Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1878-11-30
Only a Farmer.

dressing-room, one pleasant morning
in June. 1t consisted of Mrs. Will
son and her three unmarried daugh-
ters, and the subject under such ami
mated and anxious discussion was how
and where they should open their
usual summer campaign.
1t had always been an interesting
subject, and, to the maternal element,
attended with considerable anxiety,
but never such a matter Of perplexity,
almost amounting to despair, as now.
The contents of the various ward
robes had been laid out and examined;
silks and musIlns, cambrics and
lawns, sufficient, it would seem, for a
dozen; and yet the two elder Misses
Wilson's declared with tears in their
eyes, "that they had nothing, absolu-
telp nothing, fit to wear
1t is noteworthy with what sur
prising unanimity the two sisters
agreed on this point. who so seldom
agreed on any other.
Mrs. Wilson looked with dismay on
the fnery spread out before her, after
listening to the above assertion.
I'm sure, my dears," she ventured
to say, "some Of them are hardly
worn, and with little alteration"
Nov, mamma = interrupted Belle,
"why will you talk so ridiculously ?
When you know that there is not
thing here but what is wretchedly
out of style! And as to altering
anything, it always gives me pain
in the side to sew, and I'm not going
to Saratoga all tagged out, if I never
go"
OF course, this settled that. It is
little curious what small amount
Of work will "fag" girl "all out"
who can dance until the break of day
without the slightest inconvenience.
"There's one thing certain" said
Lucy, the second daughter, we've
got to have at least one new dress"
Il don't know where it's coming
from then," responded Mrs. Wilson,
sinking down YEARLY into chair.
ut was as much as I could do to get
your pa to consent to your going at all.
It was two o'clock last night before
he gave in, and then 7 verify believe,
it Was from pure Ngc;1ess, and ina
bility to keep awake any longer
Mrs. Wilson said this with the air
Of & woman determined to perform
her duty at all hazards, and anxious
to obtain credit for the same.
But il seemed to have quite the
contrary effect upon Josie, the young
est dau8 hter, who had not before spok-
Ell, but who now bursts forth:
Il declare, if it isn't a sin and a
shame, mamma, for you to worry pa
so !"
Mrs. Wilson cast a reproachful
lock upon the speaker.
q will say, Josie, that you are the
most ungrateful child l ever saw I'd
like to know how much 1ac2ey I'd get
out of your pa if l didn't worry It
out. But that all the thanks I get
for lying awake of nights scheming
and planning how to get you chance
to get settled in life"
I'D thank you for doingeo. I'm not
gcing to Saratoga o, Long Branch.
In the first place, 1 know that pa
can't afford it. And then promised
Mary Crofton that I would visit her
this summcr."
Though Mrs. Wilson affected to be
displeased at this announcement, she
was secretly relieved.
Belle and Lucy were very we'll suit
ed with this arrangement too. Josie
was very handy at furnishing up and
making over, and if she was deter
mined to bury herself in a country
farm house, she would not need to do
so much of that for herself, and could,
therefore, devote more time to them
And so busy did they keep her dur
ing the two weeks that followed, that
Josie was glad enough to see the big
trunks all packed and waiting in the
hall.
To save expenses, Mrs. Wilson had
arranged to dismiss the servants, and
shut up the house, with the exception
Of one room for her husband, who was
to take his meals at his sisters.
"Of course, she won't charge him
anything, so that will be one item
saved" remarked Mrs. Wilson, as