of resent
ment:
Making blue charmeuse dress. $500
one and three-quarter yards
chiffon. at 1.35............-..- 2.36
Covering buttons. s............ SO
Findings ..-......-........ 1.50
Shields .............-..... so
Total. $22.S6
A yard and three quarters of chif-
fon. And she had not used more than
a half a yard-just those narrow folds
on the waist! And so cents for
shields-they could not have cost over
q quarter. Findings dollar and a
half. What findings were there ex-
cept thread and hooks and eyes? The
silk lining Helen had furnished her
self.
BY this time she was walking up
and down the room rehearsing out
loud the letter she was going to write.
HER LETTER
My dear madam" her voice was
icy in its sarcasm. 7 am making you
a present of the dress you have ruined
for me. Possibly you or some of your
customers may be able to wear 1t, as
7 can not 1t is difficult to under
stand how you can run Madison
avenue establishment when you turn
out such work as this. My little two
dollar-a-day seamstress could have
done it infinitely better. Although !
told you DISTINCTLY the EXACT
width wanted the skirt
Here Helen paused. No, no; il must
be more terse and sarcastic. A long
letter was never so effective as a
short caustic one.
She went to her desk and began,
and tore up one note after another.
1t was hard to say all she wanted to,
and still keep the letter short.
The mans here to fix that transom.
miss" announced Nora"
Very well; I'll come and show him
about It."
All the transoms were fitted with