Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-09-20
NELLY DAYS CALICO DRESS.
BY ROSE TERRY COOKE.

What shalII wear NANNY ?" And
little Nelly Day looked up into her
mothers face with wistful glance, as
If she was half amused and half sad
Wear your new dress, of course
placidly answered the widow Day.
But mother, its only cahco?"
That's very true, and ten-cent cali
co at that; still, it is all you have got,
Nelly" 8
"And the girls are all going, nanny;
even the Holdridges, and their New
York company" ~
Mrs Day turned 8 pleasant, keen
face toward her daughter, looked at
her steadily for q minute, with a faint
smile lurking about her lips, and then
answered, with the New England word
of.all-work, "Well!"
But it isn't WE'LL" said Nelly, with
little vexed laugh. 81 don't like to go
NANNY dear, where my company'll
be ashamed of me-"
"Then / should certainly stay st
home" was the serene answer.
cob, mother!" ~v
Mrs. Day got up aud came across the
room to Cornelia.
"My dear little girl, look the thing
in the face. You own two calico
dresses and black silk and grey
merino; the merino is too heavy, and
you. can't afford to wear the silk
scrambling after arbutus. Look things
In the face, aud take your choice"
"Our arbutus parties are so pleas
ant" sighed Nelly.
"Then can't you make s.up your
mind to go in a clean calico and enjoy
yourself? or have you an intention of
going to show the New York people
your best gown, and how little you care
about running it? Nelly don't be q
goose! Put your silly little pride in
your pocket, my dear, or else use it on
your sandwiches, for know nobody in
the valley has any better than L can
make"
"Who's proud now, ma'am, I'd like
to know p laughed Nelly, her sweet
temper and sense coming to the front;
and kissing her mother, she danced off
to put a fresh frill in the throat of her
silk dress for Sunday, for tomorrow
the arbutus party would take all her
time.
Nelly and her mother were poor; but
when one is young and pretty, poverty
is only matter Of small stings. It was
mother who felt anxiety for the future
who. spared herself alisuperfuo CONS
forts, who punched and pared and la
bored to lay up little for some day of
rain, or perhaps for Nelys wedding
Who kn9Ws?. ..4t4., T,lfe efsf.I4..-
her husband had been dead these
fifteen years. Had he lived, she would
probably have been still poorer. He
was a country clergyman, studsous,
dreamy, helpless. 1t is true his, wife
loved and incurred him, but everybody
knew it was better for her that he. died
and left her his life insurance. If she
did not think so, it was owing to fool
ish way women have of preferring a
a living, loving husband to five thou
sand dollars. Folly? Of course; but
then they are women. U#t
Now she had only Nelly, and she
loved her after that same fashion; but
a certain crisp common-sense and
provident maternal instinct helped her
not to spoil the child, however much
she would have liked to. ~
Only calico! But when Nelly left
her little room next morning dressed
for the expedition, Mrs. Day was
altogether satisfied with her aspect.
Mother" had made the gown her
self 1t was simple enough; a black
and white stripe, more white then black,
8 single deep rufae on the skirt, bound
and headed with black cambria bands;
e.i4cket fitting closely, but not tightly,
20 the delicate rounded figure; finished
with 6 black cambria ruffle, like trim
ming around the throat, but within it
p1eated linen frill, both kept in order
by band of black velvet, from which
hung a white spar cross, her solitary
trinket, and one that was her mothers
before her; little black cloth sacque
of q singularly graceful shape, braided
on the edge in Greek pattern; wide
Ieafed black hat with a bit of snow
white feather trimming round the
crown; and a pair of black gloves,
much mended, and q little purple and
shabby about the finger-tips, completed
the costume; but when you put this
simple attire On to slight, graceful
figure with a blooming face, starry eyes,
and abundant rich brown hair, turned
btASA IIO1ll phO pics c"i1N hdCCeON u II
high on the small head, while dozen
little fluffy tendrils futtered over the
tiny pink ears and low, white forhead,
you Gid not member that the dress
was calico. And even an ugly calico
might have been forgotten if you had
peeked into the clean new lunch basket
only common 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 herself, rosy, tender and
favorous; some of ounce marmalade
In firm grained slices translucent as
clouded amber; some of acid Jelly; and
some of maple sugar. 0 benighted
reader, who never ate this last-named
dainty, you have a new experience be-
fore you! here were slices of whitest
wheat and some of freshest rye bread,
well spread with golden butter, and
then tnickly spread again with maple
sugar stirred while hot into thick
paste, sweet as honey, but spicy even
a. Il 1,0