Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1884-08-06
THE LOST DRESS.

A quiet, elderly lady, in stone col
ored merinO dress and black lace cap.
had been anxiously peeping out of the
window OF pretty house in Milktown,
at intervals throughout the dull, cold
winter afternoon of a day not long
gone by.
When about o'clock a Young girl
SLOWLY clad In terra Gotta red, with an
impossible bird in cap OF impossible
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
ali 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 couuet-
tlshly to see who had been walking be-
hind her for some distance.
Seeing that it was only a hobblede-
hoy apprentice from the tinman's, with
length of stove pipe under his arm,
black smirch on his nose, and no appre-
claton of terra-cotta waist-coat, twenty
inches In circumference in his counte-
nance, she turned away in disgust and
rang the bell violently, leaning her back
against the door, and regarding the APP
prentice with scorn which amazed him.
and which proceeded from the fact
that he was not the fine looking youn
man, with mustache, that she had i'm
agined to be following her.
In an instant more she tumbIed 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 me! hope you haven't hurt
yourself!" said the old lady. sAnd is
this really Mrs. Rufit's dress at last?
We'd almost given it up"
Madame says she couldn't help it,"
said the girl, rubbing her elbow, which
had come into sudden contact with the
door. "It's such busy time;" and de-
livering the parcel to the old lady, she
walked away, with dark views of life in
her young bosom, and an uplifted nose
that bespoke scorn of all apprentices.
Meanwhile, the old lady hurried into
the sitting-room at the back of the
house, and placing the parcel upon the
table, cried, with gasp of relief:
''There it is, Rebecca; and you
needn't have worried about sll day, at
all" .4fss
At these words lady, who was still
only middle aged, and VINO was sitting.
wrapped in a yoluminous double gown
in great armchair near the little Frank
lin stove, started to her feet, gave cry
of delight, seized the parcel, opened it
at one end, and emptied from it ruby
colored silk dress, ali founces, furbe-
lows and cachemire beading, which she
Instantly proceeded to try on. :. ~ -,s.r
The old lady superintendent the per-
Torrance, pronounced the fit perfect,
pulled out lingering basting thread
and spread the train abroad; while
Mrs. Rufit, who was fat and blonde,
and very gushing, constantly repeated:
"You know it's the first time I've
appeared in colors III 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 Betsy? And does the
train turn when walk?" -.
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 little brown teapot that
simmered constantly on the stove,
dropped into the vacated chair with
sigh of relief, for Rebecca, though a
good hearted woman, who had given
her aunt an excellent home for years,
became at times trife wearisome with
her Alterations, her immense anxiety
concerning her middle age charms, and
her flood Of tears about nothing.
Had the dress really not come home,
and had Mrs. Rufit really been obliged
TO rend a regret to the Dumsdays that
evening, Aunt Betsy would have had
weary time of it. Now she was free to
rest, to read, to knit, or doze as she
liked, and though she took up the
needles, the warmth Of the fire, th :
comfort of the great chair and the calm