The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-01-02

.dO0ght and addltOnai TOLL. n removal even
Into q new house must be a sort of domestic
calamity. Yet when fairly domiciled be-
meath new roof, it is very pleasant to re
ceive and entertain the friends who testify
their regard for you by visiting.
John Goodwin was now frequent visitor
at our house. Father said he came to see
Kate She said he came TO see me. What
ever / may have really thought said that
his visits seemed to be only friendly ones to
the family.
One thing was certain, John Goodwin's
visits were very pleasant; and no one was
more welcome than he was. l may say that
much with propriety.
No sooner were we settled in the new
house than father was seized with one of his
periodical cattle buying fits. We begged of
him to rest little and enjoy his ease, but in
vain. In Illinois this desire to trade IN
cattle becomes, like intemperance or the
opium habit, mania.
Being custodian or banker for the money
used in this cattle trade, found the new
safe mentioned before a thing of great con-
venielce.
Sincs this safe was destined to act part
not expected of it, description of its loca-
ton will serve TO make more clear what is to
follow.
In the sitting room, up stairs, was large
bat narrow closet. This safe was placed at
the farther end of the closet. Being of the
same width ss the closet, some woodwork,
added after the safe was in place, fastened it
securely in its position. 1t could only be
moved by tearing away the woodwork the
whole length of the closet.
We found life now quite different from
what it had been on the farm. Less OF care
and more of dress. and regard for the re-
| guirements of society.
| We made some very pleasant new &C
| quaintances; and since we did not lose any
old friends by being little greater distance
| from them, the removal was a gain of some
| thing.
So the DAYS and weeks rolled by until the
holidays were at hand. The parties and So
| cial gatherings of the country were simple
| affairs, with so little of formality or cere-
| mony that a stranger might almost call them
rude. A genuine ball none of us had ever
attended; can you wonder, then, that coun-
| try girls like sister Kate and l should have
| such dreams of unusual splendor concern
| Ing the governors ball?
| John Goodwin had become our most fire.
quent visitor. There were a great many
| Jokes banded among the family concerning
his visits. Whether he did or did not sus-
| pect something of this, he was singularly i'm
| partial in his attentions to Kate and myself.
| We both liked him. We could not be jeal-
Gus of each other yet 1 think each would
have felt grateful sense of relief had he
been p,ore marked and positive in his atten-
| tons ~ either.
John Goodwin entered heartily into all
| plans for the holiday festivities, and es-
| pscially this browning effort the ball at the
/ governors mansion New Years eve. He had
attended more than one similar ball and so
| could give us great many hints.
Ten DAYS before New Years Nelly Fenwick
| came to visit us and spend the holidays, but
most of all TO go with US to this, our first
! ball.
Father was absent a good deal, and that
| TObT Gvrir, x-iSifa oil fha
more desirable. He was our escort to nearly
| every place we went and it came about so
| quietly and naturally that We scarcely
| thought of going anywhere, even to church,
without him.
He was TO be our escort to the ball, until
young Burnett, who had become desperately
| smitten with Nelly, insisted upon taking her.
Then it was managed that Kate should 20
with them and John Goodwin should fall TO
me alone. / was afraid it was not quite
agreeable to him, and begged him to take
| Kate and let me go with Nelly. When had
| said this to him few nights before, was
surprised but not displeased at what fol-
lowed.
'Do you prefer to go with them rather
| than with me?' he asked with one of his
| grave, sober looks.
'No, but 1 thought you would be better
| pleased to have it so"
81 am best pleased to have you to myself;
| so don't alter the present arrangement"
That, of course, settled it; but, although
1 was pleased that he should declare his
preference for my company, there was no
| ground for feeling il was more than the
courtesy any gentleman may show lady.
All through the holidays we were busy
making. altering, planning, devising new
adOrnments for this, our first ball. There
was dressmaker in the house all the time,
and our own fingers had not been idle. IL
| had proved q serious matter to our young
and inexperienced heads
The last day of the old year had come, and
| the fipishi3g touches had been given to our
! ball dresses. Another serious matter was
| the hair dressing. The coiffure has so much
to do with ones general appearance that it
is no trife TO choose Just that style most
| becoming to the wearer, and yet accord
properly with the dress and its concOmmi-
| tants. Older heads than ours have pondered
| long over it and then gone wrong. Expert
/ ment is the surest way.
Nellie and Kate had dressed my hair in
what they conceived to be the most becom-
| ing way; then the new ball dress was put on
| to try the effect. They were criticising and
suggesting changes when father came III.
He stopped at the door moment and sur
| veyed us. We expected to hear a good
natured laugh at our serious vanity.
"Bless me, little GIRL he said catching
me suddenly in his arms and kissing me, ~
never saw you look like that before; and
and-I don't know whether ought to laugh
or cry
There were tears in his eyes actually-the
dear old father. Then he had all our arms
around his neck, until he broke from US
laughing.
Sarah, our housegirl, had come to the door
for something, and stood there, keenly
watching this unusual performance. When
father was on his feet, he took out two small
packages, and tossing them into Kate's lap
and mine said:
Little girls, your Christmas didn't come
this year until New Years; but here it is at
last"
Each package was roll of bills, which
proved to be ten bank notes of five hundred
dollars each.
IL was so unexDected and so much too