, 1876-03-05
LOTTIE'S BALL-DREE'SS.
A story of Contemporary Anscrest'

ricd scarcely more than q yeaF,-not !oub ol'onoo
Tor tho first gloss to bo worn OF her "eaalne-
riue,-not long enough to forget the enchanted
rold shine of tie honeymoon; and no"' upon
This clear December morning, the young vito
ant at tile breakfast-table, in most becoming
neol,ae Of roso-rlbbons and dove-colored CASH
mere. With m open note in her baud, aud her
h1pc cves sparkling with delighted animation.
A pretty picture to look upon, for Mrs. alellen
was rery protty,-a tall, velyet-cheeSed blonde.
with her hair shluiny like braided sNnbeans, be-
meath the coauettish little brcakfast-cap she
wore.
"Bcst, Clarence? Why, Of course tits best!
Lulu Sparks would give her ears to get cards to
Airs: Benedcts ball.
II dnre say" said Mr.. Mollen, dryly. "But
did you ever resd La aFontaine's Fables2"
"What do you mean, Olarence?"
..Only that i: contains q story concerning an
iron pot aud crockery pot that swan down
stream together. OF couzse, the china pot got
sinashcd.'
.sDu: fashion alters 60, Clarence, you know.
Now, there's lilac moire-antlque at GFants'-
the love1est shade you ever saw, ana poslttvo
bargain on account OF there being only y yards
IN the pattern. ! can get it for $50, and sister
Helen will lend me- her polut-lace nounees 10
trim it With, and"
Eishty-fiye dollars, Lottie? And for
moire- antique dress? Do you know, my dear.
that is almost one-tenth Of my ycar's salary
One must look decent ouca in While"
He shock his head gravely
uNo Lottic anu eorTy to seem hard or M
kind, but this is 50 wild an idea that can only
conclude that you have not thought sufficiently
about it yourself. Mrs. benedict IS very kind
to inyito Us to this ball, but you must write
declinatlon." .
Iottie burst into tcnra, for the first time since
their wedding-da Mr.. Me{len walked out OF
the room without good-by k1ss.
Tnat afternoon came up hurried note 1rom
the Office, Us follows
DARLING Lorr1E Please send, BY the bearer, my
v,lisr with few changes Of linen aud other neces-
If In, ir,n. IncIosci you will find $50 bill for the
pai,1fer,-a debt which ought to have been at;endeu
10 tefore. Take receipt. ne careful OF yonrsen
but ic presses. II yoa arc lonely set one Of your
sisters come and stay with you Alect1onatelJ
Lottie had been crying all the morning, but
no0 her eyes yIittered. 4 now brightness came
into her face Is she buried hither and thlther,
putting up her husbands things. and after the
messenger had gone, she looked down az Inc
$50 bill in he1 hand
:. Eight or ten days." ehe repeated to herself.
u ri 70 to the bali after all. with Helen and her
husband. III take this money aud bny the
more. autioue; Graut will wait on me Tor the
other S.35. am sure; and: as 1of she painter,
lust as likely as not he's in no hurry lor his
money. and if he is, III write to gncio lesee 20
lend mo 45v. WAS always Uncle JeBse's favor
ite nieco." .
honnet and shawl. and hurried down to Graut's
to buy the remnant Of lilac moire-sntique.
Mrs. Parker.on WAS ut the dressmaker's,-a
nlump. ros5 widow, with more money than she
knew how to spend. She had always liked young
Mrs. aIeIlen, and now entered with alacrity into
her plans. .o.
* nice place to &c. my dear" said she. "onee e
let Yourself be seen ut one Of Airs. Benedcts
nayties and YOUR position in society is settled st
once. { naye cards myself but, Of course, 30
soon after my poor brothera death couldn't go
ont. And yonre to 60 in lilac molre~ant1que.
Oh dear: II III sea tell yo yoa n1tt ant you 10
Loltie's cheeks flushed exultantly ns she
| thought Of Mrs Pnrkerson's diamond necklace
WITH its glisteuiug pendant, and the bracelets
| studded With gems. to say nothing OF tne great
solitaires, lke drops Of dew, that hung from LEI
"a Mrs. Parkerson u she exclaimed, breath
lessly. :how can ever thank you?
;. Look as proity as you cAn. my dear, said
Airs. Parkorson, good natufoalJ' "thass tue
way to thank mel"
Rerciue your pardon, ma'am for inter
| ruuting you," said Mr. Pepper, the next morn
| iug, hnnbly dof.ing his cap: "but MIR Mellen
told me you would let me have the money OF
my little account
liam yery sorry. Mr.. Pepper" said sht
nervously; '.but you mus: call next month
Mr.. Mellen said you'd pay me without de-
lay, ma'am." ,1-,. o;,n ~
claimed Lottie haven't the money. Thatt
enough" :.
without auy mistake. I need it. ma'am to sene
| nv sick wife out to her mothers, and
| III hnye no time to stand here talking an,
longer" said Lottie. mortified, ashamed, ye
stilf irving to persuade herself that the man hat
no business to be persistent, ~ vii let yo'
have the sum as soon as possible. In the mean
time, you must walt!
pepper went away with q sad faco. which
bauntcd Mrs. Mellen for many i day. and Lottie
returned to the dress-makinG operations.
Mr.. Bentley Benedict leyeled his eyeglasses
at ler as she passed on, after the usual present
alton to her host and hostess.
$50 that is the wife Of your confidential clerk
eh. Joe?" said he to his brother: "a sill
Gown for Royal Princess, point lace tina
| cou1dn't have cost less than hundred dollars
yard, and diamonds that blaze like comets!
don't exactly fancy that sort Of eon1oent'a
clerk myself! Let ne seenhow much , oia %
tell me- you paid him: Fourteen hundred
Mr. Joe Benedict looked uncasily at the bril-
liant vision -.
IT can't account for it," said he, slowly. -
! alvaya supposed Melen to be reliable sort OF
fellow, but T must say don't like the looks
this, Tn afraid We have trusted him too ft
although the accounts seem straight enough
III look into them tomorrow.
Il He did look into them.
stSo far they are right" he said 70 himsel
uBut it is better to be on tho safe side: A cler
whose wife dresacs like d Duchess can't be alts
eether straight. Ill discharge him!"
So Clarence Nel1en lost his situation at the b.
ginning OF the winter, With hard times looklu
: hin gravely in the face.
Mr., Benedict told him frankly Why.
II sew your wife Mt my Brother Bentley
ball." said ho, dressed in moire-antque. cost
lace. and diamonds / bring no accueatlon,-
: have no complaint to make,-ony, III these ia,
Of embozzlement, forgery, and defalcatiop, Of
| has to look out for himself. And '6traTs sho
which yav the wind blows"
When k1r. Mellen went home, he found ]a'
: yer's clerk in the hall, with letter from POI
= Pepper.
He wrote:
, My wifo is dead. God Knows whether 1t is 70
! fault OF not. Had you paid the money You owed
might have sopt her West to her native air. It wou
At lea st hare been chance Of life for hex. But she
o qoue now and have only to say that, If the bill
T ateUr nj