Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1881-02-16

"I-don't know" said his wife, again
pausing. brush in hand, over the long and
luxuriant hair that he admired so much
But her husband was already gone.
| A couple of hours aflerward a young
woman from Madame Des Chenes's en-
tered with box of silks. The gas was
lit. the shutters were closed, and piece
after piece was gathered into dcxtrous
/ folds by the cunning and accustomed
fingers and held up to the glare of the
chandelier for her to admire. She was
not very courageous little body, Mrs.
/ Eccleston; she did not know how to send
the girl away and take none 0f her wares;
she had no heart in the play; she felt in
| the depths of guilty soul that she had
no place with idle and wealthy merry
makers-she who kept only one girl"
at home. She was sure Will could not
afford it. Every time the young woman
| held up Il fresh combination sense of
! timpending disaster filled her with de-
preston. She found herself unable to
choose; the young womtn IN found her diff
cult to please.
"Whnt if madame allowed me to make
choice for hrr!" said the damsel at last,
in desp,ir of suiting her otherwise.
And YOU will send it home tomorrow
EVENING"" said Mrs. Eccleston, with re-
lief, AS if shifting the responsibility st
last.
MADAME shall have the robe, gloves,
slippers, laceS. flower, at nine O'Clock
tomorrow evening"
Very well, them said Mrs. Eccleston,
desperately; and the measures being
taken. box and lamsel disappeared.
After all" said Mrs. Eecleston to
herself II dare say am making great
lu,s abou' nojhrng. Why shouldn't l
have new dress? Other mems wives do;
and m sure | earn it. every stitch of it,
IN the Gaze and economy | practice at
home. Ill 90 without butter and sugar ii
year rather than not have it. Perhaps it's
he only chance I'll have in all my life,
and don't suppose one gown will either
make or break us"
Yet tor all that, she was very i'll mt ease;
and although she acceped Mrs. De Ber-
rian's kindness about the cards. it was
with no elation; she felt little as the
day wore on rs though it was only
nightmare, and half wished it were. True
to the promise, however, at the appointed
hour The young woman and the robe ap-
peared, and ut sight of it doubts vanished
1T WAS indeed ftutless the most delicate
shade of rose, with puffings of lisse above
finger deep ruff 3 of VaIencennes, and
with long gar'ltnds Of tiny white Scotch
roses. Mrs, Ecrleston was not slow to
confess to herself that she had never seen
any thing lovlirr than she looked when
she stood before the glass, the last fold
ike Il bIushing and Just opening rose
herself, the fam hair waving off the white
forehead aud massed low behind, the
jewel-lke eyes with their darkly pencied
Drows, the transparent sweetness of the
smile, the whole radiant grace and color
set off by the radiant dress. "lIelen of
Troy 10 ,ked just like!' said her husband
in rapture. IAN you want now is
diamonds"
Il wouldn't give straw for diamonds.
Tell me truly, WILL don't you fell that
this dress is II great Extravaganza"
"Extravagance! I'd give ten times the
price for the sake of seeing you in it,"
And in his old dress-coat, that was yet in
very good style, although it had never
been worn since his wedding day. Mr..
Eccleston escorted mis- wife to Mrs. De
Berrian's carriage, and excited to yet
more brilliant light and color by the
sense Of her beauty, dress, and the idea of
going out at that hour when she had
always gone to bed, she made II triumph
al entry at the Embassy.
Triumphant is no more than fit word
for it. Eyes no sooner saw pretty Mrs,
Eccleston than hearts flew out to her.
Almost before she knew it she was led
from Mrs. De Berrian's by statesman
who had always loomed up in her I'M
agination like demi god; then she was
WALKING with II famous general was
taking ices with II titled foreigner, and
talking to him in his native tongue WAS
promenading with another; was going
down to supper with third; and Mr..
Eccleston had no opportunity to exchange
another word with his wife till he took
her back to the carriage. He was content,
however with watching her and watc hing
he brilliant scene, the rooms embowered
in eXotiCs, the superb paintings in one,
7 he china and bronzes in another, the
magn.licrnce of the througs surging up
and down the palatial starways-all in Il
vague conscience that this was at last the
life to which they naturally belonged.
| lie enjoyed it, on the whole, AS much as
she did, and with her the night had gone
like dream. "Well, my dear" said
MIS-. De Bcrrian, you are the fashion"
1t was quite true; Mrs Eccleston was
he fashion. Cards, countless rs the flakes
of IL snow-storm. were showered upon her
this and that members wife was eager to
have her comptny in calling; she received
| With a cabinet lady she sang at nsuSlcdieS;
she danced every whcre-iOr ten days. BY
| hat time the black silk was no longer fit
lor calling, nor, with all the constantly re
newed 9raniture of fresh lea.roses and vic
lets sent by her various admirers, would
it do for any more mtftneeS danSa,ltes, and
1t was sent to the dressmaker to be
turblshed and made passabe once more.
MelnW hile the business of the treasury
was MOI yet concluded, although the decs
ION might come on any day Launched
on The full flood of society, she could
hardly withdraw and still remain in town :;
and unless she wanted the pink to become
Il uniform, it was necessary to have an
other dress. lneeed, it was necessary
anyway, as Mr.. Eccleston had found it
hard work to keep his hands off II gay
young attache who bad spilled c.aret
| punch IN broad purple splash and slreak
al down the sfront of it. And then Lent
coming presently, she explained, IN the
tashionab @ parlance that she had learned,
there would be but little more of the sea
son at furtheSt-it was Wednesday.
one week from S.. Valentine s-day-- Wills
birthday. She had providentIy tucked
her old wedding gown into the bottom of
the trunk, on leaving, with dim idea of
possibly turning it to account. She took
1t to Ma lame Des Chenes. Once it had
been white satin; the modiste thought it
might pass for AN ivory tint in the evening"
and with train and shoulders of brocade in
white and gold
"Oh dear, no, indeed!' said Mrs. Eccle-
ston, not quite SO much afraid of the deity
rs at first 1T must be just as cheap as
it can be "
Black velvet, then, would"
"Damasse," said Mrs. Ecclcston, e M
phatcally, 'is good enough damasse and
black lace and blood red roses" And
then, ut Madame Des Chenes's persuasion
she took IL ready made princess slip of
black tulle and velvet stripes to wear over