The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1877-04-18
A Struggle for Appearance.

81 have tickets for the concert to-
night, Annie" said James Henley,
coming into the sitting room where his
wife was working the sewing machine
with busy whirr.
ooh, James, how 1 wish l could
goW
The light died away from the hus-
bands face in a second
"Wish you could go, Annie Why
of course you can 60"
II can't James. / must finish these
three dresses before Sunday, aud it
will take every minute" J."
"Three dresses ?"
"For. Jennie, Susan and Lotlie. All
the spring things are ready but these
dresses"
But this is only Wednesday,"
II know, james; but look at the
work. There are overskirts to each
and ruffles on all the waists. Jennie's
has three hounces. All the children
in the congregation are well dressed,
james. You cannot afford to put the
sewing out, SO / must do it."
Let the children dress murc simply
then. Come Annie, stop chat buzz
for once, aud come to this concert"
Cant you go?'
"And leave you | should not en-
JOY it if l knew you were stitching
here. Come"
With heavy sigh, as if James were
exacting sacrifice instead of giving
her pleasure, Annie left the room
and went to her own apartment to
dress for the concert.
All through the evening, whilo her
husband drank in the sweet sounds in
which he delighted, Annie, her face
all polite interest, was thinking of the
unfinished work.
"Was it not delightful ?" James said.
They walked home in the soft, spring
moonlight.
Delightful! am glad l went,
James; Mrs. Gordon had on her new
spring dress, and her dresses all came
from London. The trimming on her
basque is quite a new style, and l am
sure can put Jennie's on in the same
way"
Sunday morning shope clear and
clouGless. Mrs. Henley had. put the
last stitch into Lottie's dress as the
clock struck twelve, and she awaken
ed with q pain in her chest and a
headache, but feeling Of triumph.
Her children would wear their new
things, and that cost nothing but the
material. Nothing! Mrs. Henley did
not estimate the hours spent over the
machine, the wearing, the neglect Of
many little duties. There had been
no actual money laid out in dress
making, SO it is clear gain oD the ma
terial.
Very pretty the children looked
when they were ready for church.
Jennie aud Susan, twins Of ten years
old, were dressed alike, in delicate
pearl color, trimmed with blue, and
hats of the newest shape and blue rib
bons. Lottie wore cerise color, with
cerise trimming, for Lottie was q bru-
nette of seven.
The charges at starting for Sunday
school we're:
"Be sure and lift your overskirts
when you sit down; don't lean back
upon the streamers of your hat, and
walk where you will not spoil your
light boots. Don't stain your gloves" "
"Oyerdressed, Annie, remarked Mr..
Henley. "Your own dresses are not
more elaborate"
at is the fashion now to cut chill
dren's dresses like ladies. But you
ought to be proud Of your children
James. Everybody compliments me
upon my taste with which l dress
them"
"Annie !" Mr.. Henley said, sud
denly leading his wife to the mirror,
"look at your own face"
"Well," she said, wondering what he
could mean
"Your checks are as white as chalk;
here is heavy line under your eyes,
and your whole air is that of woman
worked to death"
james, what nonsense %
"IL is not nonsense. l wish it was
Five years ago you had the complex
ion of child, as clear and rosy as Su-
sans, Your eyes then were bright,
and full Of animation. You had young
children, a house to keep in order, and
just half our present income. Yet yoG
could find leisure for q daily walk,
could read in the evening or sing for
me, could enjoy an occasional social
pleasure or entertainment. l had a
wife then"
Flames what do you mean ?"
al mean that i'm nlace If my honDv