The Van Buren press., 1878-01-08

LES, HOW Is tDe uOuT VI Hccu.
will send the money immedately-in
your name, my little girl. ! wish !
could add fifty or hundred dollars to
your mite, Essie; but it is impossible for
me to spare it now"
81 hope You didn't think was mean,
Nettie. not to lend my money to you,
but you have so many pretty dresses
alpeady that thought I'd rather give ii
to those poor starving people" Essie
said to her sister as they were going to
bed that night.
Certainly not, little goosey, think
like papa, that you put it to good
use.h
Nettie lay awake long while that
night. for q sudden, startling and per-
picking question presented itself nncere-
monionsly to her consideration ii Essie
ha male wise use of her money, was
not she going to make very foolish use
of hers She debated the question in all
its bearings, aud tumbled and tossed un
easily on her very easy and comfortable
bed. Nettie was not used to making
sacrifices. There had been no need of
any self sacrifice in her bright young life.
and this was the first time she had ever
felt called upon to deny herself in any
way.
Fifty dollars will 60 but little way
in relieving their thesr great distress"
she thought; "and there is no use Of
wearing my old dress, and having all the
girls make disagreeable remarks about me
because lot of people whom ! never
saw and never will see, and who, I'm sure
would never help me, happen to be poor
and needy. There are plenty ofpeople
who will help them, and there is no need
of giving up my dress
But then ifevery one should think as
she did, and seashly leave II to some one
else to relieve the necessities Of the poor 7
But then, again, everybody was going to
have new dress for this party ; aud Phil
would be there, and he always liked her
to appear among the best Well, 1t was
perplexing and dsagreeable either Nay,
SO why not decide on the most agreeable
alternative2
"Ill buy my dress the first thing in
the morning; then can't be tempted
to-No, I'll ask papa Which | ought to do.
No, | can't do that, tor he'll only say as
he did to Essie. Spend your money as
you like; it is your own, and will con
using it, and think how selfish am to
spend it for myself. Oh dear wish l
had bought my dress this morning then
there would have been no question of
right and wrong"
Nette ran to her room the first thing
after breakfast, to take a look at the old
blue silk. She threw it on the bed and
looped the lace dress over it with some
palo pink rose.hnds a"a 70 q. -<lainiy ioo he
le-e,s, nct n, a,h .,oGs.aea.'H n .ttar III
girls would have thought. But then,
Nettie had certainly worn the dress many
times before, and her friends were well
acquainted with all its defects, as well
as its beauties.
There's where Eve Mason put her
foot on the train the first time wore it;
| always thought she did it on purpose
mean, spiteful thing, although she apollo
pized and was so sweet and so sorry
Here's where Allen Page dropped choco
late ice over the back width ! can cover
that with the lace and flowers. There's
where Arthur Dolany splashcd in with
champagne the night he was so dread
fully under its influence; that's the worst
place, and don't know how | shall con
ceal it; perhaps can drape my sash
gracefully over it, pinning it tight to the
skirt beneath the loopes, and it won't
look so dreadful. Oh, dear! after all,
the worst thing about it is that I've
worn it half dozen times already, and
everybody knows it, aud will say, There
comes Ncttie Locke in her old blue
again.
This last thought was SO narrowing,
Nettie couldn't restrain few tears, and
they fell drip. drip. on the i" old blue"
and added another stain to its already
damaged beauty.
Right on the bosom too" Nettie
said, drying her tears quickly. =" How-
ever, it isn't so bad can cover it with
some natural roses
She sat down on the bed beside the
still lovely dress-though it had ceatainly
seen its best days-and pinned flower
here and a ribbon there, singing softly
the while one of Strauss exquisite walt,
yes. The delicious air she was singing
took her thoughts captive presently, and
carried them far away from the present
and ell its perplexties. She dropped the
flowers, rich ribbonr and lace from heI
listess hands, as mental vision passed
before her of the coming bal--a vision
of fair young girl in cloud of mist
like tulle and rosy blossoms, vision al
Turing as Aurora herself when she comes
through the gates Of the dawn, scattering
roses and dewy diamonds in the pathway
of the day god: vision that brings
flush to her dheeks and sparkle to hei
eyes She sees the tender light in hel
lovers eyes as he bends to tell her how
fair she is in his eyes and in tho eyes OF
all men she hears the passionate sweet
ness of waltz and gallop, the passionate
sweetness of whispered words and low
replies but above the music OF thu
bands, above the sweeter music OF heI
lovers voice, above the sound OF laugh
ing voices and dancing feet. she hears
cry for help and suooor' She gave las
deciding look at the old blue, With III
stains of wines and sweets, and last de
spring thought to the vision of herself
radiant, beautiful in feeey tula and ros,
blossoms then drew her purse from he
4. q. -,