The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-10-26

/ your idAatf N0ulu give YOU Il NEW -OIc
ifsyou wished it, said her mother.
/ Lena purchased the new dress, and
! had it made up without regard to ex-
/ pense, and it was exquisite when done
and extremely becoming to the young
| lady, who had been congratnlating
/ herself on the success she was deter
mined TO achieve.
/ BeFtha's dress came from the man.
! tua-maker's hands beautiful as it could
be, and none would ever have sus-
pected il had already been thrice worn
: 1t harmonized admirably with her fair
4 blonde complexion; forming vivid
contrast to Lena's moie brilliant style
of personal attractiveness. and bright
| orange-colored robe. So
The day previous to the ball, Clara
| Ainsley called, sister of Hugh Aims
] ley. who was the fixed, central star,
around which the feminine luminaries
had ambitiously beamed for the past
! two seasons, each fondly hoping to be
the finally favored one.
! But, to the secret chagrin of each,
he still maintained the same quiet
courtliness of manner toward them
all. He seemed quite as indifferent to
their heart affairs, as he would have
been to the pyramids of Egypt. This
| was the gentleman Lena was bending
all her energies to ensnare and bring
to her feet, before the present season
closed. shf
Clara was an intimate friend of both
the girls, and she was invited up
stairs to see the dresses. which had
just been sent home. Their beauty
she warmly eXpatiated on, but Lena
would not allow her to leave until she
had told her of Bertha's wonderful fit
of economy, and laughingly said she
should certainly take her opera glasses
with her to the ball, that she might
descry some interesting, poor, young
gentleman, with whom she knew her
sister must have secret understand
ing, and for whose benefit she was
carrying out this wholesome prudence.
The combined entreaties of all the
trio could not induce Mr.. Gregory to
accompany them to Mrs. Langdon's.
He pleaded headache and fati9 ue.
This was to cover up the real reason.
His business was daily becoming more
entangled, by means of several heavy
failures of parties owing him to a
great extent, and all1he could see be-
fore him was ruin and disgrace, but
he would keep his forebodings to him
self until after the fete was over, when
if he found no means of extricating
himself, he would make a clean breast
of the whole thing to them. ~
Hugh Ainsley was quite attentive
to Miss Lena that night, who looked
very queenly in the gay throng, and
his attentions were received with deep
satisfaction to herself. Nor was the
less interested Bertha, who had laid
no seige to him, overlooked. 40
He inquired at once where her father
was; he had not seen him there. To
her reply that he had resisted all en-
treaty to come, from great fatigue, he
uttered prolonged Ah," and fell
into reverie. .ssd = sg@ebGt
Hugh was thinking of the vague re-
port he had heard on Wall street, that
morning, that the commercial house
of Gregory & Co., was fast tottering
towards bankruptcy. a
The next morning, at an early hour,
Hugh called at Mr.. Gregory's counting
house, and offered him loans to any
amount, to help him through the fl
nancial crisis that was upon him. Mr..
Gregory had done the same deed years
before. for Hugh's father, and he,
(HugD kindly pressed the favor back
upon him, which was accepted with
tears of gratitude IN the eyes of the
panic stricken merchant.
AS Clara and Hugh sat at dinner,
the next day after the ball, discussing
the costumes brought out there, she
related what Lena had told her of
Bertha's streak of economy.
Is that SO Clara ?" he asked. "Was
she as self-sacrifcing as that? But
she looked as sweet as rosebud in
her dress, if it had been worn three
times" Then he told her in conf.
dence, of the state of Mr.. Gregory's
affairs, and the reason which had
probably deferred Bertha from the
outlay for new dress. =" She is
noble girl, Clara, and Pm afraid we
couldn't number many like her among
that gay assembly at Mrs. Langdon's.
Surely, all is not gold that shines.'"
A week after this, the footman at
Gregory's brought up o card to the
parlor for Miss Bertha, and the gen.
tleman is waiting below in the draw
ing ROOM"
Bertha glanced at the card, and saw
"Hugh Ainsley" inscribed thereon9
''Did you say this was for me, John {"
she asked, thinking it must have been
intended for Lena.
4" Y es, ma'am. He said Miss Ber-
tha," replied the servant.
Lena pouted at this she had thought
he had made mistake, and an angry
frown clouded her face as Bertha des-
cended to the drawing room. = -|
'' Was it / you wished to see, Mr..
Ainsley?" she asked, after saluting
him.
" It was you yourself. Why? per-
NIT me to inquire"
II thought it might be one of Johns
blunders, and that sister Lena was the
one desired" said Bertha.
No, Miss Bertha, it was you, with
whom have special business" at the
same time watching the enlargement
of her blue eyes when he said I" busi-
ness"
For several years, Miss Bertha, i
have been searching in the circle of
my acquaintances for noble, true
hearted woman, to ask to become my
wife. I have just been fortunate
enough to find her, and have now
come to ask her if she will bear my
name, and share with me my earthly
lot. Bertha. you are the chosen one,
and my hearts best, purest affection
1 lay at your feet. Will you answer
me yes p"
Give me time to think, please, it
is so sudden" she stammered, cover
ing her face with her hands to conceal
the bushes. -
"You shall have three Whole months
to consider the subject; then l shall
demand an unconditional answer"
said Hugh, drawing the hands from
her face and pressing them to his lips.
In three months Bertha decided to
say "yes," and their engagement was
announced to the gay wcrld. Anoth-
or three months and the gay world
was invited to their public wedding
in church. After much coaxing, Lena
was prevailed upon to be Bertha's
bridesmaid, but it was bitter disap-
pointment to stand in that place, in
stead of next to the groom.
In after years she learned that Ber-,
tha's Old Ball Dress" had turned the
scale in favor of her and won Hugh