Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-08-13

D~gPARTMRNT.
/" silks and Satins."
RY MRS. PEDsLEF.

liners establishment. Z" really must IN
Iquire the price Of it,"
H.stay, dear" said Mary, /" you know
we have. decided to get strawA and / don't
think it prudent to put ouiSelves in the
way of temptation" ~
But it surely can DO no haEm just to
step in a few minutes and takeNal look at
all the pretty things. Ineednet bify aqyjl
abutiif you do not care about them you can
10 on to Mr.. FordS store, and Twill call
there for you"
The sisters parted, and Laura sasEoon
gaily laughing and chatting with a beyyo
livelygirls, who were engaged in discus-l
: sing the merits Of some splendid articles
which werc spread out before them. In
the midst Of silks, satins and gauzes the
idea Of the "ptafn strdv" began to be
rather distasteful to Laura, and after hav-
ing, at the solicitations of her young friends, {
tried on that love Of a bonnet, it elected
such warm admiration that she decided on
becoming its purchaser. The purchase
was made, when she remembered that her
sbest dress was getting rather shabby, and
though it could be very well worn with a
plain bonnet, yet she could not possibly
wear it with a pink satin hat ornamented
with plumes. So to the milliner's great
satisfaction she selected a handsome silk,
which she requested might be made in the
newest style.
In the meantime Mary had bought a
very pretty straw bonnet, trimmed with a
simple wreath Of white j%essamine, which
gave it quite an appearance of elegance,
and having chosen a delicate lawn dress,
-. IL III Io, gisAoc'S arrival
very well satisfied with her inexpensive
purchases.
The bonnets were sent home during the
day, and even Laura could not help con-
yGsssing that Mary's unpretending bonnet
was tasteful and becoming; but then she
added, as she gave an admiring glance to
her own, lit is only straw."
q believe" said Laura, a few days af-
ter, " that / shall have to borrow a few
dollars Of you until l get my next quarters
allowance. | have not a cent left, and l
hate to ask papa, he is so particular"
al shall be very happy to accommodate
you" replied Mary. "But, dear Laura,
/ wish you would be more careful in your
expenditure. Its a bad plan to antici-
,pate your allowance, even if papa would
DcTlllt IL Dub YOU kuOW hOM hSCluCu ~ II
on that point he told us at first that il
would be quite useless to make such a re
quest, and really l think he is very gener
Gus and as we are always paid in advance
we never need be in debt, which pap'
strictly prohibits"
81 do wonder why you are so misery
Mary, when you always have money b
you. Why would you not afford yoursel
n new silk bonnet and dress like the res
Of the girls? | should like to know wha
you intend doing with your savings"
"Do you remember" replied Mary
d" poor old Mrs. Roberts, whom we bot
pitied 50 much last winter, when she cam
to church those cold days so poorly chd
Well, / detesmined TO buy hers war
shawl and dress before another winter, an
as papa has SO many demands on his purs
for other charitable purposes, | resolved
retrench my own expenses a little an
would you believe it, the difference of co
in our dresses only will enable me to supp
her with those articles, as well as to aid h
in many other ways. The luxury of DOH
good is to rae the greatest of luxuries."
81 am afraid i shall never be half
thoughtful as you are," rejoined .Laur,
"but could you not supply your protei
from your own wardrobe, and then "
need not deprive yourself of anything p
"No," said Mary, Mrs Roberts h
seen better days, and / would not inst
her by Offering her cast-off garments; /
sides, you forget our poor nurses little
phans, dear mamma used to be very kind
them, and now that she is gone | wish
supply her place as much as possible |
sides, | feel as il they had a claim on I
for their poor mothers sake, who nurs
us so kindly during our infancy. So y
see" she added, smiling, "my old wal
robe is disposed of, and l shall be We
glad to receive any contributions fro
yours"
al can hardly understand your ideas
charity" observed Laura, " it was but t
other day that you refused to contribute
the African Missions"
"Beeause," said Mary, "my means
being useful are very limited, and l pre-
selecting objects nearer home, and VIII
appear to have q greater demand on my
s~istance. Not but that l warmly appr
of Foreign Missions-but | should be Q
to sec more Home Missionary Societies
tablished-the poor and ignorant Of our
immediate neighborhood cry aloud for
and instruction-and should they not
ceivei it at our hands 2"
"Well, Mary, you are a good girl
will make an excellent minister's wife 81
day; but as for me, as the song says,
Il love music and dancing,
And chatting with the beaux."
So saying, Laura tripped lightly Fl
the room, leaving her more sober siste
continue her employment of preparing 81
articles Of clothing for a poor woman,
was in great distress through the inten
rate habits Of her husband.
A few mornings after this conversat
the fashionable world of the little, bust
town of Hastings was thrown into a S
Of great excitement, by the announcer
of a grand picnic, to be followed by a d;
in the evening on the lawn at Mr.. Seafol
at whose house his nephew, LieuteI
Hawthorne, with two or three ofhis frie
young naval officers, were staying.
"Ouly think, Mary" said Laura, g.
or four oficers-how delghtfsl | t
our Hastings beaux viii fab a little il
estimation Of the young ladies after tn
/ shall wear my new bonnet and d
they are SO exceedingly becoming"
Laura gave a glance at her really n
II MI A