The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-26
The Dove-CoIored Silk.
George Eliot.

| lUO DUVCNOUlUlC W OllNt
BY kind and thoughtful arrange
ment on the part of their employers,
every domestic in the house of Sir
John Dayton, baronet and banker, re.
ceived his or her salary precisely one
week before Christmas day.
Very bright and tempting look the
tiny pile of sovereigns that Lottie
Warde, Miss Dayton's own maid, car
ried away to her chamber, and sat
meditating over, with cloud on her
pretty face such as it seldom wore.
Last Christmas the spending of her
money had cost her no trouble,
except a quickly stifled regret that
she could not do more with it for
those dear ones, whose kisses and JOY
full thanks had been such pleasant re-
quital Of her generosity.
Although she was as dutiful and
loving a daughter and as kind sister
as of yore, there had been an event in
Lottie's life since the year begun that
was closely connected with the impa-
tient sigh she gave, as she sat gazing
at her gold, and abstractedly turningi it
over and over in her palm. She had
met at the house of an old friend of
her late father, young man So well
connected that many wondered he
should think Of wedding girl who
was Gin service" Mr.. Charles Mori-
son, they argued, with his good pros
poets and excellent situation in the
office of Smithson Brothers, ought to
look higher for a wife than Lottie
Warde, whose father had died bank
rupt, and whose mothers sole depend
ence was the annuity which some Of Mr..
Warde's compassionate creditors had
purchased for her. But If Charles
Morrison heard these things limited, he
laughed and forgot them. He loved
Lottie for herself-her sweet temper,
her good principles, and the pretty
face and figure, that were always set
off by the perfect neatness and pro-
prietY with which she dressed.
Lottie, however, had taken to heart
many of the remarks made in her
presence or told her by ill-natured
friends, and had rather hastily de-
cided in her own mind that the rela-
tives of her affianced husband looked
down upon her because Of her
position. This fancy-for it was no
more-had made her shy Of meeting
them, and unwilling to accept the in
vitations so kindly sent to her. But
Charlie had made a point of her acced-
ing to his parents wish that she
should join the family paAy they al
ways gathered round them at their
handsome house at Clapham on the
eve of the great festival; and as Miss
Dayton mad cheerfully consented to
spare her, she had not been abe to
excuse herself.
Naturally timid and shrinking from
strangers, Lottie looked forward to
this visit as an ordeal rather than a
pleasure. She was to be introduced
to Charles married sister from Man
chester and to the wealthy uncle
from whom he had expectations; and
her anxiety that they should think
we'll of her, eliminated in the inquiry,
"What shall [ wear?"
1t was no use discussing this ques-
ton with her betrothed. She knew
he would say that nothing could be in
better taste than the well-titting, dark
merino that had been her best dress
since the commencement Of the
autumn. But Lottie had her share of
girlish vanity, and as she raised her
eyes to her looking-glass vision rose
before her of a certain dove-colored
silk in MERGERS window near st.
Paul's that would become her adm ir-
ably. It was true that such an ex.
pensive purchase would absorb every
farthing in her possession, but she
chose to ignore this.
So strong grew the temptation that
when Lottie went that evening to visit
her mother she fingered long at the
mercer's window, and decided that
on the very morrow the dove-colored
silk should be her own. ...
The children threw down their books
and toys when Lottie entered, for they
loved her dearly, and Mrs. Warde,
though she had been wearing a very
anxiousface, as she stitched busily al
ssome childish garment, contrived to
smile at her eldest daughter, who.
however, was not easily deceived.
Something has gone wrong,
mother; I am sure Of 1t by your looks
What is it?" --s....
Nothing you can alter, dear; moth
Ing in fact, that I ought to dwell upon.
I heard. by chance. that the mau