Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1869-09-15
The New Black Silk.

Must, my dear ?" answered Mr. Mills
You speak as if urged by necessity or strnoc
sense Of duty,--which is it -duty2"
Always ridiculing my religion" snapped
Mrs Mills.
Because | don't sec the religion" wa.
the firm answer. Nobody admres true
religion more than DO, but you know, Mary
| hate shams. You've Joined the church, but
| don't see that you are at all different from
the gayest people out of it."
" am thankful that you are not my judge,
proudly retorted the wife
But | am By their fruits ye shall know
them. Men do not gather grapes from
thorns, nor figs from thistles. have a right
to Judge by the fruits.
Well, please don't say any more about il
now, but give me the money for the dress
| want it this morning
How much do you want2'
Eighty dollars"
For one dress ?"
Yes, for one dress"
1t seems to me that you have dresses
enough, without buying any more just now
| want all my money in my business. BE
sides don't see how you can have the con
science to spend eighty dollars for a singl,
dress, when thick around you are people who
can't get clothes to make them comfortable
| ask you if it is Christian-like to spend 81
much money on yourself and so little on 9th
ers ?"
Now, please don't say any more, james
only let me have the money for my dress"
The husband counted it out-eighty dol
lars. " Will that be enough ?" he asked il
a sarcastic tone as he handed it to his wife.
think So"
"And you couldn't possibly spare one dol
lar Of it to buy some stockings for poo
child, not even if its feet were freezng2 |
wouldn't be right Would it2 You mus
have new dress, and an eighty dollar one
too And you couldn't give dollar to senC
to the perishing heather. 1t wouldn't b,
your duty
How you do talk, James"
We'll, | must and suppose it is my poo
privilege, if not my duty. But good morn
lug now It's time to go down town to work.
Mrs Mills arrayed herself in snowy anC
expensive garments, and went to buy the de
sired dress.
1t was bought, sent home, and the parce
containing it eagerly opened. What GLOW
on Mrs. Mills iecel What sparkle in he
eyes
" Isn't it beautiful ?" she exclaimed, will
such admiration as the angels might have a
the birth Of a new virtue in the sin strickeI
soul. Had she any idea of the value Of vir
tue Had she any love for the souls of her
felow-men--this lover Of dress
Mrs. Mills had her new silk. Aud now i
must be made She employed poor, deli
cate young dressmaker to make it in he
house. 1t was Friday morning when tn,
poor girl wcnt--a dark and stormy morning
and the way was long. The poor thing haC
had some trouble about getting her breakfast
and it had made her late she was all o
twenty minutes behind time. Mrs. Mills
face was very cloudy, spite Of the light thai
shone up to it from her new and lustrou
dress.
You are very late" was her sautation t,
the dressmaker did the storm delay you p
The young girl colored. She did not car,
to tell the real cause of her delay and an
swered
Perhaps that hindered me little. Bu
| can stay after six and make up time"
Do you suppose we can get this dress
done to-day ?" questioned Mrs Mills, by way
Of driving.
1t will depend somewhat on my getting
good ft.n
1t must be done, said Mrs Mills, fol
| must have it to wear on Sunday"
After a while Mrs. Mills went to her din
| ing-room for a lunch, dainty lunch that tn,
cook provided for her daily. She ordered
none for her dress-maker; she could wait ill
dinner-time, Mrs Mills said to the servant
" She has no doubt been used to waiting,
Mrs. Mills seemed to have no idea that the
command, " Do unto others as ye would that
they should do unto you" was spoken to her
| How many are there who do
| Does any one say that the lunch was it,
| tie thing, not worth mentioning2 1t might
have been, and it might not. No one know.
what is little to another. Dr. johnson says
" Nothing is little to him who feels it with
great senslbiity"
AT last it was ended, the ten long hours
the lateness of the morning all made up anC
/ Mrs. Mills saw that the poor, tired girl wa,
expecting soon to go. Couldn't she get lit
tie more out of her A" Is the trimming all
basted on r. she asked. You haven't basted
in the ;ecSfsa sa have so Eop suJw cqae hlo RI
sleeves are in right or wrong, unless you put
them in, You said when you came that you
could stay awhile tonight didn't you2"
Yes was the low answer. The cir
could stay, but she knew that she was wanted
at home, that every minute now would her
old mother count as two, while she waited iol
her. But she said nothing only worked as
fast as her aching shoulders and side would
let her.
rm so tired" groaned Mrs. Mills. 81
spose you're so used to dress-making day at
ter day that you don't mind it, but it hall
kills me-
Talk of any one getting used to pain and
grinding labor SO as not to mind One must
have ceased TO be human who could be iadit.
terent to the dressmaker's lot. More than
an hour longer did the young girl stay for
Mrs. Mills, until the selfish woman had end
ed her demand and asked her what was her
usual wages, When it was named, she count
ed il out grudgingly, the pay for ten hours,
not eleven, which the poor thing had worked.
She would not shorten her toll by twenty
minutes for the girls sake, but she lengthen-
ed it an hour for her own she would not
give twenty minutes, but she took one hour
an hour which the girl needed sadly for her
own work, for her duties to her mother, aud
more than these for rest. Still more she
needed all she earned in that hour of toll
but she said nothing, took what was before
her without word, and putting on her old
hat and shawl, hurried home through the dark
aud rain wondering why some are born to
ease and Incidence while others live only by
the severest hardships.
Mr.. Mills met her in the entry AS she went
out.
How mauy hours does that girl work in
N dav ~ he said IN hia wifa