The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1884-10-18
A Girl in Blue.
BY PANSY.

"There she sits in her elegant new
morning dress, nothing in the world to
do but to amuse herself, and l must stain
my hands pairing potatoes, and onions,
and l don't know what all, for her din
ner! A dress with train, and she only
sixteen! Only two years and few
months older than l am! How would
l look in trainl Inever expect to have
such an elegant dress as she has on this
minute, and it is only her morning dress.
To night she will wear that lovely garnet
silk trimmed with white lace. Think
of me in my old blue fannell 1t is
everything l have to wear. Idon't see
why there should be such a difference
between cousins! l wish Helen had
stayed in New York. Why she wanted
to come to the country in winter is more
than can understand. She isn't home.
sick bit. / just believe I'll stay at
home tonight. Almost all the girls
will wear new dresses, and my old one
will look older than ever beside Helen's
grand one"
Carrie called that young lady's
mother, and Carrie went to the kitchen.
There she gave her hands to the pota-
toes, and her thoughts to the discourage
ments around her. At last she spoke of
them aloud:
"Mother, l don't believe I'll go to-
night after ALL"
"Not go to Kate's Christmas party
Why, what has happened9 Is the child
sick?"
Nom, I'm not sick; only discour-
aged. l don't want to go and wear that
old blue dress, and that's the truth. !
shall look different from any fthe 9th
ers, and seeing me with Helen will
make everybody notice it more"
"My child, Helen's father is worth a
million, and your father isn't worth a
thousand dollars besides what it takes to
support his family"
81 know it, ma; I'm not finding fault,
only don't want to go to be looked at,
that is ALL"
The mother looked very sober, and
something besides the steam that puffed
out of the pudding dish made her eyes
moist. Carrie split large potato saw
agely in two and looked gloomy. Then
the mother said, speaking low:
"Won't you disappoint good many
people tonight, daughter7 Isn't Kate
depending on you to help with the char
AIDES and the music ?"
81 can't help it, mother. People
mustn't depend on me. Most every
girl but me has new dress for tonight,
and can't be going there just to help
other people have good time when |
know l shall be mortified all the eve
ming"
"Can't you? Why, daughter, even
Christ pleased not himself"
After that not another word was said
III the kitchen for nearly an hour. Car
rie finished the potatoes and ran away.
Mheres she4 wept ar. yrh9+ssbAs'did- ber
came to set the table her face was pleas
ant to look at, and she stopped on her
way to the pantry to kiss her mother.
'I'm going, mother; and I'll have as
nice time as I can, and not grumble
bit. ,"
She looked very pretty in her blue
dress with its deep low collar, and nice
ribbons in her hair. At least her
mother thought so, though when Helen
came down in all the glory of her garnet
silk and gold bracelets, there was GER
tainly a difference.
1t was sort of family Christmas gath
ering, to which the city auntS and uncles
and cousins had come; and there were
some elegant dresses there, and Carrie
in her blue one did really feel very much
alone. Yet she went cheerily through
the evening, helping with the charades
and music, helping in dozen quiet lit
tie ways that nobody knew about, and
yet trying to keep out of notice as much
as possible.
Cousin Helen played and sang, and
did both very nicely, while Carrie only
played accompaniments for others to
sing.
Later in the evening there was whis-
pering between two of the city cousins,
and presently it became known that Mr.
Ames, who was Uncle Howard's college
friend, was a wonderful singer, and
would entertain the company if anybody
could be found who would play for him.
"I wish he would sing The Storm
King for u.s. said Aunt Alice; sit is
the most wonderful thing l would
like to have mother hear it. Helen,
couldn't you play for hiln?"
81? No, indeed; his music is all aw-
fully hard, and he is awfully particular ;
and that piece 1 don't know, anyway
But Aunt Alice was determined that
her mother should hear it "The Storm
King" She talked with Mr.. Ames,
and then she moved among the guests
trying to find one who was willing to
play the accompaniment. Not cousin
could be found; they were all afraid ol
the great singer and the difficult looking
music. At last the girl in the blue dres:
grew ashamed of herself.
"Aunt Alice, 1 will play it'll" she said
coming out of her corner.
"You I" said Aunt Alice, in surprise
for Carrie was one of the youngest o
the cousins. "Do you know it p
"No, ma ANIL don't know it; but