Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-11-04
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you don't mean to say that she has not e
a new dress for this occasion ~ a
$50 she says" /"
"Well, thenshe had better stay at home, a
that's all I" f
$50 | told her, myself. I wouldn't 90
into society in an old dress, if / never wenta
at all, for, / shonld not expect to receive
the least attention But let me tell ycuIt
hefphniest thing yon ever heard, Mari
eaptn "a the Young lady, laughing iInmcde I
era IS if She had just recalled some-
thine excessively ludiefons. she thinks
she canteren afford a new pair Of gloves !
for the party, and 50 what do you suppose
she has ddhef Taken soap and milk and
cleaned the pair she wore to Mrs. C@s.
/ laughed ready to kill myself, when she
showed them to me with the assur-
ance that hey were iust as good As newr ~
"HoV did they look r
q conidnlt see for laughing and Just
think mother, they have dismissed the
seamstress and Sallie IS going to do the
family-sewings until times are easier she
says r
why Is there anything respectfully wrong
in her fathers affairs
@Oh, no; only the old story Of, he IS
embarrassed, and | wishto do what IcanH !"
It said sstone walls have ears;p / do
not know how true it is, but somehow or
other, MHsR overheard this connersa-
ton. ~ dstinctIy as he had the one about
the Oh BnhcM
One word I'd pecting that gentleman
Young ladies said he was about thirty
certain spinsters had affirmed that he was
"all of thirty-6ve," while he laughingly
owned to thirty-three but he was so live
:" ly and interesting in conversation, that even
very young girls forgot his age.
After the above revelations respecting
the economy of Miss Curtis toilet, he GER
tainly expected her to present a shabby APP
pearance at the party; and he began to
dread seeing her pass through the trying
ordeal of feeling herself the most illy-dress-
ed person in the room and enduring the
Sights consequent upon that circumstance.
She did not appear until quite late, and as
he looked around upon the rich satins and
gorgeous silks, in which many of the guests
were arrayed, he found himself hoping that
she might not come at all.
"There is one young lady here, dressed
in such pure artistic taste, can you tell me
who she is 2" inquired a friend at his elbow
"There, talking to that very tall man will
the light hair"
Mr.. R looked, and recognized Sallie
/, But he sought in vain for evidence of he
dress being old, or unfit to grace a seen,
!, like that. Its snowy folds were a positiv
: relief to the eye, dazzled by SO much splen
dor, while her dark hair-which formed s
e fine a contrast to her alabaster skin an
/. white dress-was most tastefully arranged
and ornamented with a few white rose
I, buds. The effect of that simple toilet Wa
: perfect, but he remembered what had bee
said Of the gloves and looked eagerly at he
y hands.
IF they are the same, she was right i
/" ~pronouncing them as good as new" he sal
/ to himself; and so absorbed was he b
! these profound reflections that he almo
forgot to reply to his friend.
! The crisis that business men had Apr,
j hended came, and those whose credit ha
: them was Mr.. Curtis.
= $50 it seems that with all your worryil
Il and economy, you were not able to ke
n your father from falling !" said Mrs. t
to her niece.
II mo, aunt, we did not expect to be al
&c to do that"
"Then your wisest course would ha
been to enjoy life while you could. He
: you have been denying yourselves all W
ii ter to no purpose"
10 "But, as mother says, we have the S
~ i%sfaction of feeling that since father
been pressed for money, we have not ca
7 ed him one needless expenditure ~ and
'or looked radiantly happy.
"Will you permit me, Miss T,
ask you a direct question? q inquired
nd R, of that young lady, as they fpr
,or themselves left alone in one of the parl'
,Iv Certainly" was the gracious reply, :
70 me any question you like, since can
ire the privilege of replying to it or not,
as ] happen to be in the vein"
"But l hope you will deign to ans
this one in which l am greatly intere:
In is Miss Curtis much depressed at
= fathers failure 2"
AZ The question was different from v
inc Julia had anticipated, but she replied
e a laugh
,ovo depressed! you should see her! Y
how | in her place, / confess that | should
and plunged into the depths of woe, at
,arai thought of the retrenchments, and
change that must be made in their sty
~ living but Sallie is as light=hearted
tho birdw
perhaps she does not realize it yet
so;d "Oh, yes she does; and she has her pla
3 L. laid out as clearly as we had to note {
- - the various revolutions on our histc
= - charts at school, and she talks about
~ moving into a small house, and kec
Il 90 only one servant, as gayly as if she
brrI planning a pleasure trip And that
~ all, she says she has been reviewing
I'LL studies with the view of teaching, so
+Lo they can thus continue her little sist
some the expensive schools they are after
nj - Just think of her stopping to becol
teacher, isn't it absurd %
, Mr. Il confess, | should prefer seeing h
marLs cupy a different position" said Mr.. r
onnet with emphasis.
As long as her father lives he on,
be able to support. her, and l told he
s;stod if l were in her place, l would reserv
vonr degradation for some greater emery
tbor- but she said she would rather prepar
leolf hy har 0uyn ovor4,ors Co. or-