The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-12-17
Miscellany


in every town there is one young maiden
who is the universal tavorite, who belongs to
all sets and is made an exception to all tam
ilv teuds. who is the confidante of all girls
and the adopted sister OF all young men Up 10
the time when they respectively offer them them
selves to her, and again after they are reject ao
ed. This post was .lled in Oldport, In 'no'e
days, by my cousin Kate. IN.
Born into the world with many otner si..s,
this last and least definable Gift OF popularity
was added TO complete them all. NOBODY
criticised ber nobody was Jealous OF her, ner
very rivals lent her their new music anu thelf
lovers and her own discarded wooers always
sonobt her % be a bridesmaid when they
married somebody else.
she was one ct those persons who seem 10
have come into the wor Il well-dressed. There
was an atmosphere of elegance around her.
like a costume every attitude implied a pre-
senc..-charnber or ball room. The girls COM
planned that in private theatricals no combi-
nation OF DISCUSSES could reduce Kate TO fhe
ranks, nor give her the make up" of wait.
ing-Inaid. Yetas her father was New York
merchant OF the precarious or spasmodc de-
scription, she had been used from childhood
to the widest fluctuations of wardrobe "a
year OF Paris tresses,-then another year
spent in making over ancient hnery, tnat
never looked like eitLer fnery or antiquity
when it came from her magic hands. With
out q particle OF vanity or fear, secure IN
health I'D good nature ana invailabie prettl,
ness. she cared little whether the appointed
means ,,t Grace were ancient silk or modern
muslin. In her periods oil poverty, she made
no secret OF the necessary devices; the other
girls, of course, guessed them but her lovers
never did, because she always told them in
advanc". There was one particular tarletan
dress OF hers which was sort or local institu-
ton. 1t was known to all her companio ions,
like the State House. There was report
that she had first worn it at her christening
the report originated with herself. The
Young men knew that she was going to the
party 1t she could turn that pink tarletan
once more; but they bad only the vaguest
impression what tarletan was, and cared
little on ~' ich side it was worn, SO long as
Kate was inside.
During tnese epochs of privation her life in
respect TO dress was a perpetual Christmas
tree OF secondhand gifts. Wealthy aunts sup
piled her with cast-of shoes OF all sizes from
two and halt up to five, and she used them
all. She was reported to have worn one
straw hat through five changes of fashion
Ii was averre6 thai, when square crowns were
In vogue sic fiatteued it over tin par and
that, when round crowns returned, she bent
1t on the bed post. There was such charm
~ uei ""J VI "u"Pt'nS tuose uedsurFs, tuat
the other girls liked to test her with new
plo5ems in the way OF millinery and dress
making; millionaire friends iInpored her 10
trim their hats. and lent her their own THINGS
In order to learn how TO wear them. This
applied especially to certain rich cousins, shy
and studious giris, who adored her, and to
whom society only ceased to he alarming
when the brilliant Kate took them under heI
wing, and graciously accepted a few of ,heil
newest feathers. Well might they acquicsce
ior she stood by them superbly, and her most
favored partners found no way to her hand
SO sure as to dance syster. aticaly through
that staid sister God. Dear, suns1iny, grI-
c,ous, generous Kate!-who has ever done
Justice to the charm given to this grave old
world by The presence OF one free-hearted and
~, Gus girl -"Mdlbone an Otdport Ro-
nance" oy I. w. Ii gginson.