Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-08-15

tho little town and neighborhood, and
various maidens came to look and long,
it lay still, a year after its arrival, in its
box. One mamma found it too dear,
and another too striking, and another's
daughter it would not fit, and to an
other it was pointcdly unbecoming.
Mrs. Allen grew to hate the mention OF
it, and her feminine pleasure in spread
ing it out for chorused admiration died
away after she had done it q dozen
times. But one day there came a letter
announcing the engagement and speedy
marriage Of a favorite niece, Alice
Grey. Alice was poor and pretty and
h il of a fine family. and wa eNultant
at once over her luck and her love.
"I'or though it wouldn't have made any
difference to me, and l should have
liked him Just the same if he had been
a nobody, still, for ones friends. it is a
satisfaction to have SO irreproachab!c q
person as Fred Raymond. And the
RVmonds have been so kind, too. over
it. They offered their house for a re-
ception after the ceremony, and they
proposed q great party when we came
home from our trip, But | have de-
clined both, chic y because l don't
want to dress for them. We are going
to have the pretliest kind OF a wedding:
bridema DIS in costumes out OF Sir
Joshua's pictures, big hats and high
Topped skirts and long mitts, you know,
combining economy and picturesque
ness. Only I'm afraid most people
won't Sc it, and will think we only do
it to be odd"
Mrs. Allen put down her letter and
thought. She had meant to send Alice
! q silver service, perhaps, or all her
house linen, and she knew now that
this was the sensible thing to do. But
there was that gown wasting its sweet
ness on the desert air of her best closet,
and how pretty Alice would look in it!
and no one could call it an extrava-
gancc if the dress was given her; and
then the dear child could have her par
ty and reception, which, of course, she
wanted. And it would not affect the
rest of her outht; she was too sensible
q girl to have her head turned by love
ly gown.
And so, ten days later, the little fam
lily a hundred miles away Were thrown
into a pleasant excitement by the con
ing of a letter from Aunt Elinor and q
box from the express.
How perfectly lovely of herr" cred
Alice, flushing to new beauty as she
read. And to think of me in a really
Paris gown! I wish nov l hadn't de-
clined the parties"
"But why can't you have them?n
cried the younger sister, as she tugged
at the strings Of the box. ''Tell Fred
you have changed your mind. You know
they said they shouldn't take your de-
cision as absolute. They knew why
you had to decline"
"But we must give up the morning
wedding the elder sister said. de.
cisively, when the gown had been
taken out and admired. "a dress like
that shows off ten times more by pas-
light"
"And my four b%ridemaids in Sir
Joshua dresses" Alice added, a little
mournfully. Il know beforehand that
May Fleming and Ruth Nicol can't
"You might take i'rel's sisters in
their places,' Mrs. Grey suggested.
cit would be a proper respect to the
family. But, to be sure, they are older
than YOU, and not $3.50 very good
jloch / Noi l'lClLllSCu W NC ~
rose among ~rose-buds, Allie"
"Geod-looking, indeed!" cried the
young sister. "They are horrid old
maids. But but they do know how to
dress. and in.the evening, daresay won't
look SO bad. But perhaps the others
can manage it.
But Alice's f%oreboding was realized.
Her best friend declined her office at
sight of the treasure. She was a teach
er. she had an invalid mother to sup
port, and a gown to match this would
be a base extravaganza. Alice was
fam to propose the vacancies in her
guard of honor to her prospective Sis
ters-in-law, and find what comfort she
could in her sisters suggestion that the
contrast between their faded faces and
her fresh young beauty would be all
the more striking. And besides, they
all agreed that such a gown deserved
some sacrifice.
Well, it had all it deserved before
they were through with it. Alice had
meant to have everything simple and
suited to her circumstances. She had
no intention Of putting everything into
%fallals. For ii the Raymonds were q
fine family, and some day Fred would
have plenty of money, he had only a
nice salary now, and they were to be-
gin in the Queen Anne cottage his
father had given him, and
hers was to furnish. But really
II must have some sort of relation be-
tween things, so all the pretty and pic
turesque plans for the house yielded to
its claims, and presently they were all
pale and Worn with the >titehin" they
undertook to get things undrcameu OF
before its coming made plain the shah
bineSs of their previous ideas. Mrs.
Allen, who calne down II week before
the wedding, saw with dismay the ruin
she had wrought. The talk was all of
fashions and trills, Of presents and par
ties and prinking, and temporarily it
seemed hat the Paris gown had
changed her Puritan niece into q yjlded
wording.
'lou would like to see the dress on
me, aHntie," Alice said that first morn
ing. at Its almost as ii it were made
for me, but we have thought Of alteGinr
the d%raperies. And papa declares the
corsage is too low, bvt the itavmond
girls say not. The ]Raylnonds ale used
TO everything. Won Know hut I,vo