The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-10-02
For the CITIZEN.


81 do wish Mrs. Morgan would send
my dress" impatiently exclaimed Lucy
Manning, seating herself on a low otto
man. "Come here, Lucy, l want to tell
you a story" cheerily spoke her grand
mother, old Mrs. Manning, who was
sitting near the fire quietly knitting.
Lucy's face frightened. She gladly
Obeyed the summons, asking, ado you
think | will get to attend the ball, grand
mar Why do you suppose Mrs. Nor
gan is so late 2'
al have no idea," answered the old
lady; 'perhaps sickness may be the
cause; but you have time enough, it is
only seven"
''when 1 was girl we did not have
so much fixing to do and we always
went early"
"Did you ever attend a ball, grandma p
asked Lucy, looking up in surprise at
the wrinkled brow.
eyes, my child, have attended balls
and enjoyed them as much as you do
now," answered she.
GLOW strange it SEEMS" said Lucy.
'fHow did you dress? do tell me some
thing about the balls of those days"
81 was just going to tell you of a
dress / once had" said Mrs. Manning.
eve did not go into such extravagances
then. But viii tell you about the
dress. a large ball was to be given i'm
the village. All the girls agreed to
wear dresses of their own making.
Each tried to excel the other both in
the texture and beauty of the goods.
For two weeks before the appointed
time, we were busy as bees. The dress
es were to be carded. spun, woven and
then made up. At last all was compile
ted. The long-loOked-for night arrived.
Every girl had on her new dress, and
gay evening we spent, l can assure you.
| never enjoyed a ball more in my life.
Many young men from the city were
present, among the number, Mr.. Man
ming, your grandfather. They learned
the story of our dresses. He admired
miee most. We were mutually pleased,
and the consequence was, the next year
we were married"
GLOW funny" exclaimed Lucy:
"spinning a ball-dress yourself. How
did you make il 2"
at was made perfectly plain, very
tight sleeves aud short skirt. We had
no long trains to trouble us when dam
cling. 1t never took over eight yards to
make dress. Ii You will hand me
that small box on the table, will show
YOU piece OF my dress"
Lucy gave her the box and Mrs. Man
ming taking out a small piece showed it
to Lucy.
This coarse cloth for ball dress ?.
asked she in surprise; Il never saw any
cloth like this before. How did YOU
feel with this on?''
"As well as if / had been dressed in
the finest silk" returned her grand
mother; sand / treasured the old dress
because | knew it obtained for me one
of the best of husbands. But, 90 now,
aud get ready" said she, as servant
brought in Lucy's dress.
"Thank you, dear grandma" said she
kissing the old lady. 81 shall not soon
forget the story of the ball dress"
\ half hour later she came down
! clothed in ethereal white which hung in
rich folds around her slender person.
/ having abandoned the bali dress made
| by Mrs. Morgan. "Do I look well
enough to go TO the ball, grandma -
I asked she.
As she kissed her grandmother good
night she whispered, 'ff my dress viii
! only do for me what yours did for you. -
She went TO the ball, and although
! sensible young men seldom select wives
from bail room, she succeeded by the
/ simplicity and exceeding good taste dis
| played in her dress, in captivating Mr..
( 10. Slimmens, {Elvirais brnther,) one of
the most accomplished and promising
] young men in the land, and she is now
as happy As her good old grand mother
was, in the possession and enjoyment Of
n most exemplary and afiectionate hus-
band, and SAYS il she were TO raise a
! thousand girls, she would teach them
that true souls are seldom attracted by
| gllttering display, and few hearts made
happy by the tinselry Of dress.