Daily Kennebec journal., 1881-06-11
GaIes ano Sketftes.
wAsHRRwoxAys DAUGHTER.

n DuIe SWISS musiln dptOu- Win Tumcc.
pockets and ribbons. is very seductive
taling, even when tossed with arfless care
sessness upon the fancy table OF a charity
fair: but who can paint its magic power
spon an unwary youth when its futtering
ribbons span slender, dainty waist and
.he pink-tiPped finger Of two plump little
hands play at hidc-aDd-seek in its apollo
gies for pockets?
Could mortal man help stopping 10
speak to TIME Blair. as she stood behind
1.-THE great album of autographs. alert and
ready to register subscriptions as fast as
: they were secured
1t must have been the apron that made
, her so radiantly charming. for no other
/. table made such a stoppage in the line of
travel. although the hall was lined with
tables, temples and stands. covered with
bats tor the charitable, and presided over
by the beauty and fashion of Ofport. So,
ut least. said the Offport Weekly, and if 4
newspaper is not to be believed, than
what iso
Still, in spite Of facts, the young men
most did congregate around that little
able of Iinie's She had shed . small
shower OF tears when it was condescend-
ingly offered TO her. but it was that or
nothing, and it would not have been that
il the good rector had not been so obso-
lete in his notions as to suppose that the
child Of a shlftless drunkard, whose
widow took in washing. was fit to asso-
ciate with the daughters Of the upright
and solid men who sat in the body OF the
church and solemnly put their regular
contributions into the weekly plate, care
fully pushing their aims well under, that
their FIVE cents need not be known Of
men.
However. having seen his little parish
ioner pointedly !, # out in all the prepara-
tons for the ladies' fair and festival, he did
insist and carried his point. that she should
have a position among the fair amateur
saleswomen.
The richest old woman in the congre-
cation had donated to the charitable en-
terprise huge collection of stupendously
uninteresting autographs which were not
even genuine. but attested toc simites OF
the signatures of every man of note, from
Moses to Treasurer Spinner. who had ever
been rash enough to put his name on pa
per.
The ladies regarded the gift as white
elephant, and forty wild horses could not
have dragged any other girl in Ofport TO
take charge of it.
The amiablc first directress of the sew
ing society was Tallyrand in petticoats.
She brought the two difficulties together
and let one take care of the other, that is
to say, if that low. odious little creature
was to be forced upon them, let her un-
dertake the book which, OF course, would
never be disposed of, but which must APP
pear. or the offended donor would prompt
lv remove herself and her fortune to the
rival church.
Alter the ecstasy caused by the dear old
rector's pledge that she should have
share in the delight of waiting at the fair,
it was something of heart-break when.
by request. she presented herself before
the committee of arrangements. to find
herself appointed to a most unenviablc
post.
She might not have known in her inno-
cence, that it was a station so abhorred,
but the ill-conccaled mirth of the others
at her appointment to it made her aware
OF the small esteem in which it was held.
Then there were other drawbacks, and
altogether it was a sad little face that
Tinie wore as she swept off the porch of
their little tumble-down. black cottage
she called her home.
There's no use trying" she said. as
she bent her lovely curly head lower and
lower to keep the tears out of sight
mo use trying to be like girls who have
money and nice houses. and clothes they
are not ashamed Of | declare If it was
not for mother. I'd wish wastiead.''
What do you say TIME P" said her
mother, looking up from the ironing ia
BILE.
II don't know; think | must have
been talking to myself" said the girl.
looking in, with her iorget-me not blue
eyes dewy with tears. t'But. mother, af-
ter all. think | won't 60 to the fair"
Mrs. Blair finished ironing a collar be-
fore she spoke; then. with pleasant
lighting up of her worn face. she said
"lf you want to stay at home because
You have nothing to wear, stop worrying.
dear. for I've thought it all out. I'll
press out my old black mcrino for you-
the rustiness won't show at night and
we'll cut up your little old white dress
and make a fancy white apron like the
one | had here to do up for the young lady
that boarded at the hotel last summer
and we'll take the ribbons off YOU hat to
put on 1t; you can put them back before
sunday"
A cloud at the idea Of the disreputable
old merino. a moments doubt ut the pos
sibility OF the fancy apron, then a full
burst OF sunshine at the quick mental pie
ture Of her pretty self in n becoming cos
tune for once. and TIME danced up to hug
her blessed mother.
''Oh, nanny darling. What nice things
mothers are.'
Low as the misery OF drunken hus-
band had made Mrs. Blair's position. she
was a lady by birth and education. and
had brought up her two children with all
the refinement possible in their misior
tunes.
She was proud of her pretty daughter,
and felt most keenly the sighting coldness
with which the young ladies of Offport
treated her. She was glad now that a
taste of pleasure seemed to be thrown in
her way.
But, although the plans were made. not
a step could be taken toward their execu-
ton till small basket of clothes could
be finished and sent off to the hotel: but
they were quickly done and dispatched by
Bobby, Tinie's small. but very wide
awake brother, and then both mother and
daughter gave every thought and energy
to preparing the simple costume the lat
far IN