Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-08-21
she said at is chilly evening"
UXes'mv


held up hand to shade her face. Itwa.
a small hand. with an ambiguous red gem
on the forefnger. The nails were all bit
ten to the quick, Miss Sydney observed
The face shaded by the hand was mol
unpretty. The brown eyes had straight
forward, honest glance, the mouth wss
rather sweet, there was that delicacy oI
modelling, just bordering on fragility,
which gives to the early youth Of so many
American women heeting charm. l,
was face which softly banded hair and
low knot would have suited but with
the bad taste of her class. Cary had
adopted the style of coifure which became
her least. All the front hair was an un-
kempt tangle of "bang." At the back
was mass Of jute switches, braided and
surmounted with gilt comb and on top
Of the erection VAS perched straw hat
lined with blue and ornamented with a
bedraggled cocks tail. The dress, of
cheap material, was blue also. and was
frilled and founced into a caricature OF
the prevailing fashion. A ruffle of soiled
lace surrounded the girls neck, beneath
which, over not overclean muslin tie,
hung a smart locket Of yellow metal
very yellow. Bangles :linked round the
slender wrists. Beneath the pulled and
ruffied skirt a shabby petticoat of gray
cotton peeped out. Though the weather
was chill the girl wore no wrap. Miss
Sydney noted the details in half the time
it has taken to describe them, and stirred
with pity which was half Indignation.
said, MY child, how could you think Of
coming out on such day as this without
a shawl :"
81 haven't any shawl
"Well, jacket, then
81 haven't any jacket. either. that
matches this dress" glancing compla-
Gently down at the berutfled skirt
but you would rather wear jacket
that didn't match your dress than catch
cold wouldn't you :"
"Ye-es." admitted the girl in rather
an unwilling tone. ''But the only one
I've got is purple, and it looks horrid
with this blue" Noting dissent in her
companions face, she added: 1--WE
poor girls can't have a wrap for every
dress, like rich ladies do"
NO. said Miss Sydney, 81 know it.
never attempt to have different wrap
for each dress | wear. can't afford 1t,
either"
Cary stared. "How queer-she be-
gan, then changed it to, "But YOU and l
are quite different, ma am"
There was something wistful in the
face, which touched Myra Sidney. ut
will be time wasted, | dare say" she
said, "still should like just for once. to
argue out the dress question with q
girl like this. She is one Of a great class,
and, poor things, they are so dreadfully
! foolish and ignorant" She made no
immediate reply to her companion. but
rose and rang the bell. IL am going to
give you cup Of tea" she said. "Hark,
how it rains. You can't go yet, and you
will be less likely to take cold when you
do 90. If you start well warmed. Be
sides, want to have you stay. should
like to have little talk over this ques-
ton of dress, which is so interesting to
all of us women" She smiled brightly
as her guest, who, as if dazzled, watched
the entrance of the tray with its bubbling
kettle, its plates Of thin bread and butter
and crisp. dainty cakes watched Myra
measure the tea, warm the pot of gay
Japanese ware, aud when the brew was
readily, fill the thin Tipped cups and drop
in sugar and cream.
"How nice :" she said, with sigh Of
satisfaction. Her heart opened under
the unwonted kindness and comfort, and
Miss Sydney had little difficulty in learn.
ing what she wished to know. Cary
Thomas was the girls name. She had
lived at home till two years ago. Did
she like the city: Yes, she guessed she
liked it well enough, but it wasn't much
like home to board. She and another
girl that worked at Snow and Asher's
had q room together out on Farewell
street. They had pretty good times when
they weren't too full Of work, but in the
busy season they stayed so late at the
store that they didn't want anything
when they got home. except to 60
straight to bed. They got seven dollars
q week, more when there was extra work
to do.
"Can you lay up anything out of
that?' asked Miss Sidney.
"No, ma'am, not cent; at least !
don't. There are some girls in the store
that do, but they've got sick friends to
save for v--
Now" said Miss Sidney, having thus
felt her way, Ito 90 back to the jacket
question. AS told you, l can't afford
to have one for every Dress"
"Cant you, ma'am, what do you dc
them"
81 tuy one jacket which will do with
anything / wear"
"But that isn't q suit" said Cary,
doubtfully.
mo. but is it absolutely necessary that
everything should be suit =
The girls at our store think 80 much
of suits"-in a puzzled tone of self-de-
fense.
Il know some people have fancy fol
them, and they are very pretty some.
times. But don't you see they must cost
great deal Of money, and that working
people, you and myself, for instance,
ought to manage more carefully"
"Do you work ma'am ,"
"To be sure do. You look surprised.