Daily Republican., 1881-06-17
HER RAIL DRESS.
what an Hour Of Triumph caused
n Once HapDy Family.


been married scarcely more than yea
not long enough for the first gloss tt
be worn off her wedding-ring-not Ions
enough to forget the enchanted gold
shine of the honeymoon and now
, upon this clear December morning, the
Young wife sat at the breakfast table, in
a most becoming neglige ofrose-ribbons
and dove-colored cashmere, with al
open note in her hand, and her blue eyes
sparkling with delighted animation. A
pretty picture to look upon, for Mrs.
Mellen was very pretty-a tall, velvet
checked blonde with her lair shining
like braided sunbeams, beneath the co
quettish little breaktast-cap she wore.
Best Clarence? Why, of course
it is best RHu Sparks wouId give
her ears to GET cards to Mrs. Benedict's
ball"
81 dare say" said Mr.. Mellen, dryly.
"But did You ever read La Fontaine' S
Fables"
"What do you mean, Clarence"
"Only that it contains story concern
ing All iron pot and crockery pot, that
swan down stream together. Or course
the china pot got broke
81 don't see what your ridiculous
old fables lfave to do with me.
"a great deal my love . Mr.. Brne-
dict is rich banker. j am only con-
tidential clerk in his brothers em-
ploy. Mr.. Benedict has thousand
dollars where have only one. Our
spheres lie apart. Is it best then for
us to compete with them in any one re-
spect."
"Bccalse we attend ball at their
house, we needn't necessarily compete
with them" pOuted the young wife,
beginning to pull at the fringe of her
brt, kflSt napkin. cot course If they
invite us, it is only natural TO suppose
that they want us TO come.
81 presume, my dear, we are invited
| out of compliment to Mr.. Benedict $
brother, who is kind enough to think
favorably of your humble servant
"Aud il would be very rude not to go.
I DON'T think regrets would be taken
in bad part, Charlotte. Besides, what
hav, Won TO wear that would com
pare with the toilets Of Mrs. Bently
Benedict's fashionable friends"
That's JUST what | going to soeak
about, said Mrs. Mellen. 81 really dlu
need a new silk dress. THAI pea green
affair is actually beginning to look shah
by, and the black silk had when we
we're married is positively old-fashion-
ed by this time"
"Iti only eleven months, Lottie."
"But fashions alter so, Clarence, you
know. Now there's a lilac moire anti
que at Grant's-the loveliest shade you
ever saw, and "a positive bargain on ac-
count of their onl y being twenty-five
wards in the pattern. ! can get it for
eighty-t dollars, and sister Helen
will lend me her point lace 1lounces to
trim it with, and"
"Eighty-tive dollars, Lottie! And
for mJire antique dress! DO you know
my dear, that is aLmosta tenth of my
years salary
"One must to look decent, once in
while"
lie shook his head gravely.
"No, Lottie, am sorry 10 seem hard
or unkind, but this is 50 wild an idea
that | can ONLY conclude you have not
thought sufficiently about 1t yourself.
Mrs. BENEDICT is very kind to Invite us
to this ball, but you must write de-
clinaGon."
Charlotte burst into tears, and for the
first time since their wcddlnE-day
Mr.. Mellen staiked out Of the room
without good.by kiss.
That afternoon came up a hurried
note from his office, as follows:
"pARIING I4ottie:-Please seud by the bear
err my valiSa. wi h II few changes OF linen and
cara n lhI ~ fIh ar
ten ,iays on business for the firm. lnclOsed
YOU viii tiud fit, dOliar bill for the painter
"a debt y hich ought to have been attended
TO before. Take Il receipt. BE careful of your |
self while am gone. l wish could have
run ND to say adieu but time pres Scs. lfyol
are lonely, send for One Of your SISTERS to |
come and stay with you. Affect tonately.
CLARENCE.
Lottie had been crying all the morn
ing and and now her eyes gllttered. A
new brightness came into her face, as
she hurried hither and thither, putting |
ND her husbands things. Aud after
tie messenger was gone, she looked |
down at the fifty-dollar bill in her
hand.
E'Eight or ten days" she repeated to
herself. W'll go to the ball, alter all, |
with Helen and her husband. I'll take
tins money and buy the moire antique.
Grant will trust me for the other thir-
ty-fvr. | am sure, and AZ for the paint
er, lust as likely as not hc'sin no hurry |
for his money, and ii he is, I'll write |
to Uncle Jesse tD lend me fifty dollars. |
| was always Uncle JesSe's favori5e |
niece.
And this eager young woman threw
Il, all Il l. e.!
down to Grants to buy the remnant OF
lilac MORE antique
so /, certainly certainly Mr.. Grant
was in no hurry at all for the money
He would iwait Mrs. Mellen's conve-
nience any length of time that she
chose to mention.
Aud he unfolded the rich fabric, skill
fully holding it up so that the light
should strike its rosy sheen to the best
possible advantage,
How beautiful it was! Amethysts,
shot with glimmering lines of silver
buds of spring violets in the sunshine
suHSets. LOttie lhuught
If all these beautiful things as
she looked a! it.
"Pray send it home at once" she
said, laying down her fifty-dollar bill,
'and redit it to nv account"
And she tripped around to the dress
makers.
Mrs. Parkerson was at the dress
maker 's-a plump, rosy widow, with
more mony than she knew how to spend.
81 e had always liked young Mrs. Mel.
en-, and now entered with alacrity into
Ter plans |,
al nice place to 60 my dear" said
he. "Once let yourself br seen in Que
# Mrs. Beuedict's parties, and your po-
ltion in society is settled at once. |
ave cards mysel'; bar, OF course, so
oon after my poor brothers death |
nuldn't 20 out. Aud you're to 70 in
lilac moire antiqae, eh, my dear? I'll ,
ell you what want you to look nice
,ud I'll LEND yon my diamondsw
Lottie's cheeks flushed exultantly as
4 - Mr., D,,,