language, made to seem a something of great importance. After awhile this habit grows upon you, and your friends laughingly say, "If you want to be amused listen to Florence; if you want the absolute truth of the affair ask somebody else."
Extravagance in dress very often means improper dressing—over-dressing. Possibly you kept the greater part of your money and with it bought a fine silk frock, only fitted for evening or visiting wear, and yet, after it has seen a little service, you are forced to go to business in it. What you ought to have done was to get a smart-looking woollen gown, and then, when the time came for it to be used for every-day wear, it would have been quite proper. Think, if you are among the butterflies, whether you are not extravagant in urging those who love you best to give you pieces of jewelry which they really cannot afford and which are utterly unsuited to the life you live. Many a business man can trace his downfall to the diamond ear-rings for which wife or daughter begged so hard. And then a woman is seldom satisfied with just one bit of prettiness. So, my dear girl, unless you know your father can afford it, do not even hint to him that you would like a bracelet, or a locket, or a brooch, but make yourself look as charming as possible in the simplest way, and then if dark days should ever come you will have nothing with which to blame yourself.
