The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1884-09-18
THE LOST DRESS.

A quiet, elderly lady, in stone
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 a day not
long gone by.
When about 5 o'clock, a young girl,
showily clad in terra-cotta red, with
an impossible bird, in a 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 the 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 hobblede-
hoy apprentice from the tinman's.
with length Of stovepipe under his
arm, black smirch on his nose, and
no appreciation of terra-cotta waist
coat, twenty inches in circumference
in his countenahce, she turned away
in disgust and rung the bell violently,
leaning her back against the door, and
regarding the apprentice with 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 hope you haven't hurt
yourself?" said the old lady. "And is
this really Mrs. RutiiLs 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 sharp contact with the
door. "It's such 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 in
to the sitting room at the back of the
house, and placing the parcel upon a
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. who was still
only middle aged. and who was sitting
wrapped in a voluminous double gown
in 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 ruby colored silk dress, all
f1ounces, 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. Ruflit, 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
Dumsdays are so stylish. You know
1 would wish to appear particularly
well. And does it taper in nicely at
the waist, Aunt Betsey? And does
the train turn when l 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 Betsey, having poured a
cup of tea from little brown teapot
that simmered constantly on the stove,
dropped into the vacated chair with a
sigh Of relief, for Rebecca, though a
good-hearted woman, who had given
her aunt an excellent home for years,
became at times a tri6e 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. Rufiit really been
obliged to send regret to the Dums.
days that evening, Aunt Betsy would
! have had weary time of it. Now she