The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-04-01
THAT BROWN DRESS.

L JulHk IL , dDOuL JlHlt udu new
dress" said Mrs. Torrey to her husband
one day, when he was counting over
the money he had just brought from
town, where he had sold D load of
wheat. Suppose you give me one of
those new bills, John. next time you 60
to town, and let me go with you" The
coaxing smile she gave him failed to have
its desired effect, however.
"A new dress!" exclaimed Mr.. Tor
rey, evidently as much surprised as he
had ever been in his life. "Why,
Sarah, | thought you had plenty OF
good clothes. don'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"
81 don't know what you're thinking
OF when you say that" answered Mrs.
ToTey. | have had just two calico
dresses in a year. l have the enormous
number of six dresses, at present, in diff
ferent stages of wear. One calico is
quite good. Two calicoes are half worn
out. That old brown dress has done
duty for two years as my good dress,
and this one"- holding up frayed
sleeve for his inspection" shows for
itself. I've mended it until there's
nothing left to mend it with, and it
won't hold together much longer"
"Well, that's only FIVE" said Mr..
Torrey.
The sixth happens to be lawn,
which would scarcely be appropriate
for winter wear" answered his
wife. 1--we worn that brown dress SO
long that hate the sight of it. No
matter where ! go, that has to go, too.
don't believe the neighbors would
know me if they saw me away from
home with anything else on"
Pm sure / shouldn't care for the
opinion of the neighbors," answered her
husband, loftily. Il always thought
you looked extremely well with that
dress on. It's warm and comfortable,
isn't itP"
"Yes, and 80 is blanket, answered
Mrs. Torrey.
l don't approve of the practice so
prevalent among some of the farmers
wives, nowadays, of buying new
dress every time they take notion into
their heads that they'd like one," said
MIR. Torrey, very impressively, We've
got to economize five ever expect to get
out of the present financial difficulties.
If we all bought needless things, the
country'd soon be bankrupt l don't
suppose you understand it Sarah; but
it's extravaganza that has made the
hard times" And Mr.. Torrey tried to
look as wise as professor of political
economy.
mot extravaganza on my Lart," re-
sponded his wife, who was not much
impressed with his arguments. 81
want new dress because / need one,
and there is no extravaganza about it.
have earned one, l think; but if you
don't think so, you had better keep the
money.
Mrs. Torrey's temper was up. When
sverhcr husband was in one ofhis extra
economical moods, be 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 ifhe begrudged her the money,
why, she'd go without, ifshe had to stay
Mt home all winter. She wouldn't coax
him for what rightfully 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 for another
season
81 don't see much force in your argu-
ment, +" said Mr.. Torrey. III had six
suits of clothes, or even three, I'd be
more than satisfied"
He folded up the money rs If that
decided the matter, and put it back in
the pocketbook.
You poor old brown thing!" Mrs.
Toirey 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 dress to the light and inspected
II closely.
The folds were faded good deal, the
trimming was out of date, and it had n