Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-01-17
Maxco MISSOURI TE4UFssrAY. JANUARY n 1878.

milkmaid, and dress cut in the time
! of the French Revolution. Oh, dear,
what shsll we do with her@'
''The best we can," said Octavia,
CURLY. s'If she wasn't so tall, l
might lend her my last years tarla-
tan, but as it is
And a second shrug of the
shoulders finished the sentence.
Poor little Rosebud! She came
down stairs on New Years Day so
triumphant, in the checked silk dress
(Which had been altered over from
one of aunt Patty's), the mechlin lace
and the garnets.
The gas lighted; the room decorat-
ed with hot-house plants and flowers :;
the table sparkling with cut glass and
silver, wines and tropical fruits; and
the daughters Of the house, attired in
pale salmon silk dresses, with trains
yard and a quarter long, and decol-
> lete corsages, were posed at the fur
ther end Of the apartment in the most
graceful of attitudes.
"Oh, how lovely you are!' cried
: Rose.
And then, for the first time, it oc-
Cured to her mind that the checked
silk was perhaps a little faded and out
of date. And aunt Patty's darnet
mechlin had not quite the effect o
the quilled French blonde on Octavia'
dress, and the garnets looked pai'
beside Faustina's turquoises.
II wish had dress like yours.
said she, involuntarily.
Faustina tossed her head.
II should have thought" said she
THAT YOU might have provided your
self with something suitable for Il
occasion like this!'
A great choking lump rose into tn
girls throat.
IL thought the checked sill
would do" faltered she.
And longing came upon her
he back by the farmhouse fire, wit
uncle Zabdiel's wrinkled hand on h(
n head, and aunt Patty knitting by ii
iel wall of green geranium leaves.
nv ..Hush - said Faustina, sharply
ed .sour first call
as Inyolumtarily Rosa shrank bat
into the bay-window, as group
80 simpering, inanc young New Iorke
ith entered, in diamond studs, primro
IN kids. and the latest sartorial trinmph
ith The handsomest and most simperiI
of all handed his bat to Rosa.
el, MY I'd girl" said he. speakil
MP with lisp, will you be good enou!
rks to put thith in the hall for me:'
icy Faustina burst into shsill titts
Octayia looked annoyed.
90, ooh. it isn't the maid" said sh
ty. it's nv cousin from the country. N
md Defarge, let me introduce you to Nj
Hooper"
i .sBeg thontand pardonth, L
tthuah - said Mr.. Dcfargc, lit
at disconnected Cor the moment.
her "Did he really suppose was
Gle maid?" said poor Rosa, when til
4 were gone.
"What else can you expect, If y
h-a will dress yourself so outlandishly
tu- said Octavia, sharply.
And the long -anticipa. ed day pas
rS' cd bv. a succession Of sights a
W notifications to Rosa. Fausti
ra- took no trouble to conceal her scoI
and Rosa felt that her cousin Octa'
-e" was doing her best to keep her III
ay' background rs much as possible.
. ooh" thought she, ''if l had Oh
. taken nncle Zabdiel's advice, and
'''> mained at homc!"
"Six O'clock" said Octavia, d'
= inc a lull in the succession of cal
"and Mr.. Poyntz has not been h'
~" vet. Oh, there's carriage now! Qnl'
o, ,s" Fausty, with your gloves! Rosa,
'n' stand back little in the shade
W That dress of yours is too antique
On For Miss Octavia's spirits w
u. = slightly raised by the amount of w
a." she had slipped during the day.
Rosa turned scarlet; she wo'
- have left the room if the dreaded !
49,. Poyntz had not been directly in
md way.
ssTall. grave. and handsome,
80 80 stood there, half frightening the Ii
~ country lass out of her wits by
:, -, dressing his conversation to her. L
,lo, fOrtunabeiyi VIC Ni9So"i"S '"ihN"
w 49, books. Rosa had read those to wi
he alluded, and the Misses Smil
a. who confined their literary invest
tons chiefly to the fashion magazi
had not. Her fresh, dimpled
so' frightened up, the color came |
+o ber check, anu the sparkle 10
- deep brown eyes.
,,,n 81 wonder what Mr.. PCyntz
possi'.ly see in Rosa Hooper to
ann. tract him so?" said Faustina, to
, sister, as they turned to WELDON
in, > new bevy Of visitors.
. tho And presently Octavia was p
100. inc wine and refreshments upon