The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-22
THE GARDEN PARTY.

The Liddon girls were poor. As 6
natural consequence they were proud,
and perhaps it only complicated matters
that they were so pretty.
And when Mrs. Stuart Seymour seut
them an invitation to her garden party,
they looked at ore another in silent long
ing, mixed with dismay.
"Wouldn't it be nice" said Lilias,
with little gasp.
"We should meet everybody" said
Louise, thinking only of one particular
person, handsome young major of ar,
tillery, who was visiting at the Seymour
mansion just at that time.
"And we never get chance to 60
snywhere" sighed Lilia'.
"But it's no user' declared Louise.
"We haven't thing to wear!"
"But, Louise, thinkm urged Lilias
"There are our two white organdie
dresses"
"Horrid. scant, fashioned thingsr'
said Louise. "Bes!des, the last time it
was done up, there was hole ironed
through the bottom founce of mine"
Eyes, know" said lilias. Neither
offhem in itself is fit to wear; but was
thinking that we could take the best
part of each and contrive quite respect
able gown out of both"
"Oh, you darling" cried Louise,
ecstatically. "But," with sudden catch
ing of her breath, "only ore dress! Then
only one of US could go. 1t must be
You, Lily"
'tNo, not me-" said Lilias; ''you arc
the younger"
''But you are q thousand times the
prettier.." cried enthusiastic Louise.
"And it was my fault that Aunt Par
kynss box of cast-off dresses was nailed
up and sent back" said Lilias; land
that she was offended by my writing
that dreadful note about not wanting
anything that was only tit for the rag
bag"
'tIt was true.' flashed out Louise
"She would have been ashamed to offer
the wretched scraps to her maid. If she
really wanted to help US, why didn't she
send a gift of money, or of something
that we could use!"
"It was al my pride and haughtinessr "
sighed Liias. "And now l deserve tc
do penance for it. Well fix the white
organdie dress over, dear, and you shall
wear l.. I saw beauti 'ul pattern in thu
old leaf of a fashion-book that wa!
wrapped around the roses that Mrs. Sey
mour sent mamma, and I almost know
how I can arrange it to look nice"
But" sighed Louise, "the bonnet?
sMust you have bonnet!"
"For a garden party2 Of course" de
cided Louise. ''Every body wears them ,;
"Can't we trim the old one2"
"With what" said despai:ing Louise
"Oh, Lily, we must give it up, alter all
'No we won't" said Lilias. "W,
can do some thing, l am quite sure o
that. Only give me time to think; ant
in the meanwhile, get your scissors-w,
must ripup the old or.andie at once
and while we are working, we'll spur W
our inventive powers.
But no ingenuity on earth can max,
something out of nothing; and the NOR
Lilias and Louise pondered, the less sat
isfactory became the prospec: of bon
net fit to wear to Mrs. Stuart Seymour
garden-party.
eff I can't go like lady won't go a
ALL" said poor Louise, with tears in he
eyes. II hate being shabby genteel."
But when ouise was down in tn
kitchen, washing and ironing sundry bit
of la which had been ripped of tn
two dresses, which were now being con
densed into one, a sudden, bright ide
blazel into J. ilias's brain
~ almost knew could do it," sh
said, speaking out aloud in her earnest
ness. "The very ooarsest rye-straw, wit
black lace st ings, made out of mamma
old thread-barbe, and cluster of pin
everlasting flowers pinned on the side
and saw them tarting a load of SUI"
lovely rye straw into Mr.. Darling's bar
yesterday. don't think it would be
sin for NE to take Just few. At a
events I shall run the SIX: and I won
tell ouise until know whether it wi
= be a failure or not. I'll braid it in tn
fan Y pattern learned at Mrs. Follett
when Twas at boarding. shool, and l a
shape it over the little earthenwarc-tro roc
that we cook oatmeal in"
Very carly the next morning, whiI
the September sky was yet glowing wit
the golden tints of dawn, Lilas Liddo
arose and hurricdly dressed herself, ra
across the dew stepped meadows an
woods, and climbed audaciously into tn
windows of Rufus Darling's great re
barn.
II wouldn't do such thing exceI
for Louise's sake" she said to hersel
with burning cheeks and eyes glitterin
with mischief. "But no one will evt
know. If it had been y ear ago
would not hare stolen my poor little ~,