The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-12-08

came all in o furry. She did not see
me at first, and so broke out, in half
crying tone:
"I wish I had never seen this horrid
green silk that Aunt Jemima advised
me to buy. Just thinkl Miss Jessie
had delicate blue French muslin on
and Miss Parker's was q lovely buff
and my changeable green just killed
them both. Miss Jessie said so her
self, and I know she will never invite
me again.
Fannyp cried her mother; but
Fanny saw me, and altered her tone.
"'I don't mean to be cross, Aunt
Jemima,' says she, but this dress
seems bound to make me unhappy
Miss Stanley and Miss Parker looked sc
cool and elegant in their exquisite
French muslins and Valenciennes laces
while 1 must have seemed like com
mon country girl beside them in this
old-fashioned green silk
"And yet that same silk cost right
smart price says I, 'and it is real
pretty, too, to my thinking
"I just hate it = says Fanny, burst
ing into tears again. Il know the
Stanleys have heard Mary Dare's story
about it's being damaged thirty cents. a.
yard things. Sue Foxly, the dress.
maker, told them. She was there sew
ing, and she's shameless gossip
$50 much the BETTER says Fam US
mother. Nobody credits a story
teller
"Oh, yes, they dor cries Fanny.
'She gets half her custom for the
amount of gossip she carries"
"Why, Aunt Jemima" exclaimed
Gussie, "that seems Just like Patsy
Hare. We all know she carries tales,
but it is so amusing to listen to her,
that we all get her to sew for us. OF
course we don't believe half she says"
Aunt Jemima shook her head, with a
twinkle in her eye.
~ shouldn't wonder if Patsy Hare
was some kin to Sue Foxly," says she !;
'but which half of Patsy's tales do you
:v, credit to, Gussie ?'
Gussie laughed and couldn't tell,
then Aunt Jemima went on
"After that awhile, young Philip
Stanley comes back from Europe. He
had been studying how to be doctor
in foreign parts; and I have heard that
he gave his mind to his work while
there, and was ever after, credit to his
folks. You'd have thol hit so, any
how, from the fuss they made about
him. They wasn't content with a small
celebration, but had to give big grove
party, SO that all the town.folks could
come and make him welcome. Of
course, Fanny was asked, and of course
she wore her best dress-girls didn't
have one for every day in the week
then-and mighty pretty she looked,
though she didn't know it herself
Everything was of the finest and
best, and the young doctor was so
agreeable to all the girls that they just
forsook the other young men and clus-
tered round him.
"The heft of 'em was dressed in thin
white stuff, and some one compared 'em
to fairies. This set Fanny thinking
over her green silk, and made her dis
contented, as usual.
''By-and-bye up comes a storm; the
rain catches the poor fairies, and sends
'em flying from the dancing ground into
the shelter of the pavilion, where Fanny
had gone some time before to sit by
Mrs. Stanley. They were all either
damp or draggled, and as the day grew
cooler after the rain they shivered like
a lot of wet sparrows, and had to put on
shawls and things to keep them from
getting cold.
"Then came Fanny's turn. She
looked as fresh as blush-rose in cir
Gle of green leaves, and Philip Stanley
told person I was intimate with that
he never knew green silk was such a
becoming material for a lady's dress
before, and that if he ever married his
wife should always have one"
"Oh,. Aunt Jemima !' cried Gussie
Stafford, clapping her hands and break
ing into pleased laugh; "you're
telling me about mamma and papa, un-
der different names.
"Not SO very different" returned the
old woman. elizabeth Frances was
your mas name called for her two
grandmas, according to the proper way
of doing things; and, though your pa
called her 'Bess, I often call her
Fanny"
"And it was through her despised
green dress that papa fell in love with
her" mused Gussie, tracing flower of
that color in her own pretty gown.
"Oh, it wasn't just that-for your ma
was mighty pretty girl; but 'spect the
contrast between them damp girls, in
draggled finery, did set her off like.
Any way, 1 told her so when she com
planned to me about the green silk lit
was a habit she'd got into), and at the
same tins told me that Philip had
spoke to your grandpa for her.
"' Well, says I, you're what l call
a girl in luck, Fanny; and if you amt
thankful for it and do your best to
deserve it, never call me Aunt Jemima
again And now about that green silk;
remember what I say, for it's the living
truth. Don't never ask my advice any
more. for 1 don't never again intend to
give it to no one,' says I. And have
kept my word.
" "Gussie, come quick Hush! don't
make noise Remember the windows
open, and he may hear you. It's Harry
Hunter-there he goes AS fine q
fellow as there is in the State; and if
you trihe with his feelings you're not
your Aunt Jemima's pet-that's all.
II give no advice-not word of it;
but l have my opinions, thank good.
ness p
Slight Mistake.
"That's fine house you've got
there" said Yeast tn n friend wbo bod