Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1885-07-24
THE SILK DRESS.

plank walk which lay along the front
fence. Il Poor soul! i never see her
that / don't think OF that verse IN the
Bible which says that from him that
hath not shall be taken even that which
he hath, aud she sighed deeply.
looked from the window just in time
to SEQ Annie Beldon before she turned
the corner Of the next street. She was
faded, careworn looking woman, lit
tie past middle age, with dark brown
hair thickly sprinkled with gray. Her
dress was rusty black cashmere, her
black shawl was decidedly shabby, and
her Grape bonnet was shabbier. still.
: She looked neither attractive nor inter-
esting, and ] turned from the window
and took up my crocheting again, re-
marking only ''that she looked dis if.she
had had her share of sorrow." ,.Iit
sometimes think she has had a
good deal more than her share" said
Aunt Jane. IT know dozens Of women
who. haye sunk into the grave under
only half as much. Aud the best Of it
is, she don't never complain. She is the
cheerfulest soul that ever breathed."
"Does she live near here ?" I asked,
more out Of politeness than from any
real interest in the subject. -
"No! but she Was my next door neigh
bor for twenty years when this was
farmhouse. The town lay two miles
Oft then, and we never looked to SEQ it
grow right up to our very doors. An
ME wouldn't be wearin' such shabby
clothes If there hadn't been mortgage
IN their place. She could have sold
every acre at a good profit if it had
been free"
".lell me all about her, Aunt Jane"
I said, as tho old lady paused. you'll
have plenty Of time before supper"
Dear me, child, there isn't muc!fto
tell, n maybe the little there is
wouldn't prove very interesting to you.
/ know Annie looks shabby, n old, n
gray now, n not much like she did
thirty years ago. Wewas girls togeth-
er, n she was the prettiest n iveliest
little thing I ever saw. Her eyes was
as black as Goals, n her hair hung in
long curls to her waist. She hal
laugh n q good word for everybody. N
more beaus than she could tend to.
There was only two of 'em, though,
that she favored at all. One was Tom
Layton"
1.-THE owner of the Layton Mills ?" I
Interrupted.
Eyes; but he didn't own the mills
then. He was only superintendent
then, n though he was q saving indus
trious young man, no one looked to see
him get to be millionaire. But he
had good salary, n his father was we'll
to do, n he was reckoned q good
match for Annie. For while folks
thought shell marry him; but he warn't
professor, N Annie set deal by her
church. She allowed that if she mar
ried man who never went inside of one
she'd be false to her principles, for the
Bible says the righteous shall not be
yoked to the unrighteous, you know.
Tom took it real hard at first, but he
didn't bear Annie no i'll will, n when
she married Luther Brldon he sent her
handsome present. Luther, he was
real steady young man, bnt somehow or
other he didn't lave no luck. He had
q good farm, but, work as he might, he
never made nothin' moren a bare Twin.
n Annie had to pinch n screw to keep
clothes on their back. She was mas
ter hand at nnanagin,' n she worked
like horse, but year after year went
by n they didn't get no bet
Ter off. Drought u early frost n
100 much rain, KEEP 'em alters be-
hindhand, Jest when they was thinkin'
they was goin' to do better therc'd
come something that would put'em
back again.
Luther he got discouraged, but
Annie she never lost heart. Leastways
she never seemed to. When they'd
come over here N Luther ned get to
tellin' how crossways things alters went.
tor him, she'd alters have something
cheerful to say. She'd tell about it
was long lane that had no turnin', m
it was alters darkest jest before the day,
n there was alters silver linin' to every
cloud, till Luther he'd get pleasant
again n ready to laugh with her over
their troubles.
"Ain't I got treasure in my wife ?
he'd say. Long as frost n mildew m
floods don't take her away from me, I
guess can get along. aH s,.:
"They was over here to dinner the
day was 80. I was wearin' for the
first time new black silk which John
had given me for birthday present.
Il was thick N soft m mighty hand
some, n Luther he didn't seem able to
keep his eyes off it. .,. w..
"I wonder when I'll be able to give
you black silk, Annie? he said, put
ting Ills arm around her as she stood
by his chair. We've been married
seven, years, n Iain't been able to get
you nothin' better'n calico
"1 don't need q silk says Annie.
'IveAgot all the dresses I can use now
Luther looked at ner real steady
minute. Then he says, sorter slow n
quiet, For all that, mean to get you
one, Annie. I want to, see how you'd
look in it, G'5s>s @5'. g..
".No better'n ia look in my blue de
laine, says Annie. 10 r.
"'We:l see bout that says Luther.
I don't care how hard times are, mean
to live till / get you black silk dress.
"She laughed N told him he'd make
peacock Of her if he could but for all
her brave words [ knew she was down
right fond 81 pretty things, n it really
hurt her to have to wear old, faded
dresses, n bonnets five years behind
the style. But she never said SO, n
shed walk into church Sunday after.
Sunday in her old blue delaine' n yell
low straw bonnet, lookin' as sweet n