St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-09-25
CHAPTER ".
"Trifies make til e sum of life" I"


sue !" said Miss Featherstonaugh, stop
ping to look in at Turner's window, on
our return from q shopping expedition
an hour later the same morning. On
examination, we found it te be of such
delicate texture and exquisite coloring
that Miss Featherstonaugh concluded
to purchase dress for the Sherwood
party. l urged Annie to get one also,
but Miss Featherstonaugh thought it
would not be becoming to her. "Let
me try, ANNIE" said l and gathered
it into folds and threw it over her
shoulder. l thought the effect beauti-
full over her white dress, and appealed
to my cousin.
"What do you think, my cousin ?'
"That anything would be becoming
to Miss Logan"
A bright blush suffused Annie's face
and neck with fine effect, and she look.
ed lovelier than ever in her embarrass-
ment, as she hastily removed the tis.
sue. turned triumphantly to Miss
Featherstonaugh. What a look i
Could it be possible she was still an.
cry? l rubbed my specs and looked
again, but the hateful expression was
gone she was looking at some fine
blonde lace. Itmight have been mere
ly a contraction of the brow caused by
sudden pain, or, l might have been
mistaken, possibly; dim eyes with
spectacles before them are by no
means infallible. After buying anoth-
er dress, and some blonde lace to trim
both, we returned home. Never was
Miss Featherstonaugh more fascina-
ting than during the remaider of that
day: she read to us, played, sang
for us, obliged us in everything in a
word, was all we could desire, and the
hours few by on golden wings"
The next day, in like manner, passed
delightfully."- away until seven o'clock
in the evening, the time fixed for the
dresses to be sent home, and they were
not forthcoming. Halfpast seven
struck, and still no dresses. Then the
girls went up stairs, at my suggestion,
to get themselves in perfect readiness,
SO that they might not be detained
when they did come. Eight struck,
and sat down to dispatch a note to
the mantau-maker, when a loud ring
was heard, and the next minute a
young woman entered the parlor in
great haste with the dresses. #
"Sit down, my good girl, and rest,'
said l. "Jane, go up to the young la
dies and ask them to step down here
and put on their dresses, SO that they
can have the advantage Of the large
mirrors. Tell them my cousin is in his
room writing, and they need not fear
interruption" .5
In a few minutes the girls came
down. To draw off their wrappers
and put on the dresses was the work
of moment; but the hooking was an.
other matter, as / found to my cost
when l tried, and pulled, and tried
again to hook Miss Featherstonaugh's,
but without success. In the, midst OF
my exertions, l was surprised by a
merry, uncomfortable burst Of laugh,
ter from Annie, and, looking round, !
saw her in front of a mirror regarding
her image with q half-vexed, halfamus
ed expression: then catching my eye
she burst out laughing again. Nc
wonder there she stood with sleeves
SO tight she could not move, her arms
hanging out from her side as if they
did not belong to her, and her round
slender waist magnifed by the loose
awkward-looking body almost to the
size of mine, fitting, as Jane said, like
q "shirt to a beanpole."
"Why, Annie !" exclaimed /, forget
ting my own task in my astonishment
and going towards her, "what in the
world g the matter! ]! there must be
some mistake here surely Miss Flinr
could never have made such blundel
as this this body must have beer
made for some one else. Did Miss