The Osceola times., 1880-05-22
A LESSON on DRESS.

was the very PINK OF ness.ness III All
matters pertaining to dress, and exceed
ingly particular in his observance of the
little proprieties of life.
saw from the first that II Douglass
pressed his suit Cora's heart would be an
easy conquest, and so it proved.
"How admirably they are fitted for
each other" | remarked to my husband
on the night of the wedding. Their
tastes sre similar, and their habits SO
much alike that no violence will be done
to the feelings of either in the more in
innate associations that marriage brings.
Both are neat in person and orderly by
instinct, and both have good principles" :"
"From all present appearances the
match will be good one my husband
replied. -
There was, / thought, something like
reservation in his tone.
"Do you really think SOP" said, lit
tie ironically; for Mr.. Smiths approval
of the marriage was hardly warm enough
to suit my fancy.
"Oh, certainly. Why not?" he replied.
| felt little fretted at my husbands
mode Of speaking, but made no further
remark on the subject. He is never
very enthusiastic or sanguine, and did
not mean, in this instance, TO doubt the
fitness of the parties for happiness in the
married state, as ! half imagined. For
myself, l warmly approved my friends
choice, and called her husband lucky
fellow to secure for his companion
through life woman so admirably fitted
to make one like him happy. But a
visit which | paid Cora one day, about
six weeks after the honeymoon had
expired, lessened my enthusiasm on
Me subject, and awoke some unpleasant
doubt. 1t happened that i called soon
after breakfast. Cora met me in the
parlor, looking like a very fright. She
wore soiled and rumpled morning
wrapper, her hair was in paper, and she
had on dirty stockings and pair Of old
slippers down at the heels.
"Bless me, Coral l said. "Wha. is
the matter? Have you been lll?"
"No. Why do you ask? Is my dis
habille rather on the extreme?"
"Candidly, | think it is. Cora" was
my frank answer.
"Oh, well, no matter" she carelessly
replied. "my fortunes made"
IL don't clearly understand you"
said.
"Im married, you know"
"Yes, / am aware of that fact"
"No need of being so particular in
dress now; for didn't l just say" replied
Cora, "that my fortunes made? I've got
a husband
Beneath an air of jesting was apparent
the real earnestness of my friend.
"You dressed with careful regard
and neatness in order to win Edwards
love-" said l.
Certainly did"
"And should you not do the same in
order to retain it?"
"Why, Mrs. Smith, do you think my
husbands affection goes no deeper than
my dress2 [ should be very sorry in
deed to think that. He loves me for
myself"
mo doubt of that in the world, Cora;
but remember that he cannot see what
is in your mind, except by what you do
or say. If he admires your taste, for in
stance, il is not from any abstract appre-
citation of it, but because the taste mani
tests itself in what you do; and depend
upon it, he will find it very hard mat
ter TO approve and admire your correct
taste in dress, for instance, when you ap'
pear before him every day in your pres
ent unattractive attire. If you do moi
dress well in your husbands eyes, fol
whose eyes, pray, do you dress? You
are as neat abroad as you were before
your marriage"
"As to that, Mrs. Smith common de
cency requires me to dress well when
go out into company, to say nothing o.
the pride one naturally feels in lookins
we'll"
"And d 0es not the same common de
cency and natural pride argue strongly il
favor of your dressing well at home anc
for the eye of your husband, whose ap
proval and whose admiration must b,
dearer to you than the approval and the
admiration of the whole world 2"
but he doesn't want to see me riggeC
out in silks and satins all the time. 4
pretty bill my dressmaker would hay,
against him IN that event Edward a
more sense than that, flatter myself
Street or ballroom attire is on,
thing, Cora, and becoming home appare
another. We look for both in theil
place"
Thus | argued with the thoughtles
young wife, but my words made no i'm
preston. When abroad she dressed
with exquisite taste, and was lovely {,
| look upon but at home she was care
less, and slovenly, and made it almos
| impossible for those who saw her to be
| lieye that she was the brilliant beaut,
they had met in company but shor
| time before.
But even this did not last long.
noticed, after a few months, that tn,
| habits of home were not only confirming
| themselves, but becoming apparen
abroad. Her fortune was made and why
| should she now waste time or employ
| her thoughts about matters of persona
appearance?
The habits of Mr.. Douglass, on tn,
contrary, did not change. He was as or
derly as before, and dressed with tn,
same regard to neatness. He never ap
peared at the breakfast table in the
morning without being shaved, nor die
he lounge about in the evening in his
shirt sleeves. The sloyenly habits into
which Cora had fallen annoyed him
seriously, and still more so when hel
carelessness about her appearance began
to manifest itself abroad as well as al
home. When he hinted anything or
the subject she did not hesitate TO re,
ply. in a jesting manner, that her =" for
| tune was made;" she did not trouble
herself any longer about how she looked
Douglass did not feel very much com
plimented, but as he had his share o.
| good sense, he saw to assume n cold and
offended manner would do no good.
| "If your fortune is made, SO is mine,
he replied on one occasion, quite coolly
and indifierently. Next morning he ap
peared at the breakfast table with &