Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-08-18

that the ladies said.
$50 Miss T would be afraid OF losing
caste, il she wore as old bonnet as her con
sins, would shel" he repeated to himself
sneeringly. "IIow finely her positonin soci
ETY. must be established, il so slight thing az
q straw hat could hurl her from her place =
| When will our women have that noble indie
pendence which should be their birthright 2
and as the voices died away, he lay musne
for some time upon the ole straw bonnet and
| its wearer.
Despite the eloquent way in which Mrs
r reported to her niece the remarks that
had been made upon her old bonnet, Sallie's
pretty face was still seen under it at church
and on the street.
"You foolish child !" the aunt persisted
"what are ten or fifteen dollars TO your father
in his business, when he has thousands of dol.
lars to pay out almost every day?"
| "Very little, / know; but then the consci.
ousness that am trying to Tighten his cares
is great deal to me; and mother says that
the feeling of independence, which we cal
forth by our selfdenial, will be of lasting ben
eft to me-"
"Pshaw You don't know the disadvantage
it may prove to you just aS an age wher
the appearance you make Will have great
influence on your future destiny; it is all-im
portant that you should look as well as pos.
sible; and ,rhat girl can appear well in an old
bonnet ?'
"Mother, Just think of it." exclaimed Julia
r. a few days after, "Sallie fancies she
can go to that party in the white dress that
she has worn, don't know how many times p
. "You don't mean to say that she has not O
new dress for this occasion?' p
| so she says"
$50 told her, myself l wouldn't go into
society in an old dress, if / never went at all
for should not expect to receive the least
attention But let me tell you the funniest
thing you ever heard, ma !" continued the
young lady, laughing immoderately, as if she
had just recalled something excessively ludi
crous. "She thinks she can't even afford
a new pair of gloves for the party and sc
what do you suppose she has done Taker
soap and milk and cleaned the pair she wore
to Mrs. C-'s; / laughed ready to xii
the assurance that they were just as good as
neww
GLOW did they look 2"
81 couldn't see for laughing; and just think
mother. they have dismissed the seamstress
and Sallie is going to do the family-sewing
until times are easier, she saysw
why. is there anything especially wrong
in her fathers affairs p
"Oh, no; only the old story Of, 'he is EN-
barrassed. and wish to do what can y"
1t is said "stone walls have ears :" do moi
know how true it is. but somehow or othel
Mr.. R overheard this conversation q.
distinctly as he had the one about the Ole
bonnet
One word respecting that gentleman
Young ladies said he was about thirty; GER
tain spinsters had affirmed that he was "all o
thirty-fve," while he laughingly owned tC
thirty-three but he was so lively and inter
esting in conversation, that even very young
girls forgot his age.
After the above revelations respecting til,
economy of Miss Curtis toilet, he certainl!
expected her to present shabby appearance
at the party; and he began to dread seeing
her pass through the trying ordeal Of feeling
herself the most illy-dressed person in Tho
room; and enduring the Sights consequent
upon that circumstance, she did not appeal
until quite late, and as he looked around upor
the rich satins and gorgeous silks, in whicl
many of the guests were arrayed, he fount
himself hoping that she might not come a
all.
"There is one young lady here, dressed il
such pure artistic taste can you tell me who
she is ?" inquired friend at his elbow
There, talking to that very tall man with the
| light hair !"
Mr.. b looked and recognized Sallie
But he sought in vain for evidence of hel
dress being old, or unfit to grace o scene like
that. Its snowy folds were a positive relic
to the eye, dazzled by so much splendor, while
her dark hair-which formed so fine con
trast to her alabaster skin and white dress
full at
with few white rose-buds. The effect o
that simple toilet was perfect. but he remem
bered what had been said of the gloves, and
looked eagerly at her hands.
"If they are the same. she was right il
pronouncing them as good as new," he said tC
himself; and so absorbed was he by these
profound reflections, that he almost forgot tC
reply to his friend.
The crisis that business men had appre
hended came, and those whose credit had
stood highest, were the first to fail. Among
them was Mr. Curtis.
$50 it seems that with all your worrying
and economy, you were not able to keep youi
father from failing" said Mrs. r to hel
niece.
mo, aunt, we did not expect TO be able tC
do that"
to enjoy life while you could. Here you have
been denying yourselves all winter to no pur
pose p
but, as mother says. we have the satisfac
tion of feeling that since father has beer
pressed for money, we have not caused hin
one needless expenditure! and she looked
radiantly happy.
"Will you permit me, Miss T., to ash
you direct question 7" inquired Mr. R
of that young lady, as they found themselves
left alone in one Of the parlors.
Certainly" was the gracious reply, "asl
me any question you like, since can use tn.
privilege Of replying to it or not, just as
happen to be in the vein !"
"But hope you will deign to answer thi
one in which am greatly interested-is Mis-
Curtis much depressed at her fathers fail
ure 7"
The question was different from what j uli
had anticipated, but she replied with laugh
Depressed you should see her Were
In herplace, confess that should he plunge
into the depth of woe, at the thought of tn
retrenchments, and the change that must b
made in their style Of living but Sallie is a
light hearted as bird r.
Perhaps she does not realize it yet !"
."Oh, yes she does and she has her plan
al laid ont as clearly as we had to note dow
The various revolutions on our historical chart
at school, and she talks about their movin
into small house. and keeping only one sci
want, as gayly as If she were planning
pleasure trip And that Ia not ALL ghs say