The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-01-09


All. long time his lot wss to walk without,
From the one light apart in . w1ntry scene
But hope, where the white fakes freeze no
more,
hope. where winter over and gone
For the cold Of the night that went before
he almost forRets how he made his moan;
Aud almost forgets how they closed the door,
And doomed him to work in the world-alone.
LOTrIE'S BALL DRESS.
"Do you think it is best for us to go,
Lottie p
Mr.. and Mrs. Clarence Mellen had
been married scarcely more than Q year
NOT long enough for the first gloss
to be worn of her wedding ring
rot long CROUCH to forget the en-
chanted gold shine of the honeymoon !;
and now, upon this clear December
morning, the young wife sat ut the
breakfast table, in q most becoming
negtige Of rose-ribbons and dove-col-
ored cashmere, with an open note in her
hand, and her blue eyes sparkling with
delighted animation. A pretty picture
to look upon, for Mrs. Mellen was very
pretty tall, velvet checked blonde,
with her hair shining like braided snn-
beams, beneath the coquettiah little
breakfast-cap she wore.
% Best, Clarence? Why, of course, it
is bestl Lulu Sparks would give her
ears to get cards to Mrs. Benedict's
ball"
"I dare say" said Mr.. Mellen, dryly.
But did you ever read La Fontaine's
Fables?"
What do you mean, Glare ?"
"Only that il contains q story con-
corning an iron pot and q crockery pot,
that SWAN, down stream together. OF
course, the china pot gots msshed."
"I don't see what your ridiculous
old fables have TO do with me.
"a great deal, my love Mr.. Bene-
dict is q rich banker. am only conf
DENTAL clerk, in his brothers employ.
Mr.. Benedict has q thousand dollars,
probably. where have one. Our spheres
lie apart. Is it best, then. for MS to
compete with them in any one respect3"
Because We attend . ball at their
house, we needn't necessarily compete
with them. pouted the yeung wife, be-
ginning to pull at the fringe of her
breakfast napkin. "Of course, if they
invite us, it is only natural to suppose
that they want us to come"
II presume, my dear, We are invited
out of compliment to Mr.. Benedict's
brother. who is kind enough to think
favorably of your humble servant"
"And it would be very rude not to
&C."
"I don't think regrets would be
taken in bad part, Charlotte. Besides,
what have You to wear that would COM
pare with the toilets of Mrs. Bentley
Benedict's fashionable friends ?"
"That's just what I was going to
speak about" said Mrs. Mellen. 81
really did need new silk dress. That
pea-green affair is actually beginning to
look shabby, and the black silk had
when We were married is positively old
fashioned by this time"
It is only thirteen months, Lottie. !"
"But fashions alter 90, Clarence, you
know. Now there's lilac moire an
tique at Grant's-the lovliest shade You
ever saw, and positive bargain, ON &C
count of there being only twenty-five
yards in the pattern. I can get it for
eighty five dollars, and sister Helen
will lend me her point-lace Aounces to
trim it with, and"
"Ei~hty five dollars, Lottie I And
for a iaoire antique dress? Do you
know, my dear, that that is almost ono
tenth of my years salary ?"
some must look decent, once in
while"
He shook his head gravely.
"No, Lotiie. am sorry to seem
bard or uDkind, but this is so wild an
idea that / can only conclude that you
have not thought sufficiently about it.
yourself. Mrs. Benedict is very kind
o invite us to this ball, but you must
write declination."
Charlotte burst into tears, and for the
first time since their wedding day, Mr..
Mellen stalked out of the room without
q good bye kiss.
That afternoon came mp q hurried
nota from the Office, as follows:
DARLING Lorrm Please send, by
the bearer. my vslife, with a few
changes of linen and other necessaries,
for an absence of eight or ten DAYS on
business for the firm. Inclosed You
will find fifty dollar bill for the paint
era debt which ought to have been
attended to before. Take a receipt.
Be careful of yourself While am gone.
wish could have run up to say adieu,
but time presses. II you are lonely,
get one OF your sisters to come and stay
with you. Anectionately,
CLARENCE.
Lottie had been crying all the
morning, but now her eyes glittered.
A ew brightness came into her face as
she hurried hither and thither, putting
mp her husbands things. And after the
messenger had gone, che looked down
at the fifty dollar bill in her hand.
Eight or ten days" she repeated to
herself. "Ill go to the ball, after all,
with Helen and her husband. I'll take
this money and buy the MORE antique.
Grant will wait on me for the other
thirty-fve, I am sure and Is for the
painter, inst as likely as not he's in no
hurry for his money, and if be is, I'll
write to Uncle Jesse to lend me fifty
dollars. I was always Uncle jesse ia
yorite niece"
And this eager young woman threw
ON her bonnet and shawl, and hurried
down TO Grants to buy the remnant Of
lilac MORE antique.
"Oh, certainly certainly Mr..
Grant was in no hurry ct all for the
money. He would wait Mrs. Mellen's