The Port Gibson herald, and correspondent. (Port Gibson, Claiborne Co., Miss.) 1848-18??, 1850-02-22
The Brown SILK Dress.
BY MRS. PHILIPS.

WeuulbS dress! our other dresses are
IN very good style, and you have plenty
OF them, considering the changs in fashion
but brown silk 10 be married in! Who
ever heard Of such fancy in a girl of eigh-
teen!"
"'Iis true, aunt, that my choice may
seem somewhat sombrc, but you 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
man, must necessarily limit my expen-
dtures to my circumstances, and | have
thought 1t better to purchase something
which would be useful for some time to
come' than to consult my appearance as a
splendid bride for one short cvening-es-
peclally as | am to see no Strangers
"There is something in that. There is
my Maria's wedding dress. She will never
wear it again in the world. She had a
white satin, with lace dress over it. Oh!
she did look beautifully! / do admire to
see a handsome bride.''
Eyes, it is very well for those who can
afford it. But il would be quite absurd
for me to purchase an expensive dress for
one, or even for few evenings, when, by
| the expenditure of half the money, I can
procure that which will be serviceabie for
some years.-But come, put on your bon
net and step over to our new house. 1t is
all furnished, at least all that is finished;
| value it more highly than should if it
were not so near my mothers"
''There, William has left this small par
lor, this sitting-room, and three chambers,
to finish al his leisure, when he is out of
employment. See how every thing is ar
ranged. SO handy for my work."
"You don't say you are going to do your
own work?'
'.Ceatainly, | do. There is only one
apprentice, and should think it strange
if | could not do it all with ease
"My heart, what strange fancies YOU
have! To be sure it is we'll enough, if
you can bring your mind to it; but then
folks do 50 differently now a-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
little one to wait and tend. Oh things
do go on beautifully, | promise you!''
"Her husband is young lawyer, is he
moi! Is he wealthy?''
"Oh, he is very we'll off. He does not
get much practice yet, but dare say he
will in time He has a thousand dollars at
interest; besides. Maria would not have
married mechanic-their hands get so
hard and black, and their compilations, es-
pecially if they are exposed, get SO brown.
would not wish to hurt your feelings, but
| do think that for pride sake, for the sake
Of the family, you might have made little
different choice"
"Oh, aunt, excuse my language-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 hue, IS any disparagement
to him. You must get acquainted with
William, and hear him converse. You
will not think of hard hands, and his an
imated, intelligent countenance will drive
his bronzed skin quite out of your head.
But aunt, 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 William taking the money
which my grandfather left me. to pay off
a few hundred dollars which he owed for
this place, in order to enable us to begin
in the world. We both have such horror
of debt, that we are determined never to
incur any if we can possibly hel it. See
what nice press for the bed clothes this is
"Why, what quantity Of bed and table
linen! it is really nice, too. You have
more than my Maria has, declare
"Yes, always want an abundance of
such things. The drawer IS filled with
towels-this is for my ironing sheet and
blanket-and this closet contains my tin
and wooden ware"
81 declare, Eliza, you are 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 e, and don't you think that
child had actually forgotten to buy tub, a
clothes-line, or pins! She said it never
popped into her head. But. la! it WASN'T
strange-she had never been used to do
any thing of the kind
Il believe. aunt, | have shown you all
now. We will 60, if you please. | hope
you will not let my brown dress or Will
liam's brown hands frighten you away this
evening"
"Oh, no! But as must take the stage
for Maria's early in the morning you mus:
allow me to retire early"
"What fellows these Yankees are for
combining elegance and usefulness" said |
Southern gentleman to himself, as he sat
on the piazza of the Hotel in the town of
-. "Sir," said he, addressing himself to
venerable looking man near him, 'can
you tell me who resides in that elegant
cottage, where the grounds are laid ous with
such taste!'
'.Oh, that is Squire Bill !Thorndike's.
You must be stranger in these parts, not
to know him.
81 am, sir; and since he seems such
prominent member of society, should be
happy to know something of his history"
-.n Al. Al -