Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-09-04

for three additional yards of silk
Her heart sank as she broke her
last $40 to pay for this and the nee
essary Innings and facings. buttons
and cord, without which DO feminine
garment can be brought into exist
ence. Ard Aunt Maria's cloak
shrank more In it's proportions until
it entirely passed out Of sight.
/ shall do the rest myself" she
said to Susan James, as the latter
laid by her work at the end of the
third day.
"Do you think you CAM" There
wac disappointment in Susan's faded
eyes. THAT blind stitch is hard TO
do nicely if one is not used TO it,"
Poor SusAnl Even one more day
would be something. 1t would earn
the price of New Year dinner.
Work was not easily found in thfse
days, and she had depended upon at
least q week here.
81 am sorry; and | know it isn't
easy TO do Tho tears were in
Mrs. Fay's eyes; was she not worn
out with it already? "But, indeed,
Susan, l must do &C."
So Susan folded the waist neatly
and laid it with lingering hand
beside the skirts on Mrs. Fay's own
bed, then donned her old worn cloak
and went away.
When the dress was at last flo.
isbed and put on for Johns ipspec-
ton, the night before New Year,
not even the warm, bright hue could
bring q trace of color 10 the pale,
worn face of it's wearer. But John
did not notice il.
"Yes," he said, absently; sit is
very pretty, dear, and l am glad if
you ENJOY it--but it has cost me
more than | can well afford"
| A shiver ran all the way down
little Mrs. Fay's spine. She could
not ask what he meant. Was it
Susan James? Was it
81 suppose you told somebody
that you got it ia New York. At
any rate, Morton & Brier heard
that my wife had been buying $50
dress in New York, and Morton
said that two could play at that
game. So he went down to Hart
ford and bought the steam heater he
had been looking at for the store,
and Brier ordered another for his
house"
at was that dressmakerl She
must have told it. always thought
she looked like spiteful thing, and
| didn't ask her TO our table," gasp
ed Mrs. Fay, growing whittier still.
'Very likely; only know | have
lost their trade, which is q good
deal in those times. But don't let it
distress you. DEAR" He was fright.
ened at the expression of his wife's face ut
is too late to mend it. Let US think of some
thing else." And he drew her down upon
his knee. "What have you got for Aunt
Marias"
Fay began Historically. 80, Jchn-I have
|
"a ginger jar" No wonder John Fay
stared
Don't laugh" And Mrs. Fay proceeded
further to astonish her husband by bursting
into tears. at is decorated, you know, and
looks almost like Kioto, Mrs. Jupe says. |
can't tell you, John but-everything costs
so much, and the silk was too narrow, and
had to get more, and-there wasn't any
money left for the cloak"
81 see how it is" said kind John, who knew
more than she dreamed. He gathered her up
in his arms and essayed to soothe the fright
full sobs 1--WE have learned good lesson.
though hard one, haven't we, little woman?
We will patronize home institu.ions--at least
until we can draw our income from abroad. y
The next day John Fay took mis- old over,
coat quietly to the tailor's and had it re.
bound, countermanding his order for new
one, and Aunt Maria had her new cloak after
all; and happening to meet Morton on the
street, who gave him the cold shoulder, he
stopped him aud told him the whole transac :
ton, since it was too late to benefit himself
by the story. TIE result of which was that
il was not too late at all. The truth had
been emily half told. The Hartford order had
been threatened, not carried out and the
steam heaters were bought of John FAY HIM
| self
Susan James was surprised by an invitation
to dinner on New Years Day. OF course
she came, and she eontrived to take few
needful stitches upon the new dress. That
"blind stitch" had been indeed very trying to
the unskilled fngers. And the dinner was a
happy affair-John even proposing toast at
| its conclusion:
'Our neighbors-let US do unto others as
! al l.
Dear, laundering joint Both Susan James
and Aunt Maria took it to themselves, and
thought it extremely appropriate, and drank
it in cold water with tears of gratitude 10
their weak eyes. But John Fay and wife
smiled another meaning across the table to
each other.