River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1882-09-21

beauty, exactly the color OF a
Marechal Neil rose"
Could the bellies of Fifth Avenue
and the languid queens of Jsponica
square but have known the atmos-
phere through which their dresses had
been trailed before coming home in
folds of silver paper and boxes labeled
"Modes de Parish"
When Bella Brown called her in the
morning, Flora Nottingham rubbed
her heavy eyelids.
ado you know, Bella" said she, 81
had such strange, strange dream, in
the middle of the night? 1 thought
you were standing here, and dressed in
the yellow satin robe"
Bella laughed sharp, affected
laugh.
''What nonsense, childl" said she.
"Be quick and dress. It's late already.
And the robe is folded up in the box,
ready to carry to the store"
Flora Nottingham need not have
been in such haste, as it TRANSFERRED.
Mrs. DR.. Truefitt did not call for the
dress until nearly noon, and then her
husband was with her.
Make haste, Madame Fontani," she
cried. "The doctor declares he hasn't
more than five minutes to spare, and l
want him to see this lovely dress!"
Mrs. Truefitt was dark, sparkling
little brunette, and yellow was her dar-
ling color. The doctor looked down
upon her with mild, benignant eyes.
"All her dresses are lovely for the
first month" said he, laughing. "And
then they become odious."
Madame Fontani, all smiles like a
venerable specimen of the cheshire
cat" were read of, lost no time in dis
playing the yellow dress on one of her
-draped dummy figures.
There, DIR. Truefitt p said she, 81
think that is-Dear, dear what can
possibly have happened to it? Miss
Nottingham come here this instant r
Mre. Trueftt uttered little cry of
dismay, for there, on the very front
breadth, was a dull, dim stain-the
glass of wine that the tailor's clerk had
spilled there the night before, and
whose traces Miss Bella Brown had
vainly endeavored to move.
Flora stood aghast before it.
nottingham, its your fault !"
screamed Madame Fontani. "The
dress was in perfect order when it was
intrusted to your hands last night !
You alone are esponsible-you alone !
What have you to say :"
81 know nothing about it, madame"
family gasped Flora, turning as pale
as ashes, and instinctively glancing to-
ward Bella Brown, who, with unnatural
red cheeks, was stsoping over some
satin goods in corner.
Just then DIR. Truefitt's groom, nat
tily-attired youth of two or three and
twenty, in a velvet-banded hat and
livery of sober black, who came up to
get the parcel, while the coachman
sat on the box below, stepped forward
and touched his hat.
"Might I speak, sir ?" said he. "Be-
cause I've seen this ERE gown afore.
1t was wore at the Ciceronic Clerks
Association Ball, where | was last
night, and had the honor of dancin'
with that there young woman In the
concentrating his head at Bella
Brown Gas had it on. And her
young man keeled over glass of
Widow Cricket champagne on it at
supper, and there was 8 first-clas row
about it"
"Oh, Bella! ON, Bellal" cried Flora
Nottingham, reproachfully; "then my
dreams were true, after all.
And Bella Brown burst into tears and
uttered not word of selfdefense.
Madame Fontani discharged her with
in the next half hour.
"Such assurance l never saw!" said
the indignant modiste. GAS if my Gus
toners elegant orders were to be ruin
ed at her balls and hops, and low class
things. And she may thank her stars
L don't have her arrested, and fang
into j4ilw
While poor Flora stood by, with such
an expression of white, mute dismay
on her face that Mrs. Truefitt turned
kindly to her.
"My DEAR" said she, in low voice,
"you are not happy herep
ooh, no, no?' cried Flora, wringing
her hands.
"Isn't the woman kind to your" ques-
toned the doctors wife.
"No," murmered Flora.
Don't they pay you well?"
'Not very"
ain that case" said Madame Fon-
TAM, turning suddenly to her appalled,
workwoman, "you, too, had better
leave my service, Miss Noting ham.
Pm sure beg your pardon, Mrs. True
fit; but if you could only know the
laziness, the treachery and ingratitude
of the creatures that have to deal
with"
''Pray don't excite yourself" inter
rupted Mrs. Trueftt, coldly. Oh ere is
my address, child" scribbling few
words on leaf of her notebook and
handing it to Flora. Come to me
this afternoon, and we will see what
can be DONE"
And SO she went away, leaving the
yellow satin dress on Madame Fontani's
hands.
"Don't come to me for recommend
ation," said the dressmaker in blind
rage.
And Flora didn't.
But that is how Flora Nottingham
came to leave the great, grinding city,
where the poor are borne down to the
very ground, and go to Mrs. Truefitt's
aunt, a smiling, kindly old lady. who
kept fancy store in one of the sew
eral New England villages, where
double rows of NAPLES shaded the
streets, and the scent of the honey
suckle fills the air. To the poor child
this atmosphere of peace and quiet
xess was like fore taste of heaven
itself.
And old Miss Hedgeley was equally
pleased with her new shop-girl.
''My DEAR" she said to Flora one
evening, after half an hours media
ton in the purple July twilight, do
you know what I am thinking of?"
"No, Miss Hedgely," said the girl,
laughing.
"Of adopting you, Flora, as my own
child"
"Oh, Miss Hedgeleyl" faltered Flora.
off you don't marry, l mean," the
old lady corrected herself.
Flora blushed bright soft pink.
81 shall never marry, Miss Hedge
ley" said she. :,
81 am not sure about that, said
Miss Hedgeley, as she thought of the
number of visits thai Mr.. Psttison, the
new minister, had considered it neces-
sary to make at her domicile of late.
"But anyhow, my dear, l hope you
won't go away very far from me"
And out of the fullness of her heart