South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1882-08-11
A Story for the Household.



i anticipate just q lovely time ai
Mr.. Mcredith's, remarked Bertha
Ashton to her sister, who was busying
herself over a gay trifle of worsted
embroidery.
J so am L; / wouldn't miss going
for anything. The perplexiug ques.
tion with us, just now, is. wherewithal
shall we be clothed? Weare not iii.
les of the field and arc forced to
make the urgent inquiry
Cora, the last speaker. had the pref.
test face, although there was more
innate selhshness depicted in its
youthful lines.
1T is terribly annoying to be oh.
liged to calculate ways and means SO
closely, and it takes away half the
pleasure of going said Bertha. III
Is quite plain to me, thnt we must
have new dresses, she continued for
we have nothing fit to wear
Mrs. Ashton, who had been ST.
lent listener to the conversation, now
said,-
i don't see how we can afford them
girls. i think you will have to alter
and retrim your old party dresses.
and make them do
Make them do! You always talk
that way, mother. l cay they will
not answer at all. 1t is downright
shabby in you to want us to 90 dress
ed so unlike other young ladies of our
circle
And selfish tears beloved the round
peachy checks.
Il don't want you to go co; but
our means must measure the quality
and amount of your raiment,' replied
Mrs. Ashton, in panied tone of
voice.
Mother, why won't you let us get
the silk OH trust9' asked Bertha.
Because it would displease your
father exceedingly
But Just for once teased Cora.
lit is out of the question. If
should intimate it to him, he would
insist upon your remaining at home,
so utterly opposed is he to getting into
debt
'Oh, dear we may as well stay
then. | won't go, unless | can have
something new to wear said Cora.
pettishly.
Nor /. Another thing, mother,
Cora will lose the attentions of Stuart
Braydon rs consequence. lie has,
ot late, shown a marked preference
for her society. You and father both
know him to be fine, well.to.do
young man. Say what you will, good
clothes, pleasant surroundings, and q
pretty girl at hand, are influences that
tell on young mans heart. They
are desirable circumstances, that help
to make eligible matches, the kind
you want us to Make reasoned Ber
tina, and not without effect.
Mrs. Ashton was not an unworldly
woman, and this view of the case
struck her favorably. After mo.
men:'s reflection, she answered, -
Il think | know one way to get the
money to pay for your dresses. Your
father has been, for some time, intend
ing to make repairs on the house, SO
Mark can have n more pleasant and
comfortable apartment, and has put
by money for the purpose. / think
| can persuade him to defer the repairs
few months longer
DO, mother, that's darling beg.
ged Cora, with kiss
Il hate to; Marks room is so gloo.
my and small.
but few months won't make any
difference. Boys don't mind these
little things as girls do. | don't be,
lieve Mark knows whether there is one
window or three in his ROOM, said
Cora.
Bertha, not quite so seIfshly incln-
ed, was little sorry the dresses could
not be obtained i'm some other way /:
but was quite rs unwilling to forego
them as her sister and the result was,
that the weak, lndulgent mother yiel-
ded reluctant consent to their uni.
ted pleading.
The evening of the party came
round at length. Marks pretty sis
tiers were robed in the lustrous and
IasblOnaUle new garments, they felt
were SO desirable aud needfuI, and
they did, indeed, enhance their ont
ward and senuous charms : but the
angel, who looks within, and loves the
ornament of a meek and quiet spirit,
saw blemishes on the gems immortal,
enshrincd in fair & aeshIy tabornacles.
The vain mothers heart swelled
with wide over their Ioveliness aud
even poor Mark could not forbcar ex-
pressing his boyish admiration, though
not IN the most elegant phraseology.
'1ou arc perfectly stunning, girls.
I'd like to eat You BOTH
Your vocabulary seems to hold
nothing but slang phrases, Mark.
advise you To cultivate language, ,
said Bertha, irritated by the term
stunning.