Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-03-04

I'VE must hnd some way TO get you new
dress, dear" sighed mamma.
"Oh, a new dress won't signify" said.
I'm not likely 10 see them"
''Not likely TO see them ?" said mamma up
on one elbow. II should like 10 know why
not, intimate as you are with the Rokesbys,
and all OF course you'll see them, aud
meet them frequently. Mrs Rokesby has
sent for you TO come up and spend the day
tomorrow"
"Oh, tia no use. can't CO."
Eyes, you can. I've had old Margot do up
your white dress to-day, and there's nothing
any prettier than white. We got out the
strawberry stains. Speaking Of them, we
might give an afternoon strawberry garden
party while they're here, Alice, aud that
would make you feel Independent"
VERY" said 1, "when we have to go with
out butter and sugar, and live on beans for a
month, TO pay for the cake"
I'D Just as lief" cried Egbert.
''And sod l." said Alec.
81 don't mind the beans, said Sissy, "but
sugars right hard TO spare, Miss Al"
"Oh, well, said l, II guess you won't have
to spare it." And then 1 went to meet John
Rokesby, who was coming round the lilac
bushes, and / Just had time TO shut the wick
ct gate before a couple OF gentlemen we're at
the other side Of t. and he had turned, and
hesitating half an instant, had introduced to
me Mr.. Paget and Lieutenant Sayary and Mr.
Mervin, and then an older gentleman Joined
them, and he was Colonel Meare. l knew
John didn't like it, but he couldn't help him.
self, and as soon a. l saw his annoyance
began to enjoy IT, didn't mind them, il
was in my old gardening suit but IL it had
been their sisters However, didn't unlock
the gate, or ask them across it.
ftRnEaahv aAala Miaa T.
marte, said Mr. Psget. But he'll find that
sort of thing wont answer. We had heard
from Miss Marcia all about you"
All about me- Did that mean my dresses
too2 Well, il had had all the purple and
ane linen Of the Queen of Sheba, could not
have held my head higher than did at that
speech, although knew how inconvenient il
would be TO keep up that style. And then !
saw Johns eye twinkle, and faced about in
second. 80 have heard all about you,
Mr., Paget."
what have you heard, may ask 2" said
he. THAT l, Alfred Paget, am poor, but
confoundedly aristocratic." Poor / sup
pose he wasted more than we had to live on.
THAT"
THAT Colonel Meare is real heart break
er, and that John Rokesby has uncommon
luck. But luck or not, can't ask your
friends in, John, for it wouldn't be luck at all
IL 1 caused Lieutenant Savary the loss Of his
case Of claret. So must say good-evening;"
and left them all aghast, and John the most
of any and wild horses wouldn't have drawn
me TO Mrs. Rokesby's next day, il she had
not come after me with pair Of tame ones
and made such q fuss about it for she was
fond of me-and mamma setting in about it,
and crying, and saying l was losing all my
chances-that II was less trouble to go than
TO stay. But can assure you that II had
really been the Queen OF Sheba, 1 couldn't
have been treated thereafter with more pro-
priety although John said, when he had
chance, that it was only the society manner
of his friends, and was very foolish to show
temper; that they were all good fellows, and
Colonel Meare was an excellent match.
Colonel Meare !" said / 'why, he's bald
One would as soon think of marrying you,
John"
well" said John, ''am 1, then, really SO
entirely out of the question? Have romance
and bade good-byf"
''As IL there were any romance possible
where people have known each other ever
since they were born Why, when was
two years old, you used to feed me with "a"
Maud with her sweet purse mouth when
my father dangled the grapes" quoted John.
''Yes, it's uncommon luck to seem no better
tnhn an Olu man 10
Nov, John, heard your mother say you
were getting morbid. Everybody grows old
if they live long enough. And l truly
don't think those grizzled curls Of yours the
least bit unbecoming." And l couldn't imag-
inc why John left me in that sudden way
But l saw him presently leaning over that
tall sallow Paget girl, and playing with her
fan, and felt as If had always hated that
girl from the beginning of time. Still,
must acknowledge that by -and-by, when John
took her TO the piano, she did sing most deli
ciously but then, in the evening, when ev-
erybody was dAncing-well, / never saw such
dancing before, and hope never shall again.
Mrs. Rokesby said Herodias's daughter
couldn't have done anything more shameful,
and she was glad neither Marcia nor flung
herself round in that style. But John and
her other partners liked it, 1 Inoticed-at least
everybody wanted 10 dance with her. Some
how, If she was lean and sallow, she was aw-
fully handsome, and so was her brother, as 1
said once to John.
He's young too" said John, land that
seems TO be your sine qua non. Alice"
''It isn't yours, said 1, for Miriam Paget's
thirty If she's day."
And then John laughed, and went TO take
he seat that was always kept for him by
Miriam Paget's side.
SO the time went on, with rides and rows
and picnics and parties; but II wasn't
very pleasant to me and excused myself
rom all could and the way that Miss
Paget conducted herself about John was sim
Dly-simply outrageous And it was no
wonder that Mrs. Rokesby and Marcia were
Worried to death about it, while he hung
'ound her like q moth round a candle, so daz-
lied that he was entirely unable TO see her as
Ihe was.
Marcia and her mother were 10 give a din
Ter party one day, and as our places Adjoined
{ was mamma who REQUIRED to her former
that should invite them all af-
srwaTd into our garden, and wind up the eve
hing out doors with peaches and cream, for
Ee had the first ripe peaches in that part of
he country. protested but mamma had
rotten II into her head, and said the peaches
we're there, and the cream wouldn't cost two
lollars, and we could nip and save that from
omething else. And nobody but Sissy dis
ented, except myself, and I not because Of
he nipping and saving, but because l was
iFed Of doing up that everlasting white dress
and did want q new one, after
H.
'I'm sure" said mamma, ''your white dress
s a great deal prettier than Miss Mervin's
affair, that new thing"
The illuminated Dress Oh, mamma, It
vas perfectly lovely 1t looked just like a
,age from an old missRl"
81 never saw an old missal, said mamma,
Iryly.
''Well you know what mean. Just per-
ect harmony of rich cOlors."
"It might have been made of an old bed
uilt, persisted mamma.
"What a shame, said, that we haven't
ny old trunks and chests full Of brocades |
nd feathers and things, the way girls in |
tories always have them turn up TO fall back |
nj Just think what toilettes one could get |
p nowadays from such rich odds and ends I" |
''There's the old chintz curtains in the at |
ic," said mamma, sa.irically. Nobody could |
ell that stuff from Miss Mervin's"
And what mamma said made me think aud |
o as soon as 1 began to think, began to
ct and before night l had the old ohintz
urtains washed and dried and starched, aud |
ut out and basted together, and the sewing
Machine was rattling away, and bands of |
lain colored cambric that cost me just ten
ante oontraufad With kha erraok orfanfal nat