Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1876-06-14
A Wasted Life.

tonight, Abba" said James Hen
ley, coming into the sitting room,
where his wife was running a sew
ing machine with busy whirl.
"Oh, James, how | wish could
go%
The light died away from her
husbands face in a second.
"Wish you could go, Abba! Why
of course you will 60"
II can't James. / must finish
these three dresses before Sunday,
and it will take every minute"
"Three dresses -
"For Jennie, Susie and Lolita.
1t is Ea ter Sunday, you know, and
all the spring things are ready but
these dresses"
But this is only Wednesday"
81 know, James but look at the
work. There are overskirts Of each,
and rufhes on all the waists. Jen-
MES has three founces."
81 suppose it is useless for me to
repeat what | have said so often,
Abba, that you are foolish in choice
Ct work. Little girls do not re-
quire the fnery you put upon your
children"
But all the children in the con-
gregation are well dressed, James.
You cannot afford to put sewing
out, 20 must do it."
Let the children dress more sim
ply, then. Come, Abba, stop tSs'
buzz for once and go to thu con-
cert. / think We can ~ survive
the disgrace if ~ children wear
some Of ~ dresses they have, on
Say. II is SO seldom any really
good music is in our reach at l.,
that hate to miss hearing it"
Cant you go p
"And leave you! | should not
enjoy il if | knew you were stitch
ing here. Come y
With heavy sigh, as If James
was exacting a sacrifice, instead Of 7
giving her a pleasure, Abba left the
room, and went 10 her own apart 4
meat to dress for the concert
While she dressed she was calculat- I
ing closely the time she must save
10 make up for her evening of I
pleasure. By rising an hour earli-
er and retiring an hour later, she
might be able TO finish the dainty
silks that were to excite the envy
Of all the mothers Of l. on Sun
day. All through the evening,
while her husband drank in the
sweet sounds in which he delight
ed, Abba with her face all polite
interest, was thinking of the unfin-
shed work.
"Was it uot delightful :" James
said as they walked home in the
soft spring moonlight.
Delightful / am glad went,
James. Mrs. Carbon had on her
new spring suit, and her dresses all
come from New York. The trim '
ming on her basque is quiet new
style, and / am sure / can put Jen- .
lie's on in the same way" {
So the talk went on, and the sew !
ny machine whirred for two hours {
.fter James slept, so that Abba
night not forget how the trimming {
vas put on the new basque she had {
cen.
Sunday morning shone clear and {
'.oudless. Mrs. Henley had put the Z
asst stitch in Lotta's dress as the 6
lock struck twelve, and she awak- ,
med with a pain in her chest and a Z
headache, but with feeling Of tri- Q
lmph. Her children would wear ,
heir new spring suits, that has r
ost nothing but the material. I
Nothing! Mrs. Henley did not es- q
innate the hours spent over the
Machine, the WEAKNESS, the neglect 7
{ many little duties. There had
cen no actual money laid out in d
ressmaking, so it was clear gain b
u material. b
Very pretty the children looked a
hen they were ready for church, b
ennie and Susie, twins Of ten r
ears old, were dressed alike in 3
elicate pearl color, trimmed with b
lue, and hats Of the newest shape 4
it'll blue ribbons. Lolita wore I
erise color with cerise trimming, :,
II Lolita was brunette Of seven. q
The charges at starting for Sun b
ny School were: n
BE sure you lift your overskirts
hen you sit down, don't lean back n
pom the streamers of your hats, A