, 1888-03-01

her new toilet that she quietly entered
the parlor again after her escapadc up.
stairs, and said demurely to Roberts
mother:
"Rachel, would thee like me to wear
this gown tomorrow evening for thy
fricnds?''
There was a subdued whistle of delight
from the reconstructed Robert in the
corner. But Roberts mother gave no
sign.
"Thee must wear just what thee
pleases, Edith. If it pleases thee better
to wear thy gown of red silk'-
And the wise Edith understood human
nature well enough to be sure that
Rachel would not be altogether disap-
pointed if her pretty future daughter-in-
law should reconsider her toilet and re-
pear in The dainty gowns she had been
exhibiting for the past fortnight.
"And what does Samuel Think" Edith
asked, passing on to stand before Rob
ert's father.
Samuel thinks" said the old gentle
man, slyly, "that thee had better ask
Robert"
''On, no, Papa Samuel; that wouldnot
be any test at all; thee knows perfectly
well that Robert likes me in anything"
said Roberts fiance, demurely.
"And so do l like thee in anything"
said Papa Samuel, with unexpected gal.
lantry. "But 1 think 1 like thee best,
Edith, in red. Thee knows we Quakers
like to follow the way that is most simple
and natural, and l think red is the most
natural for thee. 1 think thee must have
been born in that red silk of thine. Thee
IS very sweet to me, my child, in this
Quaker gray; but we Quakers, thee
knows, do not approve of theatricals, and
1 think tonight thee is trying to play a
part. Thee acts it very prettily, Edith,
but l advise thee to go back to nature
and thy red gowns"
So the battle was won, and the result
proved that Edith was quite able to con-
quer, not only Roberts relations, but
Roberts relations friends. When, a
year later, she came back to them again
as n bride, there was but one thing left
for her to conquer. Robert had prepared
her for a possible visit from elderly
friends who might think it their duty to
demonstrate with her, or with him, on
this very worldly marriage, and it was,
in truth, hardly a month before no ran
up stairs one afternoon as she was dress
ing, with the announcement that the
probable counselors were taking off their
%overcoats in the hall.
She hesitated a moment; put her hest
tation rose merely from a moments con-
sideration of whether she had any other
gown in her wardrobe that would en-
phasize more distinctly her intention to
adhere to her own traditions. She de-
cided that the long trailing skirt of pale
green cashmere, with its border of pale
HlN,rl,- ~-1 a. ---1
sufficiently worldly when one took into
consideration the jewel that sparkled in
the laces at her throat, the dainty lace
edged handkerchief and the perfectly
groomed little curls over her white fore
head. She paused only to slip on one
more bangle over her round wrist, and
then, kissing her husband, floated down
stairs.
Robert never knew exactly what she
said or did to the old gentlemen in the
parlor. He hung over the banisters, and
caught the echoes of her silvery little
laughs, and saw the maid carry tea into
the parlor, and at the end of an hour de
scended the stairs himself, as the old gen
tlemen emerged from the doorway, de-
termined to stand by Edith 60 the last,
if she happened to nave hada hard time.
lie knew that some remonstrancc would
be quietly dealt out to himself, even dur
ing the brief vestibule episode of fare
well; but, to his astonishment, as he
stepped forward to help the old gentle
men with their ~overcoats, the one who
was evidently spokesman for the party
grasped his hand and said heartily:
Friend Robert, thee has married well!'
Still another year later, and there lay
on Edith's arm a little Edith, with lovely
eyes and very remarkable, highly en-
broidered clothes.
dc you think, Esther, p" said the young
mother a%nxiously, ''that she is going to
have curly hair2"
Eyes" said Esther, with q smile that
was grimly pleasant and yet pleasantly
grim, II think she will nave curly hair.
l know thee would find a way to curl it,
though it be as straight as-as q pipe
stem" and Aunt Esther bent over to
kiss the child.
"And you're glad it curls, Esther, you
know you are" insisted the baby's
mamma.
Eyes, Edith, 1 am glad it curls. For
since thee would be sure to curl it some
how, it is best that Dame Nature will
nave none of thy tricks and graces, but
will bring up the child to please herself"
Alice Wellington Rollins, in Pittsburg
Bulletin.