Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-01-03
TIE D0yE-COLOREB SILK,

:
house OF SIR John Dayton, baronet and banker,
received his or her salary one week before
Christmas Day.
Very bright aud tempting looked the tiny pile
Of sovereigns IN 1t Lottie wArde, Miss Dayton's
own maid, carried away to her chamber, and
sat meaitating over, VITA = cloud ON her PRETTY
face such a. Il seldom wore. Last Christmas
the spending OF her money had cost her no
trouble, except quickly stifed regret that she
could not do more with il tor those dear ones,
whose kisses a-d joyful thanks had been such
pleasant requital Of her generosity.
Although she WAS dutfful and loving a
daughter and az kind a sister Of yore, there
had been an event in Lotties life since the We Ar
gan IL at was closely connected with the i'm
patient sigh she gave, as she sat gazing at her
gold, AMI abstrsS'edly turning il over and over
IN her palm. She hsf met, at the house OF an
old friend of her late father, a yousg man 80
well connected that many wondered he should
think OF wedding girl who was Tin service"
Mr.. Charles Morrison, they argued, with his
good prospects and excellent sitHstiOn in the
efhee OF Smithson Brothers, ought TO look higher
for wife than LOttie Warde. chose father had
died bankrupt, and whose mothers sole DEEPEN
deBce was the annuity some Of Mr.. Warde's
compassionate creditors had purchased for her.
But if Charlie Morrison heard these things hint
ed. he laughed ami forget them. He loved
IOttie for herself-her sweet temper, her good
principles, and the pretty face and figure, that
were always set of by the perfect neatness and
Iropriety with which she dressed.
LOttie, however, had taken TO heart many of
satured friends, and had rather hastily decided
IN her own mind that the relatives of her All
snced husband looked down upon her because
Of her position. This fancy-for II was no
mere-had made her shy of meeting them, ami
unV Hing TO accept the Invitations so kindly
sent 10 her. But Charlie had made point OF
her scceding to his parents wish that she
should join the family party they always gath
ersd round them at their handsome house at
Chaplain on the eve OF the great festival; and
Mss Dayton had cheerfully consented to
spare her, she had not been able to excuse
herself.
Naturally timid and shrinking from strangers,
sEFn nnfu NH.asNf 81
rather than pleasure. She was to be intro
duced to Cbaflies married sister from Man
chester and to the wealthy uncle from whom he
had expectations; and her anxiety that they
should hink well of her eliminated in the
iDquirC What shall wear?'
H. was no use discussing this question with
her be'rOthed. She knew he would say that
nothing could be in better taste than the we'll
fitting dark merino that had been her best
dress since the commencement of the autumn.
But LOttie had her share OF girlish vanity and
AS she raised her eyes to her lOoking-glass a
vision rose before her OF a certain dOve-colored
siiH IN a MERGERS window near st. Paul's that
would become her admirably. 1t was true tina,
such an exp Il siye purchase would absur every
Earth nS in htr possession, but she chose to ig-
more this. SO strong grew the temptation tn at
when Lotne went that evening TO visit her
mother she fingered long at the MERGERS win.
dow, and decided that on the morrow the dove
colOred silk should be her own.
The children threw down their books and
toys when LOttie entered, for they loved her
dearly. and Mrs. Warde, though she had been
wearing a very anxious face, As she stitched
bueIly at some childish garment, cOntriVed to
smile at her eldest daughter, who, howeyer,was
not easily deceived.
:" Some hing has gone wrong, mother; 1 am
sure Of It, by your looks. What is it,"
Nothing you can alter, dear; nothing, in
fact, that ought TO dwell upon. | heard, BY
enance, that the man through whose roguery
your father failed has returned 10 England, aud
u In prosperous circumstances; and it worried
me for a little while to think that my excellent,
upright husband went TO his grave ia sorrow
A mar hnI a.
his head and grows rich, but il was only for a
minute Child and Mrs. Warde smiled now
with less effort. - ] know TO whom have com
ID tted my cause, and Will not murInur at any
IN ng Tie wills
Lottie kissed the placid speaker anectionate-
". but she not sympathetic ~ usual.
Her little sisters hung about her wondrriog
whether they should have Christmas pudding,
and one OF them blurted out a fact hitherto con-
cealed-that mother did not 20 TO church Oh
Sundays I'LL evening service because her shawl
was 30 shabby. LDttie slid her hand INTO the
pocket where lay her little purse, hut drew it
back again, telling herself that she could not
possibly 90 TO visit Charles friends meanly
dressed; and when the youngest child climbed
on her knee and frankly asked what she was
going TO bring him for Christmas present, he
was set down again and 50 sharply told not to
tease that Mrs. Warde's mild eyes were raised
in surprise.
III beg your pardon. mother )" sail her daugh-
ter, coOring under the reproof Of the look con
veyed. 81 am afraid / am rather stupid this
evening. What we're you saying about Rob
vi course he isl knew he would be, he has
worked so hard for il, dear, good bow" and she
ran across the room to kiss the studi1us lad,
who warmly returned her caresses.
Then you're glad of il, Lottie? So am l.
only think mothers bothered a bit about the
books shal want"
'.wIll they cost much?' asked his sister
well, dear, IL seems much to persons of our
limited income" Mrs. warde replied. .'And he
must have a new suit OF clothes. But hope 10
manage it without running into debt, if you can
help me a little."
LOttie did not speak, and her mother thought.
Iully auded, - he girls will have 10 do without
the new hats promised them; aud baby's pe-
lSse must last another winter; and-'
Eut here her daughter stopped her by pet
tishly saying, ''0h, mother, pray don't tell US
OF any more wants; they seem endless How
miserable II is TO be poor; how SICK of con-
trivances and makeshifts you must be. know
am AM somehow the children ALWAYS seem
20 need most when one has least To spare"
81 dig not know F0u were in that predica-
msnt, dsar. or I would not have spoken so
plainly" Mrs: Warde replied; ''but don't let il
worry VOC )" she added, with the cheerful air
that covered a multitude OF anxious thoughts;
1--WE shall manage very we'll, dare say"
LOttie went away with her money still in her
pocket, but with losd at her heart-half
shame, half selfish ill "a norwich was not
lss-ened by standing at the MERGERS window
for another hah-hOur before she went back to
SIR johns. While her gaze was fixed on the
silk, her rebellious spirit was murmuring at
the difhculties o. her position. It was so hard
that she should always be hampered with the
home.cares. Othar young people could spend
= their salaries on themselves, while her purse
h al such constant calls upon II that there was
NJ thing left for herself. And mother was not
Sho. 1ghtful for her. she never seemed to remem-
Der nat q girl Of her age would naturally wish
to be smart, especially when she visited per-
some IN better circumstances than herself.
Mis- I. 'ayton wanted some tribe brought fro N
her own room that evening, and Lottie h I'd
executed h ar commission and was retreatiug,
when the W ice Of Sir John, who was reading
the evening 1aper, arrested her. "Dear me
how sad these cases are; one never knows who
to trust IIste, to this, Letitia The conf len
tial clerk OF SIN, 'hson Brothers absconded last
night HIS emplI gers had lad their suspicious
are used bv some circumstance or other, and
hILted an intention oflooking into his accounts.
AS soon as he leans, this he made business in
supposed TIA, he Is nT' rs way to America
To Lottie's strained :. rs every word OF this
: a. aCrribly audible, ana 'ne nSA. minute me
was running down stairs, Ps V" "0i nat
and shawl a. she went
" II am asked Tor she g. u 70 ~ r"o
derlhg housekeeler, ''say thst ,om', e., ,,' l
: ave gone TO my mothers; buta y" sup iuS-
don question me, or shall die.7 ,cx.ut, .
hut 10 was TO the home Of Austin y g. y ="
FELLOW clerk OF Charles, she first n. .baas 80
she would not give up all hope till sh> arasJgni
bin, and heard his lips confirm the 20 con
tale, and a. che went along she tried char
a hF r.FlF in -