Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-02-13
SELECTIONS.
" cERINTHY'S FOLLY"
THE SILK DRESS THAT WAS NEVER
TAKEN FROM THE CLOSET.

TAKEN FROM THE CLOSET.
mo, tell you candidly, I do not
wish to discuss my neighbours bust.
ness" said Mrs. Smith, decidedly
81 mean no offence, Miss Parsons,
but, you see, I've had my experience.
just as leave tell you about it, il
Jon have got time to hear. You
see, when we were first married we
came here, an Kiah bought this
place (my mans name is Hezekiah),
runnin' in debt good deal, but
then we was young, an could work.
" Kiah had a good trade, an
minded the house an garden patch.
After we had lived here a number
of years a family moved across the
way, buyin' that place you see over
there. Their name was Morses, an
they were real nice an accom-
mOdatin'. By this time we had
three children, and the Morse had
one. They had not paid down for
their place, an Mr.. Morse was a
carpenter, the same as Kiah. Now,
I'd always ben real savin' about
cloths, an bought cheap dresses,
making EN- myself, but Miss Morse
had her merinos, cashmeres, hirin'
on 'em made or buyin city patterns
that fitted just like glove. Well,
| grew a little sour over it, an some
times threw out pretty hard hints to
Kiah about his not buyin' me sech
things, an he didn't like it very
well, sayin' !:
al work hard as / can now
What do you want me to do 2
"There was an old maid living in
the village by the name of S'manthy
Jane Jones, who used to come to
see me pretty often, an someway
her visits always seemed to kinder
pile me up, especially agin' Miss
Morse. Klah didn't like her at all,
an sometimes he would say:
"'She'll git you into middle yet.
Cerinthy, if you keep on with her =
"Still / kept on with her. One
day she came in all of a fluster to
say:
"sThat extrayagant Miss Morse
was at church yesterday, with fur
cloak on-actual fur-an' she cut a
big swell, an everybody's eyes was
on her.
Well,n said l, g if | was in her
place I'd be a little more savin' and
pay for my place. l don't think it's
anything to her credit"
":Folks do say, went on S'manthy
Jane, 'she is so extragagent that
Morse talks to leaving her. an that
they quarrel like cats and dogs y
"Well. good deal was said by
us both, S'manthy Jane keeping a
little in advance Of what | burst say.
Finally, S'manthy Jane took her
leave. One thing 1 had made up
nv mind to: | would not be outdone
any longer by Mrs. Morse. Kiah
should dress me better.
"That night l told Kiah about it,
an he said, Il can not afford it.
But | was determined to have new
black silk. Hitherto I'd always
made my dresses, but thought this
bein' a silk, 1 would get Miss Van
Deusen, the village. dressmaker.-
Then | had the dress trimmed with
more antic, an by the time it was
done it cost me sight.
+" Well, the first Sunday after it
was done / wore it to Church,
didn't take yearn' of comfort.
wasn't home in silk, you see. | kept
lookin' over to see Miss Morse, to
see if she was noticin' my silk, but
law she had her eyes SO intent on
the minister, ! don't even believe
she knew / was there.
Then the minister preached
about the extravaganza of perfessers
on world lynn in wickedness, an
thought every word on it was meant
for me.
"Now, as luck would have it Kiah
was taken sick with malarial fever
pretty soon after, and wasn't able
y s., IA eoor,,o a SfrnEn of work that