The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-08-07
Hard for whomp" asked Mrs. Rufht,

"Hard for whomp" asked Mrs. Rufat
who had returned to tho sitting-room
we'll wrapped In the big dressing
gown, which somehow seemed more
7oluminous than ever. "Whsss nard
for whom, Aunt Betsy?" -,
"Oh, Rebecca," said the good old
lady, "a person has been here begging
q cup of tea Her husbands dead, her
sons In Texas, and she's walking
twenty miles to try and find q daughtes
who married q man named Smith, til
teen years ago"
.Oh yes," said Mra Ruflt who
was only sentimentally sympathetic
with herself II see-the old storyl
And YOU gave her all the small chan. o
you had in your pocket and she went
away to spend 1t at the next g1n-shop-
You are suoh q soft-hearted goose.
auntie- l only hope she didn't steal
anything Good gracious. Aunt
Betsy! where Is my new dressp'
"You took 1t upstairs with you
Becky" said Aunt Betsy.
Mrs. Ruffit ran upstairs with more
celebrity than could have been expected
of fair. fat, and five-and-forty. and was
heard to open sundry closet-doors, to
rush about wildly. and to shrek. Then
she reappeared in tho sitting-zoom.
'It's not up there!'' she shrieked,
wringing her hands. 'Oh, Aunt Betsy.
tell me you've put it somewhere!
Don't say it's gonei" :,
II don't see how 1t can be gone, y
cried Aunt Betsy flying wildly up and
down, shaking the curtains looking
behind the sofa, even opening the six
inch drawer Of little workable.
"Oh, Rebecca, I'm sure you took 1t
with you! I'll find it Didn't you put
1t in the parlora"
Away the ladies flew with queer lit
tie squeals and moans.
Every spot In the house was ran
sacked, even the coal-cellar; but the
dress was not found
At last Mrs. Ruffit fell into the arm
chair, fortunately as strong as 1t was
capacious. and sobbed:
This is what has come of your
absurd fondness for drunken beggars,
Aunt Betsy. That woman Of yours has
carried off my dress"
"She couldn't-she hadn't thing in
her hand" said poor Aunt Betsy.
Then conscience told her she had
left the woman alone for five minutes
while she took out tie jam.
1t was all discussed over and over
again, and the fact that In Miss Betsy's
absence the woman had put the new
dress through the window, and picked
it up when she went out was fully es-
tablished.
The police were notified, desorip-
ton of the dress and the woman put
in their hands, and note Of regret
written to the Dumsdays.
Mrs. Ruffit was persuaded to take
some tea and toast, and sat bewa1ling
her loss and rocking 10 and fro.
"a dress that cost me ninety dollars
Dsfore it wSs made, and twenty-five
for the making" sighed Mrs. Ruf1t
"r can't afford another like 1t this
winter, and Colonel Cowes was to be
at the Dumsdays', and be admires me
very much, Aunt Betsy, and it's most
annoyinp. I'd calculated on It two
weeks. and you must beg and pray q
tipsy tramp to como and take tea with
you on purpose to have my dress
stolen"
II didn't beg and pray her. She
asked me for 8 little tea, and she
wasn't tipsy," sobbed Miss Betsy.
''Oh, Rebecoa Ruffit how cruel you
arel'
II suppose you expected me to
dance for JOY" said Mrs. Ruffit Il
must say that's too much to expec3
but might be not only robbed, but
murdered, If you could only give all
the money you liked to drunken
trampa That's your monomania,
Aunt Betsy and must say 1t If you
kill me-"
Then began woful quarrel in which
all the reproaches that could be utter
ed on either side found vent
The ladies wept, and sighed, and be-
moaned themselves.
They spoke Of parting. They shook
their heads and rocked to and fro, and
the fire went out and the oil burnt low
In the lamp. The clock struck ten
and eleven, and still the ladies found
new recriminations to utter.
At last twelve o'clock cana The
carriages which bore the departing
guests Home from the Dumsdays great
party were heard to roll past and
Mrs. Rufit burst into a fresh flood of
tears
II feel so dreadfully sick Aunt
Betsy" she said; $50 heavy In every
limb; such a weight somehow. You
know e1citement Il bad for me. DR..
xo
heart-disease, and I know this is an at
tack Of it I've all the symptoms. My
arms are swollen-look how tight the
sleeves of this dressing-gown are-and,
my goodness, Aunt Betsyl look at the
belt! 1t won't meetl Can't you see how
I'm putting DIP all overa I'm going to
diel'
''Ah, my poor child" cried Aunt
Betsy, you really arel Oh, do let
me take your things of, and put you
to bed. and send for q doctor. Come
upstairs at once"
Mrs. Ruffit assented.
Aunt Betsy helped her upstairs,
opened the bed, laid out the white
night-gown, and began to help her
niece off with the double-gown. She
eHppeu lue plS loops OK cOTQ from Inc
big buttons, and began tugging at the
sleeve.
The f1owered cashmere slowly re-
ceded from the left shoulder.
Aunt Betsy paused and gave a
scream.
"Rebecca Ruffitr she cried.
''Oh. what is it, Aunt Betsyp" aeked
Mrs. Rutfit "Am l turning blacka"
''Lookl' cried Aunt Betsy. "Why,
Rebecca Rufit you've put your double
gown on over your new dresa No
wonder you felt queer"
Why, bow did come to do such .
thingP" gasped Mrs Ruffit In afnaIe-
ment. Il must have taken my nap In
it. toor'
She peeled of tho double-gown tn
double-quick time
She had nothing to say excepk
''No wonder felt stuffy!"
There was nobody TO blame and
nothing to do but to make 1t up with
Aunt Betsy, who accorded q graoious
forgiveness, and retired meekly, but
up In her own room she INDUCED her
self in a little burst of triumph.