The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-06-08

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leafed black hat with a bit of snow white
feather trimming round the crown and
a pair Of black gloves, much mended,
and a little purple and shabby about
the fnger-tips, completed the costume;
but when you put this simple attire on
to a slight graceful figure with a bloom
ing face, starry dark eyes, and abundant
rich brown hair turned back from the
white temples and knotted up high on
the small head, while q dozen little
fluffy tendrils fluttered over the tiny pink
ears and low white forehead, you did not
remember that the dress was calico.
And even an ugly calico might have
been forgotten if you peeped into the
clean new lunch basket-only a COM
mon splint basket, with an old damask
towel folded over the contents, but filed
with such dainty sandwiches; some of
tongue that Mrs. Day had cured her.
self, rosy, tender and i%lavorous; some
of quincc marmalade in firm-graincd
slices translucent as clouded amber;
some of acid jelly; and some Of maple
sugar. o benighted reader, who never
ate this last-namcd dainty, you have a
new experience before youl here were
slices of whitest wheat and some of
freshest rye bread, well spread with
golden butter, and then thickly spread
again with maple sugar stirred while
hot into II thick paste, sweet as honey,
but spicy ever in sweetness with the
taste of the trees heart, the forest odors,
the clean fine aroma of Northern woods
and wilds. No wonder that Mrs. Days
sandwiches were proverbial in Beckett.
The widow looked with satisfaction
at her pretty daughter; she had fash
Toned as well as made those graceful
garments, and if the sacque was ingen-
iOusly pieced from Parson Days Sun
day coat, the dress II ten-ccnt calico,
and the white band of feathers plurked
from the breast of two Thanksgiving
chickens and sewed by her own fingers,
she knew that the patterns of those
economic garments her W quick eye
had copied from "A Partisan outfit sent
to Beckett for one of the IIoldridge girls
wedding, and did not Lima lIoldridge
lend Nelly the Ba-arS every week?
Moreover, Mrs. Day had an artists
eye for dress; she would have been q
treasure in some great dresSmaking
establishment, and she knew very well
that Nely's array was thoroughly in
keeping, and then il was on Nelly!
So her treasure set of to meet the
party at the depot, and perhaps the lit
tie girls heart sank Il bit when she saw
the elaborate walking dresses of dove
colored cashmere, seal brown de bege,
French gray serge, or shining poplin,
frilled, pleated, shirred, punched, tied
back, and elaborated in Il fearful and
wonderful manner, that the lioldridge
girls and their two friends from New
York wore; ever the village girls had
done their utmost to be fine in emula-
ton. Addy Mason was Il spectacle to
behold, in pea green alpaca trimmed
with black velvet, and pink roses in her
turban of felt; while Jane Glass was
gotten up in her best black silk lurbc.
lowed with yak lace, and heI new sun.
day bonnet Of white straw with blue,
green ribbons and tips of pink ugh
Nelly shuddered at the sight, for Jane
was sallow-hair, eyes, skin, and teeth,
But here was n sort of counterpOise
surely she looked better than Jane OF
Addy, and one is not s. strong-minded
at seventeen rs to despise Il crumb OF
comfort in any shape.
Pretty soon Nelly forgot her dress al
together. Lima Holdridge brought Il
gentleman toward her seat and intro,
duced him as Mr.. Fearing. How pleas.
ant he was! What nice gray eyes he
had! and how they watched Nelly while
he talked to her in such n gentle, re
spectful, deferential way that Nelly
, could not be shy; and pretty soon hel
eyes sparkled, her color rose softly, hel
, red lips opened to a stream of gentle
, playful talk, and her bright laugh rams
cheerily if softly. How soon they cam
W 4 ~ iiii' uilu tlit u tui ih2 til
ried her lunch-baskct, and she threw
, her saque across her arm, the sun wa
so hot and in live minutes they wer,
at the wood road, while the rest lagge,
behind, heated with their heavy dress
, es, and tired with holding up the Ion;
skirts. So Nelly n MIR. Fearing stoo'
still and waited, and when the haltin,
+ company arrived, her quick wits ant
4 nimble fingers were speedily at work t.
help them.
81 always carry pins and salt AM
matches to a picnic" said Nelly, with
v laugh, for | noticed often that nobod
ever remembers those things"
1t was well she did t to-day, and the
It all voted thanks to her on the spot, a
; with lightened burdens and smilin
faces they began the walk up the stee
n hill road to the bare fields on the mort
side of Pine Hill, where the arbutu
grew. The day was lovely, sweet wit
the delicate inetlable perfume of earl
spring; the sun shone warmly dowr
~ the south wind blew softly, the resinou
l. odor of pine boughs sighed from til
Is soft gloom of the woods, and the brigl
ID full brook poured over II little fall at IL
" hill foot, as if it were so glad to be fire.
once more it must leap and laugh
: express its delight.
f. Here, under the brown grass, hidir
Id shy faces of baby bloom with its THO
Ie dull leaves, clustering closely to II
IS, shelter of a great stone, or creepir
fe among bushes of sweet-fern, low viii
iy birches, and tangled strings of la
ed years grass, the arbutus grew in pr
he fusion, and Nelly with glowing face al
d. deft fingers coaxed the delicate cluste
a Of tinted white or rosy pink from the
nd low beds, and gathered the
en- in q great sheaf. Her OF