Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1874-08-07
5AisceIlanu.
A Girls Sacrifice.

The bland sunshine of the early spring
was streaming into the lozenge-shaped
panes of the Rectory easements, where
ida Lynn's geraniums and ivies drank
in its brightness in grateful green-the
naples along the edgeof the woods we're
just donning their crimson mantles of
bloom-and Lillian Spellgrove, from
the great house on the hill, could not but
own to herself that love in a cottage I"
could be very beautiful, even without
chandeliers, gilded door nobs and in
laid floors.
Miss Spellgrove was belle, petted
favorite in society, and the rector's
daughter was only a bIue-eyed, simple
hearted lass of eighteen but Lillian was
chronically bored " in the country,
and even Ida Lynn was better than no
one to talk to.
The rector's daughter sat at her desk
as the visitor rustled in, her fair brows
knit, her ivory teeth mechanically nib
bling the handle of her pen. She look
ed up in second, smiling and gracious
Always busy" said Miss Spsllgrove.
+" l don't see how you manage it."
"Oh, Lillian, l am so glad to see
you'll" cried Ida. :" L was just contriv-
;no abort tho Eastar ohsr,t;ao for +bo
poor"
"The poor repeated Lillian. 81
am sick of hearing of the poor. 1t does
seem to me that they are always want.
ing something"
"A very natural state of things as
you would soon find out if you were
poor YOURSELF laughed Ida. "Oh, Lily,
if were only as rich as you"
"What would you do?" demanded
the heiress, yawning.
al would give all the poor people
something to make their hearts glad on
Easter Day. But, oh, dear! | have
only fifty cents after the household ex-
penses are paid )" she added, with a
sigh.
"How much would it take?" asked
Miss Spellgrove. Ida's eyes frightened
in anticipation of coming largesse.
Fifty dollars would be more than
enough"
" l know how you can get fifty dol
lars" said Lillian, surveying tiny rip
in her Lavender kid glove.
Howl"
" L will give you fifty dollars for that
old lilac and silver brocade dress that
was your mothers. l have taken a
fancy to it. L want to have it made
over to wear to Mrs. Danesbury's party
Ida's countenance fell.
my only silk dress-the dress that
was mammals when she was bride-oh,
Lilianl she uttered, rather incoherent.
ly. "And | was going to wear it, my.
self
And in the same second she remem.
bered that Harley Egremont was to be
at the Danesbury party-that never, in
all her innocent young life, had she at
tended a real ball-that she certainly
could not go in the darned and anti
quated white, Swiss muslin that was con
sidered good enough for the ordinar y
neighborhood festivities.
"Oh !" said Miss Spellgrove, with the
slightest possible intonation of contempt
in her voice. 81 thought you were
really anxious about these people And
as l fancied the dress"
"Stop, please, a minute, and let me
think pleaded Ida, her blue eyes swim
ming in suspicious moisture, and hel
scarlet under lip quivering. Was she
then so selfish, SO utterly lost to all con
siderations but her own pleasures I? Wa
this all the benefit she had gained from
her Bible studies, her fathers sermons
her daily prayers in the little white bow
er sacred to her maiden innocence? "l
Il did not reflect. Yes, Lillian, yor
may have the dress"
81 should like it" said Lillian Spell
grove, indifferently. "And you are sC
young and so deliciously blonde, dear