The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1883-11-29
MRS. STAPLES SILK DRESS
Thanksgiving story.

bring homo my Dress" said Mrs.
Staples as she set the breakfast on the
table and took her place behind the
coffee pot. "No signs of it yet and here
it is al most Thanksgiving"
"Don't fret, Hannah" said her nus
band, as he helped himself literally to
fried ham. "You can do without 1t II 1t
don't come, can't you?"
"Do you suppose I want to wear tina
old gray alpaca again?" demanded MRS.
staples little irritably. "pvs worn 1t
every THANKSGIVING day for three years,
and I'm abo 1t tired of seeing myself In
it. And don't want Giles to be ashamed
of me before his sweetheart"
30, we'll, like as not the dressl be
here on time," said Mr.. Staples sooth-
ingly. Don't cross bridge before you
come to it, Hannah"
At this moment timid, hesitating
knock sounded on the kitchen door, and
Mrs. Staples rose from her seat to an
swer it. A small delicate looking woman,
with q sweet, fair face came in. She wa
dressed in deep mourning which had
Iong aince lost its freshness, and carried
IN her arms bundle. There were lines
Of care on her face, and the melancho-
= look in her large brown eyes deep
sned perceptlbly as Mrs. Staples ex-
claimed:
$50 you've came at lastl thoughtyoud
forgotten me and I'd set my heart on
wea, ing that dress Thanksgiving day."
80, Mrs. Staples" cried little Mrs.
Brown, looking ready to burst into
tears. 81 don't know what you'll say to
me. The skirt of the dress is done, but
| the basque"
"Wel, what of the basque?" asked
Mrs. Staples sharply, as the dress
| maker hesitated.
"I-I-spolled it." faltered Mrs.
Brown. "But thought perhaps you had
some more material, and could make
another if you would let me-"
| For a moment Mrs. Staples said moth
| ing. Her Indignation was too great for
words. When she at length found her
tongue, however, she delivered the poor
culprit such lecture as she had never
| heard before.
81 know I deserve scolding, Mrs. Sta
Mes" sobbed Mrs. Brown. "But my
| little Ruth has been sick. and what with
nursing her, and losing sleep, and see
ing to the homework. got so confused
that cut the basque all wrong. l never
made such mistake before, and if you
can give me only two yards more [ can
manage to get another basque out in
time for you to wear the day after to-
morrow"
"There's no more material to be had,
answered Mrs. Staples, II took the last
ward in Dickenson's store. No, the
dress is ruined might as we'll nave
thrown my money in the street as spent
it on stuff for you to spoil. l ought to
have known better than to have trusted
YOU with the si.k-common sense ought
to have told me you'd ruin it.
II never ruined one BEFORE pleade
Mrs. Brown, still weeping.
"And I'll see , it that you never ruin
another-in this vi lage, anyway. It's my
duty to let people know that you aren'1
what you profess to be, and know abou
as rnnch of dress making as your baby
does"
Mrs. Brown said no more, but pullin:
her veil over her face to conceal tn'
, traces of tears on her cheeks, left th'
, kitchen with a slow and weary step
while Mrs. Staples went back to he
seat at the table, too angry to touch tn
breakfast she had put upon her plate be
fore Mrs. Browns entrance.
The little widow had com: to Bartol
only three weeks before, and hiring
three-room cottage, had put out hum
bic sign to the effect that she would d
; dress making on reasonable terms
, Mrs. Staples, though well off in thi
: worlds goods, was always ready to econ
omize where economy was possible, anc
as soon as she saw the sign sne deter
mined to entrust her new silk, the ont
one she had bought within nve years,
the new CO mel.
And now it was spoiled, and she mus
wear her old gray alpaca on Thanksgiv
ing dav, when Giles, her only son, Wa!
to be at home, and was to bring stran
ger with him, tool Could anything more
provoking have happened?
"Seems to me you were rather hare
on her, Hannah" ventured Mr.. Staples
as he glanced at his wife's angry tace.
"Har,t on her" re peated Mrs. Staples
!. II didn't say half as much dis ought tt
have said. Wat will Mrs. Pettlgrev
think to see me in that old gray alpac
again? Giles, tool"
"Giles won't notice." said Mr.. Staples
!, l t. ii, SO no
. care what you Gave on"
"But l care. Do you think want +
look like scarecrow before that lad,
, he is going to bring!'
"Couidn' you match the silk in Lis
COMP" asked Mr.. Sta Dles. There's hal
dozen big dry goods stores there; you
. know"
: "Liscom! Eight miles of! And al
= I the baking and cleaning to be done. toe
And s'pose I had it, who's to make
up? Miss Smart's just run to DEATH"
John Staples got up and went to thu
! barn, giving up the argument In despair
, He ielt sorry for Mrs. Brown, who's
t sweet, sad face had touched his heart t
; pity, and he wished Hannah had no
said quite so much to her. But then, O
new dress spoiled. Sitting down on
.
j drew from his pocket letter, received
: the day previous, and read it over an,
over again. as it he would fain innres
9 every word on his memory, 1t Wa
:. from his son and ran as follows:
: Dear father, have great surprise
/ ! for you and mother. have found my
: dear lietle nurse again. You know tina
t when [ recovered from that terrible i'll
g ness through which Miss Emily Riy
t nursed me so tenderly and nobly. stran
!, ger to her as | was, would have mad,
I her my wife had she not been promised
3 10 another, whom she loved. | hav,
. told you how terribly l felt when
0 learned this fact, and that have never
: forgotten her. nor ceased TO love her
: Well yesterday I learned
from friend that she j
9 living in Bannock, only 'orty miles from
: Barton, and that circumstances have s,
) changed that there is now chance TO
}. ne. / have written to her, telling he
:. Just what feel, and that on my wa.
|