Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-03-10
THE LOST DRESS,

A quiet, elderly LADY, in p stone
colorcd mcrino dress AMI n black lace
cap. had been anxiously pecping out OF
the window of a pretty house in Milk
town, at intervals throughout the dull,
cold winter afternoon of day not long
gone by.
When about five o'clock. a young
girl, showily cad in terra-cotta red,
with an impossible bird. in a cap of
impossible fur, was seen making state
" progress down the long street, hold
Ing in her arms an immense and puffy
brown.paper parcel.
Occasionally this young person made
an effort TO look behind ner without
turning her head. and when NJ last she
arrived at the doorstcps of the house
we have mentioned, she turned CO.
quettishly TO see who it was who had
been walking behind her for some
distance.
Seeing that it was only ahobbledehoy
apprentice from the tinman's. with u
length Of stove-pipc under his arm. a
black smirch OF his nose. and no APP
probation Of n tcrra-cotta waist-c0at,
twenty inches in circumference in his
~countcnance, she turned away in dis
gust and rang the bell violently. lean
lug her back against the door. and re-
garding tho apprentice with n sccrn
which amazed him, and which proceed
ed from the fact hat he was not the
t~ine-looking young man, with mustache,
that she had imagined TO be following
her.
In IN instant more she tumbled into
the arms OF the elderly lady. who had
opened tho door with unexpected
prOmptitudc. amidst tho derisiyc
laughter of no youthful tinman.
''Biess me. | hope YOU haven't hu.t
yo~ursclt?' said the Old lady. ''And is
this really Mrs. Huli.'s dress ut Lass?
Wed almost given it up"
MADAME says she couldn't help it."
said the girl. rubbing her elbow. which
had come into sharp contact with the
door. ''lt's such a busy time and
delivering tho parcel to the old lady,
she walked away, with dark views of
Lie in her ycunr bosom. and an up
lifted nose that bespoke scorn Of al
apprentices.
Meanwhile. tho old lady hurried into
the sitting-rnOm nj the back of the
house, and Placing the parcel upon =
table. cried, with IA gasp oil relief:
There it is, RGbccca; and YOU
needn't have worried about it Eli day,
after ALL"
At these words n lady, who was still
only middic-aged. and who WAS sitting
wrapped in a voiuminous double Gown
in Il great arm chair near the little
Franklin stove, started 10 her feet,
rave 4 cry OF delight, seized the parcel,
opened il at Que end, and emitted
from it a ruby-colorcd silk dress. ali
LOUNGES, furbclows, and "A cachcmire
beading, which she Instantly proceeded
to try on.
The old lady suDcrintcndci the per-
Torrance. pronounced the lit perfect,
picked out \ lingering bastinc thread.
! and spread the train abroad; while
Mrs. Ru0it, who was fat. and blonde,
and very gushing. constantly repeated:
You know it's the first time I've
appeared in colors for wears. and the
Dumsdays are so stylish. You know 1
would wish to appear p~arNCuiariy Wen.
AND does 1t taper IN nicely at Tue waist
Aunt Betsey? Ana does the Train iurn
"heh "alh'
Az laS' even tilS nervous lauy was
s"'isu"u' anu h'Ni"S looheI az ncF
pacH Ia tWo glasSes' .ccI"teu tIiat sAc
ihus' 'aAeA M, DetoIo H"o oc1"h 10
"i.s'' anu ,"ut>hcu iot tn'' l"t Po9o'
Anu AuhV bclsy; having Pouic" u
cup Oh tea rom " ilttlG Dto"" to"Po'
mat s!iuuiclc" constantly on VIC eto'o'
uIoPptu. Into VIC 'I,n.oo oNair ".tn d
81" u 'o'.'' :. N'DuIo' - !"
Eoou-nearleo womah' VINO ma" given
'cl aunt ni cNco'.cn, ho'lc iot Sc"tS'
"eo'ino '1t.lleS . ta'Lo No"1ieo'no WIN
nos "iaec.'.'In, jIa' MI InN.u's
NY u',- not n.tI-o' CnI'in'
w ny noJ.a % 80 80, "ot",n2'
- -, 81, = IN
un' hau MF'' NUM- ic"'lN oc'u oo'lTcl
10 seq" regret y inc D"hlsua;s VA!
evening aunt Betsy would 2 n
weary time Oh IT. Now she was Tree to
resi-, TO read or Knit. or doze rs sho
!lNed, anu though she took up the
nceaies, tho warmth OF the IRE, the
comfort or the great char. and the