The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1880-04-16
miscellaneous.


Il think it's about time hada new dress,
said Mrs. Tory to her husband one day, wher
he was counting over the money he had lust
brought from town, where he had sold ioat
Of wheat. suppose you give me one o.
those new bills, John, next time YOU 90 tC
| town, and let me 60 with you" The coaXinl
| smile she gave him failed to have its desired
effect, however
"A new dress ~ exclaimed Mr.. Tory, cvi
IDENTIFY as much surprised rs he had ever been
in his life. "Why, Sarah, | thought You had
plenty of good clothes. Idon't see what you
can be thinking of when you plan to spend
money these hard times on new dresses
when you have more now than You know
what To do with
II don't know what you're thinking OF
when you say that answered Mrs Tory
II have had just two calico dresses in year
| have the enormous number of six dresses at
present, in different stages of wear. One cal
leo dress is quite good. Two calicoes are
half worn ont That old brown dress has
dome ,ntv Cor two ynnra my good droac
and this onc"-holding up Il frayed sleeve for
his inspccton-"shows for itself. rvemend-
ed it until there's nothing left to mend il with
and il won't hold together much longer"
"Wcll, that's only five said Mr. Tory.
"Ihc sixth happens TO be Il lawn, which
would scarcely be appropriate for winter
wear" answered his wife give worn that
brown dress so long that I hate the sight of
it. No matter where ! go, that has 10 go,
too. don't believe the ncighbors would
know me if they saw me away from home
with anything else on
I'm sure | shouldn't care for the opinion
of the neighbors,' answered her husband,
loftily. 81 always thought you looked ex-
tl,,t I.,.
and comfortable, isn't it?"
Eyes, and so is II blanket" answered Mrs.
Tory.
81 don't approve of the practice so preva-
lent among some of the farmers wives, now
adays, of buying Il new dress every time they
take a notion into their heads that they'd like
one" said MIR. TORY, very impressively.-
"Wc'Vc got to CconomiZe if we ever expect
to get out of the present financial difficulties
If we all bought needless things, the country'd
soon be bankrupt. don't suppose you UNI
derstand it, Sarah but it's extravaganza that
has made the hard times And Mr.. Tory
tried to look as wise as II professor of politi-
cal economy.
Not extravaganza on my part, responded
his wife, who was not much impressed with
his arguments. II want new dress because
| need one, and there is no extravaganza
about it. have earned one, think but il
you don't think so, you had better keep the
money"
Mrs Torry's temper was up. Whenever
her husband was in one of his extra economi-
cal moods, he never failed to rouse her spirit
She knew that she was careful, prudent
woman and she felt that new dress-and
half dozen new dresses, for that matter-had
been fully paid for by her economy in little
things during the year.
But if he begrudged her the money, why
she'd go without, if she had to stay at home
all winter. She wouldn't coax him for what
rightfuly belonged to her If his sense OF
Justice wasn't strong enough to prompt him
to do the fair thing, she'd fall back on the
old brown dress, and make that do fol-
another season.
II don't see much force in your argument "
said Mr. Tory. "If had six suits of clothes
or even three, I'd be more than satisfied"
He folded up the money as if that decided
the matter, and put it back in the pocket
book.
you poor old brown thing!" Mrs. Tory
said next day, when she was airing the clos.
IT where she kept her clothes, you've GOT to
| he Sunday best for another winter and she
| held mp the dress to the light and inspected il
closely.
| The folds were faded n good deal, the trim
| ming was ont of date, and il had u kind oil
gcnteel-poyerty look about il generally.
~ know what I'll do" she said, with q
| twinkling in her eyes. "Ill wear it every
| where, and I'll 90 ont every time can, and
| I'll make him ms sick ofita am. Last win
Ter wore that old gray delainc part of tho
time, but since that departed this life have
| to make this do double duty
Next Sunday she came down arHyed fol
church in the brown dress.
body" her husband said "lf you always
have as good clothes You won't have any
cause for complaint
| Mrs. Tory irowned and then she smiled
Half the farmers wives at church had on
neat dresses, and her brown one looked NOR,
dingy than ever beside them. Somehow th,
contrast between her appearance and that o
her neighbors struck MIR. Tory quite forcibly
but he was sure it wasn't on account of he
dress. That was good enough for any
body"
Mrs Perkins had quilting Wednesday af
ternoon, and the men were invited to tea
Clad in her brown dress, Mrs. Tory mad
herself very conspicuous among the other Ia
dies during the evening. The contrast be
tween their pretty garments and her own wa
considerably to her disadvantage, and her hus
band did not fail to notice it but
am warrant their dresses cost five or tel
dollars apiece and | can't afford that" In
thought, and tried to forget that there wer
such things as dresses in the world
The next Sunday the brown dress went t.
church again, and twice during the week
| ,vnc On ClutI-