Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1875-06-04

wear white muslin dresses, and Alice ha'
none. So the weak voice was heard again
Father, guess you will have to"
"What Mrs. Hastle, what now!"
| This he said in such terrific tone, tina
meek little Mrs. Hastle dropped the word
Immediately, as boy will drop the stolel
peaches when the farmer seizes him by TIN
collar.
''Alice wants a new summer dress; ;
white one.'
GA new summer dress! A white one!'
But we will hasten out at once on to the
piazza, or stroll round in the dooryard
while Mr.. Hastle gives relief to his out
ragged feelings in regard to ''summel
dresses" Before the speech was half done,
however, Alice left the table with red
flush Oh her cheek, and a flashing light in
her brown eyes, and Mrs. Hastle alone
listened to his closing words which, she
knew, from long experience, would come
after his lecture had concluded
81 can get her a summer dress, I s'pose,
but l shall pick it out myself, and get
something that will wear and be durable. y
'She picked out the piece she wanted at
the corner store" said Sally, pleadingly.-
''She's got her mind set on white muslin.
All the girls are going to have one"
"Because every other girl is a fool, does
it follow that our. girl has got to be one?
guess her fathers judgment is better
than her'n.-W hite muslin! Catch her
death-cold in it, and no wear to it at all
| shall get her one that l think will be
durable. and do her some good"
Mrs. Hastle dared venture no more re-
marks. but it was with a sinking heart
that she helped him into his overcoat,
picked up his gloves and followed him out
to the gate with his handkerchief, which,
as usual, he had forgotten.
Now, Alice, the daughter, was no mar
tyr; she had no vocation in that direction;
she was warm-hearted and generous; but
a reasonable and reasoning human being,
who saw quickly and felt deeply an injus-
tice. When Mrs. Hastle re-entered the
house, Alice had not returned to her work
up stairs, but was clearing off the table,
with an unusual quick movement even for
her; while her brown eyes still sparkled
with indignant fire, and u red flush burned
steadily into each cheek.
''Mother!" she broke forth, II will not
stand it much longer. will leave home!
| will
'Leave home!" cried poor Mrs. Hastle,
feeling that her back was indeed the back
of camel, and that the last straw was
being lifted upon it.
eyes, leave home! Aunt Martha wants
me to come and live with her. There she
is, as rich as Jew and good-hearted, too,
as she can be; and, now, since Emma is
married, and she is alone, you know just
how she is urging me, every time she sees
me, to come and stay with her; and will
go! I will not endure fathers tyranny
much longer. He makes home perfect
torment"
"Don't talk so, Alice. Your pa means
we'll. He is dreadful hard to get along
with, but he means WELL"
"Andmy dress 1 won't wear it, mother,
and you will see that [ won't. He will
bring home some great sun-tiOWer looking
delaine, see if he don't. He may wear it,
if he does; make it into pantaloons and
vests; I'd like to have him. Suppose we
pick out his clothes, mother, and insist OH
him wearing them. would, mother, if l
hon ha xr,n,116 lilo thot1
May he that would teach him to let our
dresses alone. And look at the parlor pa
per that he would get; it makes the parlor
look like perfect fright; and the parlor-
wood, a bright yellow. Suppose we made
him paint his new barn to suit u.s."
Here a sudden flash Of light, as from a
new thought, lit up the sparkling, bright,
brown eyes. And when her mother put in
her voice again, FEATHER means well, but
he don't think" the light grew still bright
er as Alice said, impulsively, standing up
in front of her mother, ''What do you say
of making him him Think"
"What do you mean, Alice?"
"Well, there is one plan we can try, if
you will help me, mother. You know
father has got to go to grandfather pretty
soon, to be a week, and"
Well just as sure as you live, they have
gone into the pantry and shut the door;
they are pretending to wash the dinner
dishes; but in reality, they are discussing
that plan.
Shall we listen at the key-hole. as Sammy
is doing, and try and overhear their con-
versation? No we scorn the ignoble sug-
gestion! we will wait patiently till Alice's
plan develops itself or till she tells herself.
A woman can never keep a secret for any
length of time-that we know.
At night Mr. Hastle returned, Alice's
dress was as her boding fears had suggest
ed, thick delaine, bright yellow ground.
work "a favorite color of Mr.. Hastle's) on
which green and nosegays disported them
selves.
GA good, sound piece of cloth,'' he sand
admiringly, as he uArolled it, lone that
will last her for years. None of your
Himsy, white Mpslins, that will tear to
pieces it you touch 1t. GOOD for summer
or winter and strong enough for a mans
wear.''
In fact, it was an uncommonly thick
piece Of rep delaine for a morning dress
Its gorgeous coloring had taken his eye.
and it's fire texture had endeared it to his
heart.
Alice said not word as he held it's fam.
ing folds up before her. But her Door
mother watched her face anxiously. Had
tered in the pantry, she would have felt
assured that this affair wsuld have ended
in the departure of her child. But the
anxious mother, watching, saw flash OF
light CLEAN over the pretty face, once dur
80, fr+ WON, q rlyc uvhop IN ,,;l