Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-09-10

easy, comfortable country fashion, which
makes keeping step or any other for
mality entirely superhuous. A part of
the way they walked in single file, al
ways with energetic Aunt Maria at the
head, then spread across the road like
the front rank of company of soldiers,
and again divided into groups, just as
fancy and the unevenness of the road
dictated.
But the camp was soon reached, and
very picturesque it looked with the
strange, dark people fitting about, with
much effective display ofred and yellow
in their dress, and the bright fires, over
which savory stews were cooking. The
children and dogs were playing noisily,
and very few of the company seemed to
take any notice of the numbers of visit
ors who were making the most of their
opportunities for investigating what was
so strange to them.
But before one of the tents sat woman
with large basket at her side, and as
Mrs. Stone and Aunt Maria approached
she drew from it piece of what seemed
to be very fine, beautiful lace. which she
held up for their inspection, with the
words, cts pure linen, handmade lace,
every thread, my ladies, and will last a
lifetime. We makes it all ourselves in
the winters, when we stops in houses,
and that's the reason we can sell it for so
much less than you'd have to give in the
shops. There's Mrs. Stanleign, and Mrs
Pope, and Mrs. Devens, in the town a
dozen miles back; they all buys of us
when we pass through there every year.
We're off our regular track now, my
lady, and you mayn't have another such
chance. Only ten shillings for this,
and you'd have to pay two pound in the
shops"
"Ah, indeed!' said Aunt Maria, with
sudden interest. "It must be the genuine
article if Cousin Frances Devens would
buy it, and I really think I must have a
little. I've always wanted some nice
lace, and, as the woman says, l may not
have another such chance"
Don't you think it is rather extrava-
gant?" Mrs. Stone ventured to ask
"Well, rather" Aunt Maria replied,
''but then, you know, it will last so
long"
The gypsy woman saw her advantage,
and the result was that instead of the
yard Aunt Maria intended to buy; she
went away with two and half yards,
and the woman was to call at the house
that evening for the money, which she
accordingly did.
The next morning Aunt Maria missed
something; there was no Jim to eat the
cold potato, and investigation revealed
the fact that several of BIS family had
accompanied him to parts unknown
But Aunt Maria had her lace. and was
consoled. The gypsies had folded theil
tents, also pair of sheets and shirt
from Mrs. Prices clothes-line, and haG
vanished.
Not many weeks after these occurrence
came the time for Aunt Maria's yearly
visit to Cousin Devens. The lace wa
arranged in the neck and sleeves of th'
best black silk, and Aunt Maria put i
on the first afternoon of her stay, feeling
remarkably well dressed, But Cousin
Frances cast queer looks at the lace, ant
hoped it might disappear in day or two
but as it did not, she hit upon an expe
dient to get rid of it before Sunday
when the black silk would probably g
to church. She looked over her owl
stock of rich laces, and selecting there
from neat set, presented it to Aun
Maria, saying, as she did SO, ''This i
real lace, cousin, and will last almos
for ever; SO put it on, and get all tn
good you can out of it,"
81 suppose you bought it of the gyps,
woman got mine Of" said Aunt Maria
after thanking her. She flushed little
fearing that Cousin Frances had faile,
to notice her investment in the lace line
and added, "The woman told me yo1
bought all your lace of her."
Mrs. Devens opened her eyes il
astonishment, and answered, "Why
Cousin Maria, Inever bought an inch @
lace off gypsy in my life! i know
, tribe of them comes through here ever
year, but / have never even seen then
, and I am very much afraid you've bee
, victimized." Then, seeing that Cousi
, Maria looked somewhat mystified an
incredulous, she said, "But perhar
you'd like to take piece of your lac
! down to Winchester's, and see what the
+ say about it. They keep all kinds {
! lace there, and will know all about i
9 and tell you its value. of course"
So the lace was ripped from one of I'll
sleeves of the black silk, carefully wral
= ped in piece OF paper, carried to the e
n tablishment and handed to q spruC
! young shopman with the inquiry frol
Aunt Maria: s''How much do you as
4 for lace like thisp"
q He gave it quick glance, and al
! swered. in a brisk tom, "Sixpence
yard, ma'am, or perhaps fivepence if yc
: took a quantity. We sold lot to
v gypsy for that this summer, and L,
% heard she sold it out again round Il
,s country for ten or fifteen shillings var
. as real handmade linen lace-he! h
he!"