Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1878-04-05
1 had sold anything to one of those second
hand dealers ?"

to Mrs. Jennings reception next week."
Mr.. Peveril put down the newspaper
and twisted himself around in the cas-.
chair, to obtain better view Of his wife''
smiling face.
Another white silk dress !" said HI
"Why, you've got one already, haven
you ?"
ooh, that's worn out long ago. prompt
ly responded Mrs. Peveril.
eTimes are hard, Rosabel,'' said Mr.
Peveril, impressively.
Mrs. Peveril felt for her handkerchief
'sYou wouldn't have your wife go into
society looking ike a dowdys would you =
said She a' ~ y
ssCan't you wear some of your silk
frocks ?''
GIVE set my heart on white gros
grain" said Mrs. Peveril, plaintively.
Mr.. Peveril took up the paper again
and his wife had the good sense to say nc
more. ot.4
Hell get it for me,,,' thought she and
she chuckled to herself in a secret sort Of
way, as she thought Of the ten dollar bill
she had made out OF the old dress.
Mr.. Peveril stopped at dry goods pal
ace the next day, and priced white gros
grain. It was four dollars yard.
'And how many yards does. it take to
make dress ?" asked he. aa
The polite clerk really could not say. II
depended SO much on the height and pro
portions of the lady. From twenty five to
thirty yards was, however ss
ssAnd the dressmaker's bill on top Of
that" almost shouted Mr.. Peveril. "No
won't take it to-day"
And he strobe away, muttering dire
anathemas on the extravaganza of the age
How he came to select Blessington
Street as the especial down town route fol
that pal ticular day, he never knew, but
select it he did. And in front of an estab'
lishment which was half concealed by q
grove Of dresses swinging from above, as
If half dozen ladies had committed sui.
eide by wholesale, he espied the following
placard:
'sBargins in Ball Dresses with
in.' 3@l
ssBy Jove!" said Mr.. Peveril, staring
up at the Tapping flounces and the empty
sleeves, which seemed to beckon at every
gust ofiwind. 81 never thought of that!"
The next instant he felt himself taken
insinuatingly by the arm and hurried into
the store, with persuasive voice in his
ear, begging to know in what way they
could possibly serve him.
Scot any white silk ball dresses - de-
handed Mr.. Peveril. 49, -
How fortunate it was, protested Miss
Naomi Isaacs (who was exactly like her
mother, only a size smaller, that they had
just received an invoice of that very article
from Paris
"They must be gros grain!' added Mr..
Peverill, remembering his instructions.
"Gros grain is the exact material =;
cried Miss Naomi, with clasped hands and
uplifted eyes.
And she brought out white silk dress,
trimmed with cheap Spanish blonde, and
smelling rather strong of benzine.
"That's the article said Mr.. Peveril, his
face glowing with satisfaction. ''Almost
exactly like the last one she had. What is
the price of that dress 2"
Miss Naomi, after referring to the books
of the establishment, answered that the
\ r ri of five
lars.
''Seventy-fve dollars!' repeated Mr..
Peveril. "Isnt that rather steep, now,
for second hand dress ?"
s'But look at the material" smiled Miss
Naomi Isaacs. "And then, you know,
sir, the dress is all made and trimmed so
exquisitively. You have no dressmaker's
bill of thirty or forty dollars to payl"
CHATS very true.' said Mr.. Peveril.
Gin these times one must economize."
So he paid down the seyenty-iye dollars
and walked out of the store with the CHAR
gin,'' neatly folded in a monster paste
board box under his arm.
And all the day long he smiled mysteri-
ously to himself whenever he thought of
the agreeable surprise which he had in
store for Mis-. Pevelil that night.
"Well, darling" said he as he came into
his wife's sitting-room- boudoir, she called
it.
"Well," she answered, with a responsive
smile. t,.e.r
GIVE got it p w.
'sGot what ?"
The white silk gown flinging the box
toward her. Just from Paris. All made
and trimmed, and ready to put on p
'.Oh, you darling!'' cried Mrs. Peveril,
effusively, as she jumped up and kissed her
Iiege lord on each SIDE of his countenance,
and then in the middle.
And then she cut the string with her
scissors, and opened the pasteboard box,
expecting to behold some marvel of
Worth's, or exquisite creation of Madam
Elise's.
ooh, my goodness gracious ~ said Mrs.
Peveril, recoiling.
"What is it, my dear p questioned Mr..
Peveril.
''Take it away - said Mrs. Peveril.
"What for - said Mr.. Peveril.
sits the same one!'' sobbed the lady
with the grease spots taken out by nasty
benzine, and few yards of cotton blonde
basted across the front. Horace Peveril,
where did you get it 20
"At Madam Isaacs', on Blessington
street, said Mr.. Peveril, beginning to re-
alize that there was some terrible mistake
somewhere. Sand 1 gave seventy-6ve
dollars for it,
"Seventy-five dollars ?'' shrieked Mrs.
Poveril. ssAnd l sold it to her yesterday,
for ten.''