Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1869-11-18
miscellaneous.


BY MARY \. DENNlSuN.
Nellie Elossom-a pretty name is it not ?
sat in her dressing room laughing as
]lnrd ns she could laugh. What it could
te for ana sure nobody could tell, for she
WAS alone. neither reading, nor singing,
rr tnlkin. to herself. She had been occu-
pied III rombins her beautiful hair, and
this WIS the situation in which she sat.
A brush in one hand great mass Of silk
euris III tho other, her head thrown back,
her voice ringing out in q succession of
good hearty cha has.
What is the matter, Nellie Z" asked her
mother, standing smiling at the door.
80, l WAS thinking of something SO
funny, cried Nell, springins to her feet
aud plying the brush; never mind, moth
cr,. I've got plan in my head, and if
decide upon putting it into execution I'll
At breakfast pretty Nellie was all smiles.
Shall you 50 out shopping to-day ??
asked her mother, CHANGING casually TO-
wards her daughter.
. On this, Nelly began to laugh again; then
eye, she answered, Il haven't quite made
up my mind -pcrlaps ] may"
''Ah contriving already how to make
way with that fifty dollars Uncle Joe sent
you yesterday Well, Nell, make good use
If it,: there's many poor man would feel
like apfince these: bard times with fifty
dollars in his hand"
IN try to, sir, replied Nelly, her laugh
ing eyes growing moro quiet in their ex-
lrossloD. ;
Who dils YOU see last'nights Nelly p
asked Mrs, Blossom, lounging over hef ten
aitvr the patertumlias had gone out.
"Il,ury Lloyd and Charles Sheldon, as
usr1al;'' replied Nelly, archly.
'ssWere they both attentive?" :.
AS two shadows, replied Amy TsHenry
never looked more noble in his ife.'
.'IIast time it was Charles" said Mrs.
blossom.
Nelly blushed. II know" she said; II
find it difficult to choose between them, I
confess.
Henry is the handsomest and the rich
st OF the tirnl,' said her mother, looking
ont, as mothers will do, for the main
, cit.nce. 49,:
Il don't know about Henry being the
landsomest,' replied Nelly ; "there is
something very superior about Charles
s,heldon's face, but he is so very retiring
one has to give him SO much margin 10
be sure, Henry is more dashing, might be
called more elegant, and has certainly a
more brilliant eye and color. Perhaps he
dresses in rather better taste; but although
lie pleases me more in company, there is
something in Charles .Sheldon's quiet way
and deep eye TINT sometimes seeuas more
attractive"
Both appear to have sterling qualities, P"
said Mrs. Blossom.
eyes, theyappear to have; but I'm going
to test them today"
'.What do you mean, Nelly 2"
SO. that's what was laughing at up
stairs, this morning." replied Nelly, in q
merry way. "You see, I've such a capital
plan! and I'm the very one to carry it out,
think. l shall spend my fifty dollars on
poor Mills family"
''What wild freak now?:' asked the ma
tirer Blossom Of the two, looking wonder
lnyly at her daughter. Dear easy little
woman, Nelly. bad not much. to fear from
any intanerence' on her part. Il IL well
that the young girl naturally possessed
much discretion, good sense and good judy
laent, for her mother had never imposed
any restraint upon her inclinations, way
ward or otherwise.
don't you think Agnes rather pretty
looking girl, mother 2"
What, little Agnes, my dressing-maid? ?"
replied her mother
''Not so very little; about my size, be-
lirve," said Nelly.
"Well, what Of her? I am all atten-
ton =. - go
"Why, you haven't answered my question
whether you thought she was pretty" said
Nelly.
go, yes! pretty, rather" was the reply.
''Well, I'm going to dress her up splen-
"'. .SSelly r.
= II am, truly, in the new bonnet I order
ed yesterday, and my best hounced silk.
I'm just going to load her with chains,
rings, bracelets, and everything handsome
and then I'm going shopping with her."
Nonsense p calculated the elder Bios
som; "Neily, you're crazy"
nowhere near it, said Nelly, laughing
again; I'm going to have real fun, you
"But what object have you in this quite
foolish scheme:" asked her mother.
go! you'll see," replied Nelly. 'Tm go.
ing now, and when Agnes is dressed, I'll
come down. and exhibit her"
Agnes was pretty and smart also. She
WAS very ignorant, but having been dress.
ing maid in several good families, she had
picked up little smattering OF useful in
formation. As for the rest, she was full as
handsome, and nearly as graceful, when she
chose to be, IS many IL lady Of fashion.
She entered into the scheme with spirit.
"You are not to buy anything, you
know, " said Nelly, az she turned waiting.
maid, claspcd on the bracelets and aided in
dressing, 'but ask for such and such silks,
speak in an ordering, commanding way,
you know, and manage somehow to show
your money. O! / il we it, carry it in this
purse; the gold will shine through the
l.rsil' $ beautifully.
AMI what shall you, year, asked Agnes,
surveying herself iii a'long mirror, with a
pleasant face.
81: o, plain drab mcrino, with closed
sleeves and linen cuff: malnma's every
day straw bonnet with tie flowers taken
".t, common Lislc Gloves and look just az
plain ~ q pipe stem.
SO, dear, dear" cri"l tho girl, laugh.
ing; 'why, people Won't know you"
81 don't mean they SHALL" said Nelly,
,lenurely proceeding to dress her hair low
upon her forehead, and otherwise alter he1
appearance SO that her mother would hard
j. have recognized her. Throwing on al
i..,t Il deep brown veil to Shade her face,
BIlo was ready. Agnes lad received hcl
hifccllouS 10 keep near AN1iiJ, DOtn Ill Lnt
street and in the store. 1T was not q lone
walk to Lloyd, Sheldon K Co. s: There
were tl,rco Young men; tho firm was new
and the partners took an active part in the
,,ulesrOuln, thus overseeing their business
and cconomizing somewhat.
Agnes acted the great lady to perfection
Silo shook ont her silks, tossed her head {
little, as if with tho feeling that everything
about her was entirely beneath her notice
vt she could condcscc1ia perhaps to bu,
omctIliug, and sailing along the store, he
Misunderstanding companion behind her, sh'
paused Il place whore four clerks stoot
"ith t:4' il cisl; hands I'LL ranged along to
gcthcr, ready to jump over the counter,
need be, to execute the lady's commands.
Nelly stood 1uiotly back, her. face shaded
Ivy the brown VOL. She saw lloyd immc
diItrly leave q plain-Iooking customer t.
the civllitics of Shclann, who was near hin
and making It sign to the clerks, he was lef
alone with the new customer.
81 want to see some mOirc antique" sait
Agnes, with air Of one who has plcuv n