Final answer:
The postmaster's wife wanted a pleated lace collar on her dress.
Step-by-step explanation:
The postmaster's wife did not want a flat collar on her dress; instead she wanted a pleated lace.
The passage describes that the postmaster's wife wearing a dress with a pleated lace collar. The use of lace as a decorative element on clothing was common in the fashion during the time period mentioned.
Lace collars were often used to add the elegance and femininity to the dresses.
This question focuses on the description and preference of the postmaster's wife for a pleated lace collar on her dress.