The Washington critic. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1885-1888, 1885-11-12
AMELIA'S FAILURES.
BY ETTIE ROGERS.

Lemon gauZc and rose tullc, Mrs.
Sayles said reilcctivcly. "And you,
Amelia, must have yard or two more
than MOrgery-you are so much larger!
declare it is blessing to be small and
slight when one has so little money for
clothing But, girls, | think | can
afford to get the material for you If
you can do the making yourselves.
ooh, anybody can make a simple
overdrcss," said Amelia, stylish
young lady, with sleepy, dark eyes and
II cream-a nd-strawberry complexion.
II can try, mamma" said Margery,
slim little maid with cheeks like
peach blossoms and long braided hair
which was drown in the shadow and
gold in the sun"
ooh, you will never succeed Meg"
the elder sister observed, with languid
contempt. "Gou are not clever enough,
and one must have some talent even to
properly make the simplest garment.
"She is not very complimentary to
YOU, Meg, is she 2" Cousin Edgar ven
iured, with diverted smile behind his
morning paper.
their cousin; he was an exceedingly re-
mote relative of the family, and he had
Just come back from the far southwest,
whittier he had gone some years be-
fore, when Margery was n blithe miss
in pinafores. But if she seemed to
him no longer u child, she still re-
manned the sweet little friend, whose
sparkling letters had frightened many
| 81, oil l,.N,,Y IL, hnt lad
lie was very fond of bonny Margery,
certainly; but all the same, the elder
sister had profound conviction he had
not yet revealed what he best liked and
most desired. He liked Margcry, of
course; but then she was not clever,
she had no talent for anything, she was
quite an insignificant little thing alto
gcther and Cousin Edgar would be
likely to Destow his choicest affections
upon somebody more brilliant and ma
turc And Miss Amelia did not doubt
that somebody had already been Sc
lected, even If he had not yet an
nounccd his preference.
ooh, Meg does not mind what is UNI
complimentary" she said, with her
characteristic air of languid scorn. "She
has not bit of spirit-she is different
from me in everything"
"Do you think you can really manage
the tulle, Margcry?" the mother in
quired anXiously. "Iour sister can
help you, | suppose, or instruct you
what must be done"
81 shall try to manage without her
help, mamma" Meg said with dubi.
Gus shake of her long rich braids, and
with look of what was not unlike
amused dismay. Perhaps with her de-
ticiency of the clever, Margery was per-
verse enough to apprehend that the
help might be hindrance, or that the
instruction might not be of supreme
advantage to the rosetulle ovcrdress.
"Well, there is nothing like trying, p"
Mrs Sayles said, sententiously.
"And trying avails where Boosting
fails, Cousin Edgar mentally rhymed
behind his newspaper and with pc
culiar smile, which Miss Amelia per-
ceived and was pleased to interpret as
a hint of his faith in the superiority of
her own gifted self
Meg has fashion Of Boosting"
she remarked, grandly, but with a sim.
per, "and, of course, | am willing tC
let her try whatever she likes without
my assistance. But she will surely
make distressing botch of her over.
dress"
Margery said nothing; but her large
eyes flashed an answer of mute resent
ment through swift rush of girlish
tears.
Never mind, Meg, the little affair
is not absolutely Indispensable to thu
great party; beside you have plenty OF
dresses and you are charming in what
ever you wear" whispered Cousin
Edgar, bending toward her until his
crinkling, yellow beared brushed the
shining head
but am not afraid ! shall spoil the
tulle," Margery protested as Cousin
Edgar put down his paper, arose from
his chair, and, humming merry meas
ure from some popular melody, saun
tered from the room.
"You are not such a child, Meg that
you need encourage such familiarity
from Cousin Edgar | am sure | dc
not know what he must think of you,
Amelia remarked rs the outer doc
closed behind him.
"Why, Amelia, how absurd ant
cross you can be?" the mother inter
posed rebukingly.
But Margery did not seem to hcct
the concluding sentences. Perhaps sh,
was already too prcOccupied with he
0 plans for the overdrcss which she wa
TO have and which she was destined Il
! neither botCh nor spoil, all discourag
, ing predictions Notwithstanding.
In the seclusion of her own daint,
chamber she cut and basted anC
stitched with Industrious determine
ton, until the completed garment wa
as perfect rs artistic eyes and dcXterou
fingers and conscientious painstallin:
- could make it,
and now will dress just as | meal
to dress for the party, and then | vii
90 down and show myself to mamm
and Amelia" she thought, as, will
pardonable pride, she surveyed the eX
quisitc contamination Of her amlteu
> CndcaVors.
Smiling and flushed with the salts
, faction Of her innocent triumph, sh
! arraycd herself and uipped blithcl.
o down Ia the room where the two lalic
! were sitting.
= Have | not done wel?" she in
CURED, with II not unnatural cNultu
, tiOn.
You have done nothing for whicl
you need be so ridiculously jubilnnt,
Miss Amelia declared, Grossly am
rudely. cot course that sort Of mate
: rial can always be sewcd together som,
how But the dress Has u distressingl
unti nished appearance, | should say
there are so many crcases ana ridge
all about the waist and shoulders,