The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-10-13
A DOWDY.

Somebody called over the staircase,
"Better take an umbrella, Cora; it will
rain before night" Cora frowned, hest
tated, and, looking upward, said; "pd
almost rather get wet. 1t is such nui-
sance." but you'll spoil your hat" re-
piled the voice, and you know you can't
have another this season. Pocket
your pride, and don't be stupid" 1t was
too true. Hetty was right, as indeed she
had a rather unpleasant habit of being,
and disguised Cora retraced her steps
with muttered "Bother" to profit by
the unpalatabie advice. The umbrella
referred to was a sort of old-man-of the
sea to Cora. She hated the very sight of
it. 1t was of cotton, turned foxy with
long wear, unusually large and discour-
agingly strong, seemed never likely to
wear out, and, though not broken any
where, had a tloppy, loose way with it
which no amount of folding or fastening
could overcome. 1t aoOuLd look baggy
and dissipated, no matter what you did
with it, and Cora declared it was regu-
larly on the " Camp" order, and that she
felt at least fifty every time sne took it
in hand.
For year past she had been wickedly
bent upon treating herself to dapper
silk one that should be credit to her on
all occasions, and one which should re-
lease her from all necessity to use the
family article and deliver her from the
miserable consciousness that. every one
who saw it knew at once that they were
poor and lived in rooms, that she herself
worked by the week in sewing machine
establishment, and that her mother and
elder sister did dress-making at home.
But alas their means were narrow, and
money getting proved uphill work to the
three women, industrious though they
were. Cora was too honest and cOnscien-
tious not to contribute her share toward
the slender housekeeping, and by the
time this was done very little ever re-
manned with which to obtain the pretty
but often-costly trifles a girl needs to
keep herself in good form
By practicing the closest economy and
considerable self-denial she had in six
months contrived to save thirty dollars,
which sum she proposed to expend in the
purchase of suit which should be good
enough to last for several years, and pref
W OhOuSh w LldhC hCi lCCl az CuoC WHICH
she went out to church, or for the rare and
modest pleasure trips which sometimes
fell to her lot. Cora was eighteen, and
decidedly pretty, and it was natural
enough that she should keenly desire
that her dress should be reasonably
fresh and appropriate cut of working
hours, and though Sister Hetty, who was
older and rather religious, did sometimes
make sarcastic remarks about vanity"
and "a desire for show" Cora felt that,
without INDUCING in any very great
weakness, she had a perfect right to
LOOK as well as she could on her own
earnings. Therefore the natty umbrella
she had so long desired still remained un.
purchased, and she set forth to her work
on this doubtful spring morning with the
detested Camp" in her hand, its ample
folds tapping in the east wind, and ut.
terly bidding defiance to button and
band.
1t was the first week in May, the rent
was due, and Mrs. Waylie had desired
Cora to carry the sum, twenty five dol
lars, out with her, and during her lunch
hour to call upon the agent from whom
they hired their rooms and discharge the
debt, She had, upon receiving the
money from her mother, put it in her
shabby little purse, which contained be-
sides only few stamps for car fares, as
Cora was too sensible to carry with her
any more money than she was likely to
require for immediate use. The impor.
tant thirty dollars which was to make
her fine some day soon was snugly re.
posing in the dress.up purse in Cora's
bureau-drawer, ready for future use
She trotted on briskly toward the shop,
mentally conversing with herself as she
went. Don't believe it will rain, after
all; looks as if it might clear in an hour
Bother this thing | wish l had left it
home. Rained enough in the night,
though. The mud is dreadful and | do
wish"-this with scowl at the umbrella
and another at the wide avenue whose