Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-09-04

With dancing eyes. 1--WE must yet up
dress for that christening party l sup
pose I know why you want to go-he's to
be there ?"
.Oh, YES. of course The Breuners think
everything OF him. And II want him tc
see the desertion didn't kill me ~ she cried
passionately, with the returning flush.
3 my dear" said Aunt Magrder, ''you
want nothing of the kind! You want him
to see you; to sec you looking your very
best; to see that you still wear your en-
gagement ring on your fore finger"
And with that Miss Ponsonby fell to kiss
ing the ring on her fore-tinger, and to hug
ing her old Aunt Magruder as if, the talk
being of godmothers, she were really a
fairy godmother herself, who was going
to help her out of all her difficulties.
There, there, Sarah Ponsonby, that will
do" cried the elder party to all this effu:
sion. Now get out your materials and
let us see what can be done"
"Nfy material J" exclaimed Miss Ponson-
by. "Why, / haven't such thing. I've
only piece bag with the remnants in it OF
the tags and rags and velvet gowns in
which the beggar come to town, you know
she added, laughing.
'Weh, let's have that" And her neice
brought it out. "Merino, said Aunt Ma
gruder, ''full of moth-holes, James saving
/ suppose; cambria, scraps left from the
children s tires vests-what in the world
are you doing with this army of old black
velvet vests ?"
II make all my bonnets out of them.
You know. James doesn't wear any 9TH
er sort of vest"
''Ha ! let me see. Haven't you an old
silk of any description ?"
s'.Of no description. Only some old
pieces that ! have been keeping against
the time when the fashion changes SO that
little or nothing will make a gown-my
old pink that / had dyed olive green to
match that old cloak-lining, almost black
you see, but not quite. let it down and
let it down, till couldn't any more and
there's skirt, to be sure, but so short that
it would only come to the krees''
"And you expect the fashions ever to
change to dresses of that length ? We
might piece it up from the bottom"
''And leave seam across the knees?"
"Hide the scam with trimming"
~ should like to know where I'm to get
trimmings"
Patience. There's your old cloak lin
ing-the colors match Let's see. Yes,
very well. That will piece it up, guess,
with management, the required length.
Full dress, is this affair to be?''
-a'''No but brilliant street dress. It's in
the afternoon, you see."
"All right this thing is done. Don t
you say word to Jane. Wei just work
by ourselves every moment we can get,
and when it's time 10 CO."
i should like to know what you mean.
Aunt Magruder."
''Just this, my dear. Here's the old
olive green basque that is worn at the BIZ
ases and all other seames and edges, and
the buttons are gone, and the b Automobiles
frayed out. and the thing abandoned.
IL kept it for pattern. 1t fitted so"
Exactly. Now we'll take it in the
least atom, the seams we can't cover up
and we'll cover some big button moulds
with scraps of the velvet vests, and work
big new button-holes. That's practicable
isn't it ? Then wen turn away the basque
in the neck, and take the best lapels to be
found among these velvet vests and pipe
them with these scraps of black slk-here
they are--and face the neck out with them.
That's practical, and stylish too. And
then We'll cut out any quantity of leaves,
beech leaves, of graduated sizes. from the
places in the vests that are least worn,
and pipe them, and carry them all round
the basque. we've piped that with some
more scraps, and carry them over the
shoulders, hiding all the seams we didn't
stitch IN and wen serve the sleeves in the
same way. and you'll have a."
IA really superb jacket! Oh, Aunt Ma
gruder, you're witch,'
mo, my love. I'm a wise old woman
and great manager Now for the skirt
very scant in front and on the sides.
You can cut enough for sash, you see
TO drape under this little puff, and I'll
. fringe the ends, for / know how. Peice
1t up with the old cloak-lining, well-faced !;
cut out more leaves-these vests would
make a forrest Of them-three rows all
around tho bottom of the skirt, growing
smaller at the back, but hiding the join,
and branching little way in a point up
the front. Do you see! Won't Jane open
her eyesq She'll want it herself"
ut will be heavenly. But it will take
an infinity Of time"
What sextrayagant language! And
didn't you just say you had no end oftime |?
We'll, my time is practically as long. Mil
liner stitch it can all be done with. can
see very well; III cut out the leaves, and
help you needle for needle, and see you
dressed for that christening as becomes
your namesake."
You are a fairy godmother! You only
wave your hand over my old rag bag and
OF go into splendid disguise" cried Miss
Ponsonby. And nobody would have con-
jectr led this brilliant, busy, laughing girl,
gayly twisting her odds and ends about,
TO be the rather worn and weary woman
oil hours ago, who was exhausting ev-
cry contrivance in order to 90 as it beft-
ted her to the place where she was ex-
pected
1t was less than week from that day
that Miss Ponsonby stood before her glass,
arrayed in what was to all appearance as
splendid costume, after its own style, as
ever came out of Paris.
"a very remarkable toilet, my love-"
said Aunt Magruder, with satisfaction.
And I'm so glad l never gave way my
old cut jets before; they're nothing, you
know, but they lend it sort of dark rich
splendor. Now, there's one thing more
your grandiather's little miniature, in the
pearls; its an exquisite painting for so tiny
thing. ! dare say Jane will grumble,