The Portland daily press., 1875-01-01

WINGED daily under these privations, as did
CULVER under the darts of the Lilliputians.
Something more than mortified pride, how
ever, was involved on the present occasion.
The prize Messeps, the parH of the block,
was in that critical condition where he might
be said to be tottering on the very verge of
declaration. Jennie felt, instinctively, that
the approaching expedition to the Gardens
involved crisis. A touch only was needed
to finish the work; while, on the contrary,
if he were allowed to recover himself, it
would be no easy matter to lure him back to
this most desirable position. BY that curious
Free-masonry existing among women, Miss
Harriet was quite well aware Of the position
of affairs, though up to this time not word
has been said between them an the subject.
She listened to her younger sister with an
anxious, bordering face, and sighed deep
ly.
s'If rent day were only not the day after to-
morrowp' she said. SIT it could be any other
time"
''But could not tell him that" returned
Jennie, halt crying. "The usages of society
won't allow girl, you know, to say, eff you
will come next week l will wear the butter
in my hat, the tea in my gloves, the sugar
around my neck; but you must excuse me
this evening, as the rent is due, and we have
disposed of those articles already"
''Or, if we were like those story heroines,"
pursued Harriet, as if thinking aloud, "who
always have some wonderful old lace, and
piece of satin or velvet that can be covered
over, and made to look finer than anything
from Worth's; but one old gray dress, that
has done duty for two girls since spring-cot-
ton goods at that! Do you know, Jennie,
among all the bits of Italianlace wisdom 60
ing the rounds, am not sure that there is
one more exasperating to me than that say
ing about lady's character as revealed in her
dress? Does it ever occur to anybody, Won
der, that it costs more to dress plainly and
appropriately than out of what odds and ends
you have, or the cheap goods you can afford
to buy? And that there is such being as
lady in taste and feeling without money!"
'iBut tonight! to-nightn' insisted Jennie,
half gleeful, half anxious. "What can do
for tonight? Our old gray dress is too shah
by; besides, when you wore it last, you
creased the 'front.'"
"There is the old Victoria lawn. Il is
little short"
stAnd my shoes p' interrupted Jennie, put
ting out a foot on which the stocking was
plainly visible. so, sis why not give it up?
Hire a room at once in some tenement house,
and stand in the door with the others-those
women whom you see arms akimbo and hair
twisted up in a hard knot? Resign our
selves, and tell our friends that concerts and
courtships and other decencies of civilized
life are not for-our incomeT
'There is the old black silk basque" con-
tinued Harriet, as if she had heard nothing.
1.-THE silk was never good, but it will not
show so much in the evening. You can take
out the sleeves and wear it as sleeveless
basque. And that three dollars that we
saved"
WeLyou saved for your shoes!" interpo-
lated Jennie
Harriet put that aside with a wave of the
hand.
81 saw ladies' boots ON Eigth avenue-don't
scream, Jennie-velveteen boots-for two
dollars. Dreadful, know, but not SO dread
full as to show ones stockings. You must
put your best foot foremost, or rather keep it
out of sight, and pray that there be no wind.
And you can get lavender gloves to match
the ribbon on your hat with the remaining
dollar"
81 will keep that,'' said Jennie, doggedly,
'to buy the ears and snout, and make my
self the pig complete, that should be if l
listened to you-you, who have had no shoes
in six months, and who limp on all sides of
the street. because of those dreadful heels;
you, who go nowhere; you, who staid at
home from the parsonage reception; you
give me that three dollars that you have
pincbed off from your Observation-Disclosures!
Never! Pll stay at home with your
throwing her arms about her sisters neck.
"Cannot you understand" retorted Har-
rat, ''that this is speculation and the pur-
est selfshness ?'' Then she pushed her away,
not urgently though. "Now, listen. Since
l must speak out, that three dollars I mean
to invest in Messeps stock, with an eye to flu
ture profit. You are not woman OF bust
ness. l am. see so clearly that l want
words to express it, that the income on
which two starve will support one in luxury,
when am left alone"
Jennie grew scarlet.
Gas for that, it is all nonsense. 1 wonder
you talk so. Bat if-say anything did hap
pen-O Harriet! you know very well where l
60, you would go, too"
"And there would be clause in the mar
riage ceremony" said Harriet, smiling slight
ly. 81 will take this woman and her sister
to be my wife. My poor little Jennie, my
poor child, take your money and buy your
boots. Indeed you must. If you don't go,
will, and have them fitted on my own foot,
little tight, and then shall lose my morn
ng's sewing"
So adjured, Jennie went. But Remorse
kept fast by her, and Disgust half choked
her. -
''Is is like numbering your neghbor for
two-and-sixpence," she told Harriet. ''To
be guilty of such a meanness for velveteen
boots and dollar glovesv Nothing pleased
her. She looked at her Victoria lawn and
its scant plaitings with sheer. 81 should
wear placard, '$2,50-cheap,' on my back"
she observed. "That is what such suits are
selling for" The old silk waist was intolera-
BILE. She vowed she would prefer shilling
calico, could she afford to buy one. The
cloudy afternoon.
81 shall look like hen on wet day." she
told her sister, drawing on her rght-hand
glove. Just then the bell rang, and at the
same instant the glove split entirely across
the back. She glanced at her seifin the glass
cher eyes were red and the sunshine out of
her facet, and turned to her sister with an
indescribable look.
''You have invested your three dollars bad
ly, my DEAR"
Mr.. Messeps was waiting for her in the
little dark, horse-hair furnished parlor; gloves
and trousers cream color, coat and necktie per-
feet, cellar and studs. If any thing was ]
wanted to complete the poor girls depression,
it was the air of fashion and prosperity that
seemed actually to radate from bis handsome
and satisfied self. All in moment she felt
herself half starved, as she truly was, pinched,
woe-worn, awkward, inappropriate; and adj
vanced toward him rather with the air OF
convicted felon than of the high-sririted and
cOquetIlSu glTl sue really was. Ihi. MCooCPo
glanced at her clouded face, then at her dress,
and started-at least to the girls sensitive
subtle, chilling reserve at once
seemed to form itself between them. He was
daunted by her manner. She was as happy
and comfortable as girl could feel in high
wine, with short skirts and dreadful velveteen
boots, and one bare hand, that will get red
and swollen, resting conspicuously on gen.
tleman's arm, and miserable consciousness
that she is in every way at her worst. AS
they neared the corner, they met Matilda
Mason. She smiled knowingly at Mr.. Mes
seps, took in Jennie, in one long, woman's
look, till hef eyes reached the ground and she
started Electrically. Mr.. Messeps instantly
looked down. At that moment the sullen
wind, tearing up the avenue in cloud OF
dust, caught them, seized on Jennle's light
skirts, wrapped them tightly about her ankles,
and held them there.
Mr.. Messeps saw, the whole world saw,
the whole of the velveteen boots.
1t is hardly reasonable to suppose that
from that moment, as Jennie told her sister,