The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-01-05
s1erf Stuwlu. "
THE SILK DRESS.

"There's Annie Beldon!" said Aunt
Jane looking up from her knitting as she
heard the sound of foosteps on the plank
which lay along the front fence. "Poor
soul! / never see her that don't think
OF that verse in the Bible which says thst
from him that hath not shall he taken
even that which he hatb," and she sighed
dee ply.
looked from The window just in time
to see Annie Beldon before she turned
the corner OF the next street. She was a
faded, carewnrn looking woman. little
past middle age, with dark brown hair
thickly sprinkled With gray. Her dress
was a rusty black cashmere. her black
shawl was decidedly shabby and her
Grape honnet was shabbier still. She
locked neither attractive nor interesting.
and turned from the window and took
up my crotchet;ng again, remarking only
that s'she looked as il she lad had her
share of sorrow"
Somatimes think she he's had good
deal more than her SHARE" said Aunt
Jane. II know d, Zans Of women who
have sunk into the grave under only halt
as much. And the best OF il is she don't
never complain She's the cheerfullest
soul that ever breathed."
"Does she live near here!" asked,
more out Of politeness than from any
real interest in The subject.
mo! hut she wss my next door neigh
hor for twenty years when this was
a farm house. The town lay two miles
of then, and we never looked to see it
grow up right to our very doors Annie
wouldn't be wear'n such shabby clothes
II there hadn't been q mortgage on their
place. She could have sold every acre
at good profit il /, had heen free"
.Tell me about her, Aunt Jane," I said
as the old lady paused. you'll have
plenty OF lime before supper"
"Dtar me, child, there isn't much to
tell may be the little there is wouldn't be
very interesting 10 you l know Annie
looks shabby, m old n gray now, m
not much like she did thirty years ago
We was girls together, n she was the
prettiest n liveiest little thing l ever
saw. Her eyes was black as Goals, n
her hsir hung in long curls TO her waist.
She had laugh m good word for
everybody. m more beaus than she could
tend to- There was only two OF them,
though, that she favored at all. One was
Tom Layton"
"The owner OF Layton Mills" in
terrupted. t
"Yes; hut he didn't own the mills
then. He was only superintendent then.
and though he was saving, industrious
young man, no one looked to see him
get to he millionaire But he had a
good salary, and his father was we'll to
do, and be was reckoned..a good maj 'eh
for Annie For a while folks thought
she'd marry him; but he was not pro-
fessor, and Annie set deal by her
church. Size allowed that il she married
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 fist. but he
didn't bear Annie no i'll will and when
she married Luther Beldon be sent her
q handsome present. Luther. he was a
real steady, young man, hut somehow or
other be didn't have no luck. He had q
good fern, but work as be might be
never made nothin' off it more than a
haro living, and Annie had to pinch and
screw to keep clothes, on their backs
She was master hand at managing and
she worked like horse, bat year after
year went by ami they didn't get no bet.
ter of. Drought and early frost and too
much rain KEEP 'em alters berhindhand,
and jst when thew was thinking hey
was goin' to do batter lhere'd come
something that would put 'em back
again.
"Luther he got discouraged, but An
ME she never lost heart AT least she
never seemed TO. When they come over
here and Luther he'd get TO telling how
crosswsys things alters went for him,
she'd alters have somethin' cheerful to
say. She'd tell about it was long lane
had no turning and it was alers daakest
jest before the day and here was always
silver lining to ev ry cloud, ill Luther
he get pleasant again and ready to laugb
with her over their troubles
"Ain't | got treasure IN my vile p
he'd sav. long o frosts and mildew
and aaots don't take her away from me
! and | guess ! can Ss; along