Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1846-12-16
THE BROWN SILK DRESS.
BY MRS. PHILLIPS .


plenty of them, considering the changes in
iashlon-but a brown silk TO be married
in who ever heard of such fancy in a
girl of eighteen!"
CTS true, aunt, that my choice may
seem somewhat sombre, but yoa know very
well that am about TO become the wife Of
a poor mechanic, who depends ON his daily
labor for support. As the wife Of such a
man, | must necessarily limit my expendi-
lures to my circumstances, and | have
thought it better 10 purchase something
which would be useful for some time to
come. than to consult my appearance as
splendid bride for one short evening-es
pecially as am to see no strangers.o
"Thereis something in that. There is
my Maria's wedding dress. She will never
wear 1t again in the world. She had a
white satin, with a lace dress over il. Oh!
she did look beautiful | do admire to see
a handsome bride'
Yes, it is very we'll for those who can
afford IT. But ii would be quite absurd for
me 10 purchase All expensive dress for
one, or even for q few evenings; when by
the expenditure Of half the money, can
procure that which will be serviceable for
some years. But come, put on your bon
net, and step over to our new house. 1t
is all furnished; value il more h ghly than
should il 1t was not SO near my mothers"
"There, William has left this small
parlor, this sitting room; and three cham
bers, TO finish, at his leisure, when he is
out of employment. See how every thing
is arranged. So handy for my work"
"Iou don't say you are going TO do
your own work."
Certainly do. There is only one
apprentice, and should think it strange
if | could not do it all with ease.''
"My heart, what strange fances you
have! To be sure, il is we'll enough if
you can bring your mind 10 it, but folks do
so differently now days. There is my
Maria, she has moved into an elegant
house: all furnished from top to bottom
She keeps a great girl to do the work, and
a little one to wait and tend. Oh, things
do 60 on beautifully, promise you -
Her husband is young lawyer, is he
not--is he wealthy u
'.Oh! he is very we'll of. He does not
get much practice yet, but | dare say he
will in time. He has a thousand dollars at
interest; besides, Maria never would have
married mechanic their hands get so
hard and black, and their compilations, es.
pecially if they are exposed, gel so brown.
| would not wish TO hurt your feelings, but
| do think that for prde's sake, for the sake
of the family, you might have made diff
ferent choice"
"Oh, aunt, excuse my laughing-I have
yet to learn that mans honest occupation,
whether it produces hard hands or white
soft hands, whether it gives the cheek a
brown or pale iue, is any dsparagemen;
to him. You must get acquainted with
William, and hear him converse. You
will not think of his hard hands, and his
animated intelligent countenance will dive
his hronZed SIX quite out Of your head
But come, you don't say any thing about
my furniture-and you must see my nice
Closets"
"Oh! your furniture is we'll enough -
The less you have, the less you will have
to take care of, you know"
Yes, we could not get much furniture.
insisted upon w iliam taking the money
which my grandfather left me, 70 pay off, a
few hundred dollars which he owed for
this place, in order to enable US to begin
even in the world. We both have such a
horror for debt, that we are determined
never to incur any, if we can possibly help
it, See what nice press fer bed-clothes
this is"
"Why, what quantity Of bed ard table
]
linen!-it is really nice, too. You have
more than my Maria has, declare"
"Yes--I always want an abundance Of
such things. This drawer is filled with
towels-this is for my ironing sheet and
blanket-and this closet contains my tin and
wooden ware.''
al declare. Eliza, you are a strange
thoughtful child! must tell you one
thing about Maria, that made us have a
good hearty laugh. The Monday morning
after she was married the girl came TO ask
where the tubs were, and don't you think
the child had actually forgotten TO buy tub
a clothes line, or pins She said it never
popped into her head. But, Ia it wash
Is.range-she had never been used 10 dc
any thing of the kind"
81 believe, aunt, have shown you al
now. We will go, if you please. | hope
YOU will not let my brown dress or Viii
lam's brown hands frighten you away
this evening"
ooh no! But as must take the stagt
for Maria's early in the morning, yol
must allow me 10 retire early"
"What fellows these Yankees are fo
combining elegance and usefulness" sait
, Southern gentleman TO himself as HI
STOOD on the pizza Of the Hotel in towr
of -. "Sir," said he, addressing him
, self to venerable looking man near him
scan you tell me who resides in that ele
CANT cottage, where the grounds are lai'
5 out with so much tasteF'
l "Oh! tina; is Squire Bill Thorndike's
J You must be stranger in these parts, no
: to know him.
$ 81 am, sir: and since he seems such
prominent member of society, | should b.
HAPPY to know something OF his history.
"Oh! there is nothing remarkable in II
nothing a, all, sir. His father was MAJ
: OF great leaning, but he nearly run thro
fortune in tying 10 live in style. III
died, and left three boys. Their mother
who went from this place. was woman o
strong sense. She sold the property, pai'