The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-08-07
THE LOST DRESS.

n 4uACsp CAoOiAy A1NJS AA . cpOh0-
colored merino dress and a black lace
cap, had been anxiously peeping out Of
the window of pretty house in Milk
town, at intervals throughout the dull,
cold winter afternoon of 3 day not long
gone by.
When about five O'Clock, q 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 tho long stteet 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 thst 1t was only ahobbledehoy
apprentice from the tinman's, with
length of stove-pipe under his arm, q
black smirch an his nose, and no ap-
probation of 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 soern
which amazed him, and which proceed
cd from the fact that he was not the
fne-looklng young man, with mustache,
that she had imagined to be following
her.
In an instant more she tumbled into
ss a 1f the soaa elderly ky sd he he'd
promptitude, amidst the derisive
laughter of the youthful tinman.
''BIess mel hope you haven't hurt
YOURSELF" said the old lady. "And is
this really Mrs. Ruffit'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. 'It'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 scorn OF all
apprentices
Meanwhile, the old lady hurried into
the sitting-room at the back of ths
house, and placing tho parcel upon .
table, cried, with gasp of relief:
There 1t Is, Rebeooa; and you
needn't have worried about it all day,
after all"
At these words lady, wmo was still
only middle-aged, and who WAS sitting
wrapped In q voluminous double gown
In . great arm chair near the little
Franklin stove, started to her feet,
gave a cry Of delight seized the parcel
opened It 1T one end. and smptied
from 1t = ruby-colored silk dress, all
flounces farbelows. and a oaohemire
beading. which she instantly proceeded
to try on.
The old lady superiptended the per-
formsnce, pronounced the ht perfect
picked out lingering basting thread,
and spread the train abroad; while
Mrs. Ruffit who was Eat, and blonde,
and very gushing, constantly repeated:
"You know IT'S tho first time 1've
appeared In colors for years. and the
Dumsdsys are so stylish. You know I
would wish to appear particularly we'll
And does 1t taper In nicely at the waist
Aunt Betseyl And does the train turn
when walkr'
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
cup of tea from a little brown teapot
that simmered constantly on the stove,
dropping into the vacated chair with
sigh OF relief for Rebeooa, though a
good-hearted woman, who had given
her aunt an excellent home for years,
became at times trifie 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 regret to the Dumsdays that
evening aunt Betsy would had
weary time OF 1t 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 . storm, all
induced slumber.
In fact, Aunt Betsy had been fast
asleep for more than half an hour,
when she started vide awake, to see
spectral form st the window, and to
hear spiritual rappiAgs on the panea
In an instant more the ghost had re-
solved Itself into poor woman, whose
pale face was made gAastly by black
hood, and who, seeing the teapot and
Aunt Betsy's amiable face In conjunc-
tion, 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 Lear the stove, and COM
forted her not only with tea and bread
and-butter, but with raspberry Jam.
and finally went to the door again to
speed the parting guest with
amiable words and silver coin.
"Ah, poor thingr' she said to her.
self, as she went into the cosy sitting.