Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1861-05-11
n DRAB DRESS
ny HARRIET n. HATHAWAY.

led hand.
"a to ask Of ma sis 7" was the young
mans reply. zone would think from your
serious puzzled countenAnce It was the 6rst
you had ever preferred, and you were about
trying an experiment.
"Hell, here goes then, replied th5 gay
handsome young man, drawing al ottoman
70 his sisters ieet and seating himself upon
II with an elongated countenaus Y, saying
with mock gravity, aYour humble servant
Aud now proceed % business, madam"
'The young girls face assumed an ear
nest expression as she clasped one of her
brothers hands in both her own, and said,
while the color burned up in her cheek;
tFred, it Il this-that you will drink no
more wine. / Eenble whenever Isee you
with the glass at your lips"
"Wel, nov, Lita, child, can you not trust
ne, knowing my entire self-commRnd that 1
have no natural tendency that way andthat
/ only occasionally take q social glass when
in the society Of my friendsr EfcF
al know it. Ered-I know all that but
your influence IL all that l fear. There is
Charlie Chester thinks you q perfect pattern
! Of goodness; and be touched glasses with you
last evening at Mrs. Readon's and you stood
up and drank together 2 my heart ached, not
so much ioEas for him you KNOWN thatl has
not the same command which you have, and
that he loves TO look upon the wine when it
sparkles in the cup"
"Well, well, Liza, perhaps you are right
I never looked atit In thss way before re-
piled Fred, while his countenance wore a
/ ~thoughtful expression. eBut who, in the.
name Of common sense land now the young
man smiled would have expected that my
little fashionable, butterfly sister ever fond.
a moment for such thoughts as these, with
her ribbons roses and lacest Seriously,
Lila, I did not give you credit for being so
much ots woman"
aThaak YOU for your Compliment Fred
but now promise me; I shall not be happy
until yon do. / have no fears Tor your per-
sonal safely In this matter-thOueh I doubt
your moral right to indulge in a social glass,
merely because Mrs. Grundy smiles upon the
eustom-bnt l have fears for Charlie Chester,
seeing with what a relish he drains his glass
to the very dregs. Promise me Fred; ONE
do this, ifyou love me p and Lita Rosa laid
her hand b~eseeehingly on her brothers head.
FWeIs Lita, this is something Of a sacri-
fee to ask OF me. Why, | shall make my
self very conspicuous By refusing q social
4 glass But 1 don't know bat Ill do it if
| you'll make a corresponding sacrifice. IdOn't
teare 70 be inundated upon the altar alone.H
Name il bred andif tits in-my power
4Hll do It willingly, gladly" and Lita,s soft
brown eyes danced With delight.
WELL them sis III promise this thing If
you viii do what I am about to ask yOu. ~
declare, I have scarcely the heart to, you
look so pretty in that blue silk dress, with
its lace trimmings, and your earrings pin
and bracelets OF these tiny pearls but you
must give them up if l comply with your
request ss 70 r. 500
twill, FfsdLWal2' :
"And wear drab dress without orns-
msns2"
ayes, Fred"
Next Thursday night make your frsI
appearance at Mrs. Thurston's. Remember,
you will be subject TO many remarks, and
besides will look very plain by the side O
your shoWily dressed companions
81 promise, Fred, and ask in return tina
you will then and there comply with my
request
"Your hand, sis. And now remember, as
long as you wear drab, and that without or
naments, l will refuse a fashionable glass
But you 90 not know what sacrifice you arr
making. would not be surprised were yOJ
to retrast any day"
"Well, Fred, we shall see. And now
kiss, IS a seal Of our contract" and Lit!
threw her arms around her brothers neck
and covered his forehead, brow and lip
with q shower of kisses, and glided ava
through the hall, up the long polished oaker
stairway to her chamber, and seating hersel
she bowed her head upon the table and eiso
ulated;
"Thank God, Charlie Chester may yet b
savedlp And the tears rained down owe
her fair face, and when she looked up Their
was q subdued, tender light in her eyes neve
] there before.
/. And this was Lita Ross, the pet of th
family-the sparkling, fashionable belle c
the season-the coquette, 30 accounted. Blu
/. there was in her heart 8 leaf as yet unres
; by an eye lave that of her Maker, and on
I was inscribed her love for her childhood
. playmate, Charlie Chester.
"Well, nov, who'd have dream'd it ~
4 FFed exclaimed, as soon IS ne found himse
alone. ~ Thought that | had touched be
dearest idol, and that she could no more den
herself than she could give up her rigf
hand. But she'll do it / saw it in her eyu
Faith, l never was so proud Of her in m
: life l have looked upon her as a mere Oh
of 6 girl; but all at once she stands befoT
me a noble, self-sacri6cing young womsnl-
And she is right about Charlie Chester, fl
now / think about it be is in danger of bein
drawn into the whirlpool Of dissipation
Strange I've not thought OF it before, / use
To fancy they had quite a Partially for eac
other; but they have ~out-grown it reckon.
How we pride ourselves upon our discern
ment, and yet how widely do our conclusion
often times wander from the truth2
Thursday evening came, and Frederic
q Ross sat in the drawing--oom, waiting Il
. appearance Of Lita. There was a light rus
n ling step, and she stood before him, with h
soft brown hair drawn smoothly from IA
brow, and confined plainly at the back of b
head, and amid It's glossy abundance were
= few sprays Of heliatrope; her dress was
). drab silk, with q low coysage and sho
~ sleeves, relieved by a fall Of plain but ri,
white blonde, while her tiny foot with
II dainty satin slipper Of the same shade Of b
dress, lay scOquetishly half hidden in t
rich carpet
"Come, Fred, lam ready she exclaime
uAm l p~resentabie %
II WY Liza lOfe4 mere nc pauseo.
Admiration was written on every feature
= his face, but he adroitly changed the expr'
?, sion, and concluded with-HYes, Lita, pI
: sentable, perhaps; but one would take you
be at least twenty-five instead Of nineieC
5at FAITH / had no idea that it could alter y
n 90 much Come, there's an hour yet r
and put on that nose-cOlored Grape and "a
the fsstenings from your hair and let il (
. in curls about your shoulders. hate to
you, my little sis, looking so prim. Their
y an hour yet, and Bell win assist you. Do
3 now, to please me- there's a good girl"
Lita,s cheeks burned crimson and her e,
filed with tears. To think that Fred,
4, own brother, should tell her that she looE
ei stwenty. five and ''primn at that W
/ would Charlie Chester think Of herr 70
- an.rA.linn Ann nlrnnn uron 1