The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-06-13
How Callsta Went to Church.


| | am going to tell you true story Of
something that occurred about thirty
years ago, away out in Iowa. When
Callsta Moore was 6 years old, she was
about as full of fun and mischief as any
little girl need be. At that time her
eldest sister came home, after long alb
sence. She had been away in Cincin-
natl, at her uncle's, but now she was go
ing to be married, SO she came back to
her old home, with trunk packed full
of beautiful new clothes.
Little Calista's eager, expectant ewes
danced with delight as the carriage
drove up, and she capered about all the
evening, with the new doll and picture
book sister Jennie brought her pressed
rapturous1y to her bosom. When at
last she was carried off to bed. she
struggled little, but the sight of the
great unopened trunk in the hall awed
her into silence.
What's in it r. she whispered to her
sister Mollie.
"Lots Of nice things, I guess, and
sister Jennie's new clothes" This was
enough to set Calista's imagination
going, and all night long she dreamed of
the most wonderful chests, all full of the
loveliest toys, and beautiful dresses of
every size and color. In the morning
when she came down stairs, the mysteri-
GUS trunk had disappeared from sight,
but not from mind.
"Jennie," she said, timidly, elast
night when I went to bed, | saw the
beautifulest trunk in the hall, and now it
isn't anywhere. Where have they token
it too"
Is Let me see, said Jennie. 81 believe
they carried it up stairs, and put it in
the front chamber"
"What'sin it, Jennie ?" she persisted,
with soft, ca1essing motion of her
plump little hands.
'' Nothing for curious little girls, %
said her sister; "only some clothes,
which you shall see some day, if you are
good girl, and don't ask too many
questions.
During the days which followed, there
was many long conference with closed
doors in the front chamber, from which
Calista was excluded. And the wonder
grew and grew in the child's mind until
she lived in world of mystery. Atlast,
one Sunday it happened that all the
household went to church, leaving Ca
lista alone with Nora, the house-maid.
But Nora was busy in the kitchen,
and the child went roaming about the
he use at her own sweet will.
"There can't be any harm, she said
to herself, as she mounted the stairs,
g in just going into the front chamber,
and looking at the trunk. I'm sure no
body would care if I should do that.
So she opened the door and stepped in
side. Never before had the company
room, as she called it, looked so solemn
and magnificent as then, with its high
post bedstead, and closely-drawn cur
tains.
She tiptoed softl7 up to the trunk,
and stood for some time, spelling out
her sister, name on the cover, Jennie
Moore. "That sounds pretty" she
said to herself. 81 wonder if shall
have trunk with my name on it when I
get big? wonder what is inside? It
couldn't be the leastest bit of harm to
look. Anyway, sister Jennie said I
should see sometime, and / might just
as well now, as to wait until I am old. !"
She tried to lift the lid, but it wouldn't
come. It was locked. She knelt down
by the side, and uttered little excla-
nation of triumph. The key was in the
lock. Her right hand shook so when
she took hold of the key that she had
to take both hands to turn 1t. Then she
raised the lid and peeped in. In the sub
dued light she could mot see plainly, but
she passed her chubby hands over
some soft, sheeny fabric. Then she
gathered it up into her arms, and carried
it to the window. Pretty" she said,
and held it up TO her round cheek.
And pretty thing it was truly. A
dove-colored brocade silk wedding
dress. But Calista did not know
this IF she had known chat her sister
was going to be married, and that these
were her wedding clothes, [ dare say
she would never have done the thing
she did do that day, and this story
would never have been written. She
laid the shining dress down in chair
and went back to her explorations. The
next article she came to was white
Grape shawl, with long silk fringe, and
heavily embroidered.
This she carried to the window, and
held close to her face and patted ap-
provingly, murmuring "pretty" She
deposited it by the side Of the dress, and
returned to the trunk, from whose mys-
ferrous depths she fshed up dove-col
ored silk parasol, lined with white, and
bandbox, which, being opened, dis
played to her delighted gaze the daint.
lest of wedding bonnets, all dove-color
and white, with the very sweetest pink
and white artifcials.
Little cries of delight escaped her, as
she lifted it out and turned it over and
. over in her hands.
Ell put it on" she said. So she
carried it to the mirror, and adjusted il
on her head. Then she shook out the
long folds of the silk brocade and put il
on, and hooked it over her print frock.
Then, spreading the white shawl on the
floor, and folding it neatly from corner
to corner, she drew it up about he1