The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-08-27
THE LOST DRESS.

the window of pretty house in Milk
town, at intervals throughout the dull,
cold winter afternoon of day not long
gone by.
When about five o'clock, a young
girl, showily clad ia terra-cotta red,
with an impossible bird, in a cap of
impossible fur, was seen making state
ly progress down the long street, hold
ing in her arms an immense and puffy
brown-paper parcel.
Occasionally this young person made
an effort to look behind her without
turning her head, and when at last she
arrived at the doorsteps of the house
we have mentioned, she turned CO.
quettishly to see who it was who had
been walking behind her for some
distance.
Seeing that it was only a hobbledehoy
apprentice from the tinman's, with a
length of stove-pipe under his arm,
black smirch on his nose, and no ap-
probation of q terra-cotta waist-coat,
twenty inches in circumference in his
countenance, she turned away in dis
gust and rang the bell violently, lean
ing her back against the door, and re-
garding the apprentice with q scorn
which amazed him, and which proceed
ed from the fact that he was not the
fne-looking young man, with mustache,
that she had imagined to be following
her.
In an instant more she tumbled into
the arms of the elderly lady, who had
opened the door with unexpected
promptitude, amidst the derisive
laughter of the youthful tinman.
''Bless me! | hope you haven't hurt
YOURSELF" said the old lady. ''And is
this really Mrs. Rufft's dress at lastP
We'd almost given it up"
Madame says she couldn't help it,
said the girl, rubbing her elbow, which
had come into sharp contact with the
door. '1t's such a busy time;" and
delivering the parcel to the old lady,
she walked away, with dark views of
life in her young bosom, and an up
lifted nose that bespoke seorn of all
apprentices.
Meanwhile, the old lady hurried into
the sitting-room at the back of the
house, and placing the parcel upon a
table, cried, with q gasp of relief
There it is, Rebecca; and you
needn't have worried about it all day,
after ALL "
At these words a lady, who was still
only middle-aged, and who was sitting
wrapped in a voluminous double gown
in o great arm chair near the little
Franklin stove, started to her feet,
gave a cry of delight, seized the parcel,
opened it at one end, and emptied
from it a ruby-colored silk dress, all
hounces, furbelows, and q cachemire
beading, which she instantly proceeded
to try on.
The old lady superintendent the per-
Torrance, pronounced the fit perfect,
picked out lingering basting thread,
and spread the train abroad; while
Mrs. Ruffit, who was fat and blonde,
and very gushing, constantly repeated:
"You know it's the first time I've
appeared in colors for years, and the
Dumsdays are so stylish. You know
would wish to appear particularly well.
And does it taper in nicely at the waist,
Aunt Betsey? And does the train turn
when walkP"
At last even this nervous lady was
satisfied, and having looked at her
back in two glasses, declared that she
must take nap before she began to
dress, and vanished for that purpose.
And Aunt Betsy, having poured a
cup of tea from little brown teapot
that simmered constantly on the stove,
dropping into the vacated chair with q
sigh of relief, for Rebecca, though
good-hearted woman, who had given
her aunt an excellent home for years,
became at times q trifle wearisome with
her affectations, her immense anxiety
concerning her middle-aged charms,
and her floods of tears about nothing.
Had the dress really not come home.
and had Mrs. Ruffit really been obliged |
to send q regret to the Dumsdays that |
evening Aunt Betsy would had a |
weary time of it. Now she was free to |
rest, to read, or knit. or doze as she
liked, and though she took up the |
needles, the warmth of the fire, the /
comfort of the great chair, and the |
calm that had fallen after q storm, all |
induced slumber.
In fact, Aunt Betsy had been fast
asleep for more than half an hour,
when she started wide awake, to see
spectral form at the window, and to
hear spiritual rappings on the panes.
In an instant more the ghost had re-
solved itself into poor woman. whose
pale face was made CHASTITY by black
hood, and who, seeing the teapot and
Aunt Betsy's amiable face in eonjunc-
ton, had bethought her to ask for
cup Of tea
Aunt Betsy was kindness itself. She
opened the door to the woman, and
made her sit near the stove, and COM
forted her not only with tea and bread
and-butter, sbut with raspberry jam.
and finally went to the door again to
ssspeed the parting guest with
amiable words and q silver coin.
ssAh, poor thingf' she said to her
self. as she went into the coy sitting
room again. How hard It is for her.
Hard for whoman asked Mrs. Ruff,
who had returned to the sitting-room
well wrapped In the big dressing
gown. which somehow seemed more
voluminous than ever. whats hard
for whom, Aunt BetsyP'
oh, Rebecca. said the good old ,
lady, "a person has been here begging
cup of tea. Her husbands dead. her
sons in Texas, and she's walking
twenty miles to try and find daughter .
who married q man named Smith, fif-
teen years ago.
.sOh res, said Mrs. Rufit. who /
was only sentimentally sympathetic ]
with herself Il see-fhe old storyg
And Jon gave her all the small change
ron had in your pocket and she went
away to spend It IS the next gin-shop.
You are such soft-hearted goose. I
auntie only hope she didn't steal I
anything Good gracious, Aunt
Betsyi where is my new dressP', e
You took It upstairs with you, {.
Becky said Aunt Betsy.
Mrs. Rnfit ran upstairs with more 4
celebrity than could have been expected Il
1k fair, fat and e-and-fortr, and was
heard to open sundry eloset-doors. 60 /,
rush about wildly. and 20 Shrek. Then 8
she reappeared ID the sitting-room
SITS not up therer she shrieked. 4
lzinging her hands. oh. Aunt Betsy, 81
ell me you've put It s0meN here =
Don, say i 5 gone
- don see how Il can be gone. :.
s<ied Aunt Betsy. nying wildly 1p aud
|o6fn. shaking the curtains. looking b
s1ina tho sofa. even opening the SIX. d
soh drawer 81 liEtI1 Work-lsb bic
oh. Rebecca. IA snrs you took t
'Ifh 1o1I I'll find il Didn' { fcu put g
g I1s p1flQE =
t8zr Tie ladies aeu with queer u. &
s s1aeaIs and means g
<fEf spot Is She house WAS ran
1zt even tie eca|eetIt<. but Tie S
I1 [laU
last Mrs 1| f< eIo 6s 9fIns
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