News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1883-09-27
That New Dress

-
"Such a lovely sash Oh, mother
it seems as if that is just what need TO
my new silk dress. Such a beautiful
shade! 1t would match my dress ex
| actIy !"
Eyes, Florence, it is all as you say
But, my dear, your dress has already
cost a third more than we. calculated
and I don't see how We can afford any
more. Your father looked sober this
morning when I told him you would
need new laces to wear with it !; and if
tell him you need O sash besides, 1 an
afraid he will openly refuse"
But, mother, everyone will wear 6
sash, and mine will look shabby beside
my new silk. D."
Mrs. Foster made no reply. 1t was
hard to refuse the pretty pleader any.
thing; but the sash would cost five dol
lars, and that was large sum tc
add to a dress which had already over.
run its calculations one-third.
Cant we manage it somehow.
mother?" continued the daughter; 'it
really seems a pity to spoil the suit with
my old shabby SASH"
"Yet your sash was new last spring,
Florence" returned the mother, ''and
cost then three dollars"
81 know; but I've worn it ever so
many times" said the young girl, ''and
and [ want the new one so bad. Can't
we cut off expenses somewhere, mamma
You're such a manager about every
thing, surely you can see some way of
escape"
Mrs. Foster shook her head doubling
Iy. Expenses were already being run
on a close scale. Appearances must be
kept up at whatever cost.
81 don't know of any way, unless we
ask Miss Fitzgerald to wait for her pay, "
she said, after few moments hesita-
ion.
"The very thing, mammal" cried the
yirI eagerly. "NIiss Fitzgerald couldn't
hiect. I know Why, ever 50 many |
,rcssmakers wait for their pay jennie
Cole told me only last week that they
paid their dressmaker only quarterly.
'.Perhaps things are different with dlf-
ferent people, Florence. Your father
objects to bills, you know.
s.But this would not be an account
mamma. You could settle with Miss
Fitzgerald soon," said the young girl
eagerly ; ''and, anyhow, 1 think Miss
Fitzgerald hardly expects her money at
soon as the dress is done. "
"Why do you think so2' asked he
mother. -1oa
"Onlv vbecause-b -because-well, almos
everyone, nowadays, makes people walt.
$50 much the worse. 1 think II yo
were employed anywhere, you would ez
meet your wages when the work was done
| But since you have so set your mind o
the sash, dear, I will try what can b
DONE"
"But. mamma, we must not wal
The sash may be sold, and l could nc
oct another that matched my dress
well. If [ have it at all [ must have
at once. You can manage somehow
mamma. Ask Miss Fitzgerald to wal
I am sure it is no more than other peoP
do and YOU know you like to do
others do" she added, laughing, al
petting her mother.
} Thus fattered and coaxed by this
resistibIe pleader, Mrs. Fosterreluctant
Welded, and Florence was soon on h
wav to purchase the coveted sash.
} She was pretty young girl OF seve
teen. Life had held out to her
brightest side. The only child OF
duigent parents, she had been acct
toned to have every light wish gratltie
D As wears increased, her wants increas
with them; but not her fathers meal
! He was only a bookkeeper, ..on comic
able salary. but Florence had alwa
been as well dressed as the daughters
4 her fathers employer while they We
= schoolgirls together, ana she could I
: think of having any less now. The II
dress had been bought to wear to pa
! given in honor of the birthday OF II
Tonaire's daughter, and it must be
rich in material and as elegant In des1
as that of her friend. 1t had aires
, cost her father a whole months saIa
y and the end was not yet. But, uni
tunately, Florence had not been educa
to consider her fathers means. Her
sociates were young girls with hb'
supplies of money and whose const
theme of conversation was the COS
their wardrObes. She must dress as
as these or sink in the social scale.
at least her mother thought, and L
ence accepted the situation. When
monstrated with by Mr.. Foster on
subject, Mrs. Foster would assume
aggrieved air and say:
"Florence is our only child. L
. pity if she must go shabby and lose
ms. young friends, for if a girl doesn't
isn. well she is nobody"
You To which opinion Mr.. Foster us
ny assented by allowing the purchase
rec. made, while he pondered on what n
i'7 be the final outcome of it all.
and Not many blocks from where the
,swn. ters lived, there stood large, old,
hing - r,a4oI
you | house. 1t nad once De6n uOIel
aaSo axe circumstances had changed it int
T1ap par less dignifed term of tenement h
It's front door opened directly ol
. for street outside and into a large, e1
hose dirty hall inside. Up the rickety
fer were ''rooms, " occupied by type
Their habitants that have no steady al
perlg
H9Fs m2Ef place.
make Tn one of these rOOnas BaJ .
Nor girl. An invalid reclined on
and bending over the table was