The Osceola times., 1881-03-05
THE VELVET CLOAK.

tttltI ilcttlc WIS modest, sweet
looking little creature, quite contrast to
the dashing woman, who now walked
beside her. People, in fact, had fre-
| quently wondered how the two came to
| be SO intimate.
Uetties husband had expogtulated
often, 81 don't want to interfere in your
friendships, my dear but do wish you
would see less Of Mrs. Danvers," he had
said, 81 don't fancy her"
The ladies directly entered Wallace
* Dukes fashionable store.
"They have such beautiful cloaks,"
said Mrs. Danvers, "and YOU know we
agreed, the other day, to buy cloaks ex-
actly alike?"
Il don't know-I'm afraid I'll have
to give it up" said Hettie, hesitatingly.
Dick told me, at breakfast, he couldn't
| afford to give me a new cloak, at least, a
velvet one, this winter. He said he was
only clerk, with not too large a salary.
I've only got forty dollars, which is all
he could spare"
"Bother Dick" was the reply. "Who
cares what he said? My husband told
me, too, this morning, that / mustn't
| think Of such thing; but | cody in
formed the gentleman | did as pleased.
Guess he knows that pretty well, al
eaGy."
81 wouldn't dare tell Dick that" says
| Hettie.
"Iou wouldn't? Poor little soul You
| don't know how to manage a husband.
The right way is Just to get thing when
| you want it, and then, you see, when the
bill comes in, why you've got it, and
they can't help themselves, so they have
it to pay for. That's the way to fix 'eml
| And it's the very way we are going to do
| this time"
Hettie knew very well that this was
very bad advice. Her checks burned,
and she felt very much inclined to turn
| and walk out of the store, leaving Mrs.
| Dauvars to her own devices. 1t was a
pity she did not obey the wise impulse.
| For the velvet cloaks were so lovely, she
| fingered, and longed, and at last met the
| fate of the woman who hcsitates.
Mrs. Danver's willy tongue and bad ex-
ample prevailed. When they left the
store, two cloaks were ordered to be sent
| home, for which each purchaser was to
pay sixty dollars; and when Hettie went
TO bed that night, the beautiful velvet
| hing was locked in drawer in her
wardrobe, not ten feet from the bed.
She meant TO tell Dick the very next
day; but the longer she thought, the
| more she dreaded it.
| "Ill wear il few times, and then
won't mind il" she said, smoothing out
| the -ich fringe, not feeling particularly
happy, however, in the possession of the
| coveted cloak.
Bat il was not so easy TO wear it, On
| Sunday, she went to church with Dick,
| and she would never have dared to put
| it on then. During the week, she went
| out one afternoon with Mrs. Danvers,
and then the hidden treasure was put on.
| Mrs. Danyers was in raptures over its
| beauty; but llettie could not enjoy it.
| She was so afraid of meeting Dick. She
would nearly as soon have faced a canon,
| as have met him, and seen the look of
| grave surprise in his eyes. When Hettie
got home, she flung the cloak upon a
| chair, saying:
"Despicabe thing! How could | ever
| have got myself into such a worry? The
idea of being afraid to 90 out for fear of
| meeting ones own husband And he
the best fellow in the world, too! That's
Just the reason of it. If he was hateful,
and wouldn't get me things, why |
| wouldn't care; but when he is SO good,
and works so hard, poor fellowl ! just
| despse myself for trying to deceive him.
don't think I'll ever wear that thing
againI"
| However, week or two later, Dick
was obliged to go away from home for a
day or two; and then Hettie wore the
| velvet cloak once more. But she felt as
| - hap nj a1,
| it upstairs, when she got home, with a
firm resolve to tell Dick, and never wear
it again, until he knew all about it.
But when Dick came back, she turned
a p!tinl little coward, and could not
open her mouth. She was very misera-
bic and unhappy, and poor Dick Won
dered and asked in vain what the matter
was. She always said nothing" but
she was very unlike her old, cheerful
self
An invitation came TO them, to spend
the holidays with lIettie's married Sis
ter in Boston, and Dick, thinking ii
would do Hettie good, accepted the in
| vitation.
Hettie was anxious to 90. But what
was she to do? 1t was needful she
should have a new cloak of some kind
to 90 in, or at least while she was in
Boston. She couldn't get another, while
| that one was in the house, and how
could she tell Dick now? She was IN
hourly fear, besides, that the bill would
be sent in, and then the truth have to
come out.
They were to 60 the day before Christ
mas. At supper-time, on the evening
of the twenty-third, Dick came in with a
bright face, and large pasteboard box
in his hand.
"Well, little woman" was his greeting
cts bit early for Christmas present;
but you'll want to put ii in your trunk
tomorrow, and so | brought it along
See how you like it,"
"What is it?" asked Hettie, as he put
the box in her lap.
Look ard seen He united the string
which fastened the box, took off the
cover. and lifted out - oh, dreadful
Hette's heart few to her mouth, and
almost choked her-for it was a rich
black velvet cloak. And one far richer
and more elegantly trimmed, than the
hateful thing locked in her wardrobe
drawer upstairs. -,
Hettie sat an instant, pale and still
Then she rallied, with a. determined
effort.
"Oh. Dick, how kind you are" sh'
said. as quietly as if her heart was no
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