Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1884-09-26
THE LOST DRESS.

A quiet, elderly lady, in a stone
cOl0red merino dress and black lace
cap had been anxiously peeping out of
the window of a pretty house in Milk
town, at intervals throughout the duh.
cold Winter afternoon of day not
long gone by.
When about 5 o'clock, young girl,
showily clad in terra-cotta red, with
an impossible bird, in cap of impos-
sible fur, was seen making stately
progress down the long street, holding
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 tile doorsteps of the house
we have mentioned, she turned coquet-
tishly to see who it was who had been
walking behind her for some distance.
Seeing that it was only a hobblede-
hoy apprentice from the tinman's,
with length Of stovepipe under his
arm, black smirch on his nose, and
10 appreciation of a terra-cotta waist
coat, twenty inches in circurn feronas,-
in his countenance, she turned away
in disgust and rung the bell violently,
leaning her back against the door, and
regarding the apprentice with a scorn
which amazed him, and which proceed
ed from the fact that he was not the
fine-looking young man, with mus
tache, whom 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, amid the derisive laugh
ter of the youthful tinman.
"Bless mel l hope you haven't hurt
yourself?" said the old lady. "And is
this really Mrs. Rutfit's dress at last?
We'd almost given it up"
Madame says she couldn't help it."
said the girl, rubbing her elbow, which
bad come into sharp contact with the
door. "It's such a busy time;" and
delivering the parcel to the old lady,
she walkel away, with dark views of
life in her young bosom, and an up
lifted nose that bespoke scorn of all
apprentices.
Meanwhile the old lady hurried in
to the sitting room at the back of the
house, and placing the parcel upon
table cried, with gasp of relief:
There it is, Rebecca; and you
needn't have worried about it all dav,
at ALL
At these words lady. vino was still
only middle aged. and who was sitting
wrapped in a voluminous double gown
in a great armchair near the little
Franklin stove, started to her feet,
gave cry of delight, seized the par
eel, opened it at one end and emptied
from it a ruby colored silk dress, all
t1ounces, furbelows and cachemire
beading, which she instantly proceeded
to try on,
The old lady superintended the per-
formance, pronounced the fit perfect,
picked out lingering basting thread
and spread the train abroad, while
Mrs Ruf1lt, 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
are 50 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 | walk?"
At last even this nervous lady was
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back in two glasses, declared that she
must take nap before she began to
dress. and vanished for that purpose.
And Aunt Betsey. having poured a
run of tea from a little brown teapot !
that simmered constantly on the stove,
dropped into the vacated chair with a
sigh Of relief, for Rebecca, though a
pood-hearted woman, who had given
her aunt an excellent home for years,
became at times a trifle wearisome
with her affectations, her immense
anxiety concerning her middle-aged |
charms. and her floods of tears about
Had the dress really not come
home. and had Mrs. Ruffit really been
obliged to send regret to the Dums-
5ays that evening. Aunt Betsy would |
have had weary time of it. Now she