The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1884-06-27

Mrs Mills has charms enough without
it," said MIR. Langworthy, aside, at her elbow
Hush ~ returned Mrs. Mills. Il have my
pocketbook. Perhaps ten dollars will answer
quite as WE'LL; it is the smallest bill in it."
"Oh, give him the chain--he only asked
for ornaments-and save your money" ad
vised friend"
But Mrs. Mills only replied with flush
and threw in the ten-dollar bill, mentally cal
culating the shrinkage of her spring suit
perhaps.
Twenty dollars is rather a small amour
for spring suit" she reflected, later. "Le
me see, ten yards at q dollar yard-it's nj
use TO buy cheaper, for the elbows will bt
out in no time if do; that leaves ten dollars
for the dressmaker, Innings, buttons anC
extras: I'll ask how much Miss Slasher ha.
day."
"rhree dollars a day is my price, madame,
reported Slasher; "and might have it done
in three days, if you are in a hurry. l sup
pose you have machine ?"
| mo"
II could bring mine, but that's dollar ex
tra."
"And nothing left for Innings and extras,
thought Mrs. Mills. Unjust give up Slasher
too" She went home lost in thought. Hel
spring suit was problem which would have
|
of gravitation were trihing in comparison
and while she worked over its solution an &C.
quaintance who had seen better days rang
| her bell
"You can't guess what came for" she
| said, coloring furiously and unfolding lace
fichu. "You know l got into debt when the
children had the measles, and just now /
want ten dollars desperately. Now here's
this fichu-what earthly good is it to me, a
poor widow, doing her own house. work? l
| haven't worn it for ten years. l see they're
coming in again, and l thought maybe you
| could give me ten dollars for it, and not feel
cheated"
But Mrs. Knowles, it's worth fifty at least.
l couldn't think of giving you ten dollars for
| it; it would be like grinding the face of the
poor. I'll lend you the money gladly. But
why don't you rattle it?"
81 don't want to publish my poverty, that's
all. don't mind an old friend like you
knowing it; it's patent enough anyway. But
when you rattle anything people always feel
as if they were comforting an everlasting
favor upon you, and those who don't draw
the prize think they've made you a present
don't care fits worth fortune. | want
ten dollars now more than | ever shall
again"
"But will lend it to you'll will give it TO
you. l have ten dollars that don't exactly
know what to do with. Do let me have the
rare happiness of making present"
mo; let me pawn the tichu to you-thats
some day; and if | can't maybe you'll be
Now is it a bargain?"
And Mrs. Knowles went home with her
money and Mrs. Mills laid the fichu in the
drawer, and counted her change. "Well, |
must have gown" she said and before the
remaining ten dollars should melt away she
went out and bought ten yards of black bunt-
ing.
"A black gown is always safe, especially
for widow" she thought, and she bought
the last pattern, and hired sewing-machine
for week. And while she puzzled over
the paper pattern, Mr.. Langworthy dropped
in. Before she married, Mr.. Langworthy
had been lover of Mrs. Mills, and there had
been lovers quarrel, and Mr.. Mills had
stepped into the breach he had helped to
make. All that had happened years ago
was very young and foolish.
"Dressmaking, eh ?" said Mr.. Langwortby.
"Why is this thus?"
II don't know why can't makea gown
as well as Furbelow"
us this the gray cashmere and velvet with
which you were to astonish the nativesw
"The very same"
"You should not give five dollars to Mr..
Glucose, nor fifteen for Miss Nellie's wedding
gift, nor ten to Mrs. Knowles, nor ten to the
Cincinnati"
Glow did you know, Mr.. Langworthy?"
"Nlrs. Armstrong told me of the first in
discretion, assisted you to select the wed.
ding present, Mrs. Knowles contided in me,
and | saw the ten dollars drop into Mr.. Sa-
LENS hat for Cincinnati Let me ask, by the
way, why you didn't put in the necklace
you wore that night Was it because you
had forgiven the donor, and loved the gift
for his sake?"
"Perhaps so" answered Mrs. Mills.
1t was few days later when an express
man left huge box and tiny letter at Mrs.
Mills door.
DEAR COUSIN" Qhe letter began, -'I've
just lost an uncle in the Cincinnati flood, a
great-uncle whom | never saw and hardly
ever heard of; but papa says we must wear
black, and here's my lovely gown the Furbe.
lows just sent home going a begging. AS
your gowns used to.fit me TO t when visit
ed at your house in the days of my impecu-
niosity-that words SO big I'm not sure Of
the spelliug-perhaps you won't mind ac-
cepting this from your loving cousin, Lucia
"P. 81 can't bear to part with it, but it's
no use to me, and will be out of style before
| can wear it,"
1t was gray silk and velvet, perfect
symphony of gown, the very shade Mrs.
Mills had coveted.
at will answer for my wedding DRESS"
she said, with little blush.-Bazdr.