Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1868-07-31

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Clara hesitated. She had always desired
a silk dress. She had been thinking all the
morning of the ridicule of her schoolmates.
Should she accept this offered kindness?
Or would it be better to wear her own
clothes and appear as she really was?
She did not hesitate long; but putting
her arms around Miss Peasants neck
kissed her with trembling lips, then said
in quiet, firm way:
"Thank you, thank you thousand times.
1t does not seem best. My father would
not approve it, nor do I. If you love me
that is enough"
Miss Pleasant patted Clara's cheek gent
ly, murmuring:
"You are right, Clara, and you are hand
somer in your calico than the richest of
them all in their silks and finery.
Nothing more was said. The two girls
went down to the assembly room when the
bell rang, and found the people standing in
groups, waiting the appearance of the as
sistant teacher to lead them to church.
"Look will you? ?" whispered Miss Gay
to the miss next to her, "If that girl isn't
going to church in that old Calico"
Miss Pleasant frowned but Clara smiled.
She had conquered her pride that morning
on her knees, she had resolved not to be
made unhappy by what she could not help.
The assistant entered the same room with
n rustle. and n trail befttinp her station.
She looked tbe voung ladies over with n
sweeping glance, and peremptorily order
oil NJ;ss clara Clinton 10 bor roor,
Miss Pleasant wbisnered n word in that
ladv's ear. Miss Clara wos recalled and
the nrocession fell into limo II wos ,,orv
vexatious that all the gentlemen these
vounp ladies passed seemed to look only at
tbe calico dress. IT was so very odd To 600
n Young lady going TO church in print
From the dress they looked into the face /;
such n pretty face MS IL was too-so brioht
all thinking of the oddity of the attire. and
wondering who the young lady could be.
1t was not long before Clara became
known as the young lady in calico. Old
Mr.. Vennet, the wealthiest and most influ
ential gentleman of the town, having had
his attention directed to her peculiar dress,
made the discovery that her father had
been dear and intimate friend in college.
He was self made himself, and he and
Judge Clinton had walked hand to glove
in the thorny ways of poverty.
Mr.. Vennet, at the first opportunity, sent
a carriage, to bring Miss Clara to dine with
his family, and told her many stories of
which Judge Clinton was the hero, and
was evidently very proud of his pretty
daughter.
Afterward, he from this time sent bou-
quets from his rare exotics, and such
abundance of fruit, besides taking her to
ride occasionally with his family that the
most exclusive young ladies of the insti-
tute were almost in state of envy. Final
ly, as if to drive the young ladies to dis
traction, the Vennets gave party, to which
the most influential and wealthiest famil-
les of the county were alone invited
Even the principal of the institute was
overlooked.
To this reception Miss Clara was borne
IN her calico dress by liveried servants.
Old Mr.. Lingard was so proud of her
pluck, and so delighted that she did not
appear in tulle and silks, that he devoted
himself to her much of the evening, in
PRODUCING her to his friends with many
flattering expressions of admiration. She
was finally taken to supper by young Mr.
Vennet, who evidently thought more of
her cheerful, sensible conversation, than of
all the satins, laces, pearls and diamonds
in the drawing-rooms.
AS might be expected, Miss Clinton,
from that evening, was quite a belle. No
one could slight young lady to whom the
Vennets had been so attentive. Besides
there was something quite novel in having
a beautiful young creature from the coun-
try, who had a rich father, and wore calico
because she was not poor! The young la
dies petted her, because they had nothinp
to be jealous of; the old ladies patronized
her as an example for their daughters tho
young men respected her for pretty ways,
independ ence of character and ready wit 4;
and the old men put their thumbs into the
arms of their vests, and grayely announc-
ed that "she was quite an original and ox-
emplary young lady, and they wished
there were more like her." Indeed, the
only trouble was, that Judge Clinton's
calico dresses didn't prove his daughters
ruin.
The long school session was to close with
public examination, upon which occa-
sion all the young ladies were required to