The Concordia eagle. [volume] (Vidalia, La.) 1873-1890, 1880-04-08

more than satisfied"
He folded up the money as if that
decided the matter, and put it back in
the pocketbook.
You poor old brown thing!" Mrs.
Torney said, next day when she was
airing the closet where she kept her
clothes, "you've got to be Sunday
best for another winter, and she held
up the dresss 20 the light and inspected
it closely.
The folds wer' faded a good deal, the
trimming was out of date, and it had a
kind of 4, nteel-poverty look about it
generally.
81 know what I'll do" she said, with
n twinkle in her eyes. "I'll wear it
everywhere, and I'll 60 out every time I
can, and I'll make him as sick OF it as l
am. Last winter l wore that old gray
delaine part of the time, but since that
departed this life I'll have to make this
do double duty"
Next Sunday she came down arrayed
for church in the brown dress.
I'm sure that looks well enough for
anybody" her husband said. eff you
always have as good clothes you won't
have any cause for complaint"
Mrs. Torrey frowned, and then she
smiled
Half the farmers wives at church had
on neat new dresses, and her brown one
looked more dingy than ever beside
them. Somehow, the contrast between
her appearance and that of her neigh
bors stru Mr.. Torrey quite forcibly,
but he was sure it wasn't on account of
her dress. That was 'r.good enough for
anybody"
Mrs. Perkins had quilting Wednes-
day afternoon, and the men were in
yited to tea. Clad in her brown dress,
Mrs. Torrey made herself very con-
spicuous among the other ladies during
tie evening. The contrast between
their pretty garments and her own was
considerably to her disadvantage, and
her husband did not fail to notice it;
but
"I'll warrant their dresses cost five
or ten dollars apiece, and can't afford
that" he thought, and tried to forget
that there we've such things as dresses
in the world.
The next Sunday the brown dress
went to church again, and twice during
the week it was on duty.
Mr.. Torrey began to get tired of
brown, but he wouldn't say so.
lie stood it for a month. During that
time the inevitable garment was worn
no less than ten times. 1t was at Mrs.
Bakers sociabIe that Mr.. Torrey capt.
ated, and that was the last time the
brown dress made its appearance in
public. lie was sitting in a corner, be-
hind two ladies, when one of them made
this remark to the other:
Mrs. Torrey is nice-looking
woman, l think"
YES" was the reply: land she'd
look ever so much better if she could
dress rs other folks do. To my certain
knowledge, this is the third season She
worn that brown dress"
% Mr.. Torrey felt very uncomfortable.
"What makes her stick to it as she
doesP" asked the other lady. You
know I've only been in the neighbor-
hood six weeks, but I've never seen her
in any otlter dress, and I've met her q
good many times, too"
Mr.. Torrey began to perspire freely.
Its the only dress she has that's fit
to wear away from home in the winter"
was the reply"
lis her husband poor?" asked the
other.
son, no; only economical" was the
answer, with little laugh that made
Mr.. Torrey tingle to the tips OF his toes.
/ suppose he's worth rs much as most
of the farmers in the neighborhood.
And she hasn't anything better to
wear than that? exclaimed the other
lady, Indignantly, "lfMr. Torrey were
my husband, and obliged me to wear
one dress three years, I'd"
Mr., Torrey didn't stop to hear the sen
tence finished. He never knew whether
the ladies knew who the man was that
made such an undignified dash for the
side-door or not, but he has never met
them since without getting uncomfort-
ably warm.
"See here, Sarah, l want to make q
bargain with you," he said, next morn.
ing, looking very foolish and red in the
face. IN give you fifteen dollars il
you'll promise never to wear that brown
dress away from home again"
"Why!" exclaimed Mrs. Torrey
with twinkle of triumph in her eye
Il hope your haven't got tired of it
I'm sure it's good enough for anybody.
, - Is it a bargainP" asked her hus
band, holding up the money.
I, .sXoc oha. ond thon ho