Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1874-01-08
sstItfttD sstorp.
The Dove-colored Silk.

BY kind of thoughtful arrangement
on the part of their employers, every
domestic in the house of Sir John Day
ton, baronet and banker, received his
or her salary one week before Christ
mas Day.
Very bright and tempting looked
the tiny pile of sovereigns that Lottie
Warde, Miss Dayten's own maid, car
ried away to her chamber, and sat
meditating over, with cloud on her
pretty face such as it seldom wore.
Last Christmas the spending Of her
money had cost her no trouble, except
quickly stihed regret that she could
not do more with it for those dear
ones, whose kisses and joyful thanks
had been such pleasant requital Of her
generosity.
Although sne was as tiut,iui anu low
ing a daughter and AS kind a sister as
OF yore. there had been an event in
Lottie's life since the year began that
was closely connected with the impa-
tient sigh she gaye. as she sat gazing
at her gold, and abstractedly turning it
over and over in her palm. She had
met, at the house of an old friend Of
her late father, q young man SO we'll
connected that many wondered he
should think of wedding a girl who
was '.in service" Mr.. Charles Mori-
son, they argued, with his good pros
poets and excellent situation in the
office of Smithson Brothers, ought to
look higher for o wife than Lottie
Warde, whose father had died bank
rupt, and whose mothers sole depen-
dence was the annuity some of Mr..
Warde's compassionate creditors had
purchased for her. But il Charlie
Morrison heard these things hinted, he
laughed and forgot them. He loved
Lottie for herself-her sweet temper,
her good principles, and the pretty face
and figure, that were always set off by
(; the perfect neatness and proprlety
with which she dressed.
Lottie, however, had taken to heart
many of the remarks made in her pres
ence or told by ill-natured friends, and
had rather hastily decided in her own
mind that the relatives of her affianced
husband looked down upon her because
Of her position. This fancy-for il
was no more-had made her shy OF
meeting them, and unwilling to accept
the invitation SO kindly sent to her.
But Charlie had made a point of hel
acceding to his parents wish tnat she
should join the family party they al
ways gathered round them at theil
handsome house at Clapham on the eve
of the great festival /: and as Miss Day
ton had cheerfully consented to spare
her, she had not been able to excuse
herself
Naturally timid and shrinking from
strangers, Lottie looked forward to
this visit as an ordeal rather than 9
pleasure. She was to be introduced t<
Charles married sister from Manches
ter and to the wealthy uncle from whom
he had expectations and her anxiety
that they should think well of her cul'
minated in the inquiry, "What shall
wear!"
1t was no use discussing this ques
tion with her betrothed. She knew h'
would say that nothing could be i,
better taste than the well.fitting darl
merino that had been her best dres
since the commencement of the au
tumn. But Lottie had her share O
girlish vanity, and as she raised he
eyes to her lookingglass vision ros
before her of a certain dove-colore'
silk in a mercer's window near st
, Paurs that would become her admira
!. bly,. 1t was true that such an expen
! sive purchase would absorb every fal
. thing in her possession, tut she chos
to ignore this. So strong grew th
temptation that when Lottie went tbs
evening to visit her mother she lingel
ed long at the MERGERS window, an
d decided that on the morrow the dow,
d colored silk should be her own.
l. The children threw down their bvoL
and toys when Lottie entered, for the
: loved her dearly, and Mrs. Ward
I! though she had been wearing a vel
anxious face, as she stitched busily [
some childish garment, contrived
. smile at her eldest daughter, wh
however, was not easily deceived.
l. Something has gone wrong, mot
er; am sure of it by your look
What is it!"
''Nothing you can alter, dear not
IS ing, in fact, that I ought TO dwell q
on. l heard, by chance, that the m,