Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1843-08-04
THE WHITE DRESS; OR VILLAGE
ARLSTOCRACY.

Ten chlmneys smoke perfumes the ar,
..t Contiguous TO steeple;
u. Great gentleiolks are found score,
Who can associate no more,
With common country people,
In the good village of Carbury there
were about dozen families, who constitu-
ted the elite Of the place-the dristocraey
in the English and American acceptatlon of
the term not using the word in the Greek
Specification of the words which it is com
pounded. First, in the course of time, an
accident there was in the family of the Gov
ernor ofthe State In this family the aris-
tocratic claim remained entirely; as for
himself, he was good plain farmer--could
"crack joke with the jovial Second,
there was his brother, the richest and best
man in the town. The Governors brother,
whom for the sake Of name, we shall call
Col. Trott, loved joke as well as the Gov
ernor himself; and this characteristic seemed
an hereditary trait in the family, and de-
scended undiminished in activity to his only
son.
These families were the arstocracy, for
they were the best 4; the remainder of the
class were good, but no better than their
neighbors. Undoubtedly they were richer
than the common people, for they expended
more. There were the minister, the doctor,
two lawyers and three or four farmers in
cluded in the clique.
Included with, and of, these families,
there we're about half dozen young ladies,
who we're the fashion. Their noses proba-
bly, were counted by one Of the merchants
in one of his spring purchases, as he brought
home, Just siz white dress patterns, of a new
. 4 c,.b
The next day, after the new goods were
opened" they we're exhibited to the three
Misses Crawsou; three very pretty and anna
BILE girls; only little foolish for an Amer
Nican farmers daughters about fashion, style
and erciusiueism. q did not find that word
an Webster, but manufactured it for the oc-
cason.) The new patterns were examined,
admired, and secured One left her sister
TO conclude the purchase, while she went to
call in two more, to secure the "only thing Of
the kind" The ladies came. admired, and
purchased. Only one more pattern remained,
and one more young lady to be supplied
Her parents resided near a mile and half
from the village, and it was not convenient
to call upon her that afternoon. But she
must have the dress, and ''then the quality"
would be supplied. ,n.a ts ta4Hl
Don't sell the other to any common girl"
said the eldest Miss Crawson to the clerk,
who CHANGED to to be the son of Col Trott.
Tomorrow we will 90 down after Mary
Gleason to come and buy it," And the la
dies retired, delighted with their purchases.
ANY common girl p calculated Benjamin.
"No, | will not sell it to any common grip
and it was placed aside as sold.
r. r.. IL
in and the independent clerk signiied his
wish that Col. Hadock would look to the
store himself, and went out.
His first cali was upon the only fashiona-
bic dress maker in the village. The pur-
port of this visit, probably, will be conjec-
tured by his subsequent movement. He re-
turned to the store, and taking the only re-
naming pattern of the white dresses, he was
soon seen entering the house Of Aunt Ruth
the only negro habitation within some miles.
And Aunt Ruth and three neat, tidy daugh-
tiers constituted the family Aunt Ruth
was an orderly, active and neat negro-a
widow and the nurse of all the babies round
about Her three daughters were the best
half in the county; and the second one,
namesake of her own, was beauty Of color.
Ruth Mingo was the most genteel and ele-
gantly formed female in the county, of any
color and withal good virtuous girl.
The next day Miss Gleason called, in
company with Miss Crawson, but Mr.. Trott
was absent, and the dress was not to be
found. Every nook, shelf, corner and draw
er was examined, but to no purpose, and Mr.,
Trott had gone to GreenyilIe. The week
passed, and the ladies' could not find Mr..
Troit, and Col Hadlock could not find the
pattern. iao8e g IN .a8tl 1u III -tgatei 4f.af
Sunday arrived-the five dresses had been
made, and the non-professor and FIVE pref
tier girls, and more fashionable white dres-
SEES did not enter, the church that morning
than the three Misses Crawson, Esq. Aliens
sister and Julia Trott, and their new white
dresses. In good season, but later than usu-
al aud after most Of the congregation were
seated Aunt Ruth and her three daugh-
tiers entered the church, but, contrary to
their usual custom, Ruth did not enter
the side door with her mother and sisters,
but passed up the broad aisle, and crossed
over by the pulpit to the corner pew.
The indignation of those interested, and
the amusements of the less fashionable part
of the congregation may be imagined, as
Ruth Mingo paraded with demure step to
her seat, dressed in white gown, of the ex-
act pattern, quality, and fashion Of the five
fashionable young ladies' who had passed
up the aisle, few minutes before.
Mr.. Trott defended himself from inten-
tiOnal righteousness by alleging that, in
the first place, he did not promise not to
give the pattern away, secondly, that 'ohite
girls were common girls in Clairbury, and
black girls were ncOmmOn.--LoOeH Offer
ing