The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-06-09
KATHIE'S WEDDING DOWRY.

Lear me, OtdT III 10 uItduiul
Mrs. Grayson caught up the pretty
bodice of the garment in question, and
gave it spiteful little shake. Kathie.
hemming ruffies by the window,
laughed.
"What can't be cured must be en-
dured; there's no help for it, auntie,"
she said.
Eyes, there was help for it," cried the
lady, tossing the bodice from her, "if
you had taken my advice; but you must
go and act like simpleton The idea
of girl of your age giving away her
hard earnings, and then getting married
without decent change of clothing l
declare it is too absurd. And you are
making such good match, too Charles
Montague comes of one of the very best
families in the country, and he will be
rich one of these days."
cat which time, let us hope, my
scanty wardrobe will be replenished,
said Kathie, merrily.
Her aunt frowned coDtemptuously.
"But what are you to do now?" she
went on. "What do you think Mrs.
Montague, of Oaklands, will think of
you, when she sees your outfit? ?"
''Not one whit less than she thinks OF
me to-day" answered Kathie, stoutly.
Mrs. Grayson laughed in scorn.
"You poor little simpleton Wait
until you know the world as l know it,
and you'll change your tune. tell you,
Kat6ie, appearance is everything Your
bridegroom himself will feel ashamed
of you when he sees you in the midst Of
his stately sisters, in the grand rooms of
Oaklands."
Kathie WINGED, but she answered
bravely:
CT don't believe Charlie will ever feel
ashamed of me-.
"Wait until he seesyou in your shabby
garments.
"Shabby garments" said Kathie,
opening her bright brown eyes. "My
garments are.not shabby, auntie. am
quite sure never looked shabby in my
whole life."
Mrs. Grayson glanced at the trim,
graceful little figure. The SETTLING
blue merino was faultless the linen
cuffs and collars were spotless as snow.
Kathie was right she never looked
shabby. Her garments seemed to be
part and parcel of herself, like the glossy
feathers and black tuft of a canary. Yet
these same garments were usually made
of all sorts of odds and ends, for Kathie
was poor, and obliged to be rigidly eco
nomical. But she was possessed OF that
tact, or talent, or whatever it may be
called, which is more to woman than
beauty or fortune; which enables her,
by the mere skill of her willing fingers
. and artist soul, to make life, her home,
her own person, ga thing OF beauty and
Joy forever"
Mrs. Grayson, Kathie's well-to-do
aunt, with daughters of her own, VINO
trailed their silks in the dust and
tumbled their laces and plumes and
looked dowdy all the while, regarded
the trim little figure by the window
with half admiring, half-contemptuous
smile.
You're rather pretty girl, Kathie,
and you understand the art of getting
yourself up in good style. What you've
got will do well enough, but there's so
little of it. Your bridal outfit is shame
full, upon my word. What will you do
for carriage dresses, and dinner dresses,
and evening dresses, when you are
Charles Montague's wife? Why, when
/ was a bride l had everything a round
dozen of silks of every hue, poplins,
merinos, tissues and half dozen sorts
of wraps. 1 didn't go to James Gray
son bare of clothes, tell you"
Kathie said nothing. She bent over
her ruffles, her bright eyes dim with
tears.
"Such simpleton as you've been,"
her aunt continued, latter toiling and
teaching for your money, to turn round
and give it away declare 1t puts me
out of temper to think OF it..
"What else could 1 do?" the girl
burst out passionately. "Could see
poor Georges cottage sold over his head
and he and his wife and children turned
out into the street,"
Assuredly," answered the lady, cool
ly, che could have rented house easy
enough. In your place, should have
kept my money in my pocket; but you
wouldn't listen to my advice. You are
sorry for il now, no doubt"
81 am not sorry for it. / would do
the same thing tomorrow. I'm glad I
had the money to pay poor Georges
debt, and 1 don't care il 1 do look
shabby"
very well, 1 shall try not TO care.