The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1888-01-27

low" Dreadful low, too They'd
ought to be 'shamed Of tbeirselves!'
"Why, gran, it's the fashion,"
81 don't care nothing about that, child,
1t amt decent, nor 1t amt pretty. Who
wants to see them girls bones? and girls
in these days haven't got much more'n
skin and bones. Mabbe the young doctor
may like studyin' of en-, and seem how
the j'ints work; but should ruther be a
dead skeleton than live one, If | was
.goin' TO be studied by young doctor"
Grandma, do think you dreadful;
why, Alice Brooks has got a neck Ike a
baby's and Rosina Leavitt's is lovely, too,
if she is little dark"
eve anyway, call it cruelty TO am
mails to hev them girls go ont in that con-
dition on cold winters night into a big
draughty church. Be you going low
too?"
''Oh, no. It's not the fashion for
brides I'm soin' to have white satin,
high to the throat and down to the wrists,
with beautiful lace all about it,.
81 guess your pa wouldn't let you go
any other way" dryly remarked grand
ma.
81 guess he'd have TO If it was the fash
ion" pouted Nanny.
"Well, fools amt all dead yet, retort-
ed grandma, it'll some severity. when
| was married twas daylight, and TO home.
Eben ar me vas goin' down to Boston for
spell; he was in old SiIas Bunker's store
then. | had on a dark blue cloth habit
with frogs onto it, and a big leghorn bon
net with a white feather, real long and
curly, an some red roses under the front
ont Twas warm an sensible fer a long
ride in September, an our folks thought
looked considerable we'll -
81 guess yon looked just lovely, grand
ma; but
"Sayl here's the doetorr' screamed
Thankful Bangs, who was setting the la
BILE for dinner, and Nanny's speech never
was finished for she and grandma rushed
out to meet the welcome guest.
Two hours after, when the dinner had
been discussed and the guests wefe picking
out their walnuts and butternuts, the
never falling last course at Traverse for a
Thanksgiving dinner. Mrs Campbell said
suddenly:
ooh, Nanny quito forget Here's
little note that came for you after you
left =
Nanny took The envelope, and after the
fashion of women eyed it On the outside,
turned it over and examined the seal, and
then returned it and inspected again the
direction and the postmark.
Seems TO me it would be quicker way
to find out who wrote it if You opened it, "
remarked DR.. Campbell.
Nanny laughed, and broke the seal.
''Oh, DEAR she SAID, after running
through the brief missiye. 'Isn'ttIis pro-
vokiuei 1t is Aida Van Alstyne. Just
hear.
:" MY DEAR NANNY have only found
out to-day that your maids intend to
wear low dresses. never have given in
to that style yet, but if | could sacrifice
what you would call my prejndices and
call my principles on any occasion it would
be now for you. However, / have a
threatening cold, which must nurse, and
perhaps you will remember that ! had
pneumonia last winter, so that cannot,
for health's sake, wear anything but a
high -necked and long seeved dress. Now
shall not feel at all aggrieved if you drop
me from the company of bridesmaids on
this account; but | want yon to let me
know Just as soon as possible, so that
may or may not engage Madame Delano.
"'Yours lovingly,
"'ALIpA VAN ALsTYNE.'
isn't it too badr' exclaimed Nanny, as
she la id down the note.
''Too good-to be true, growled the
doctor.
s'What shall do?" asked Nanny, look
ing about her in a sort of mild despair.
''She's my intimate friend, and was going
to be my first bridesmaid; she such nice
And she sent me the loveliest present I've
had-such a set of pale pink coral and
pearls Oh dearl'
~ should think she'd got some sense,
put in grandma. 81 don't see why you
want to make your weddin' KILN bust
ness to all them poor young ereeturs.
That's just il, mother" said the doc
tor, putting down the apple he was quar-
tering 'Last winter there was just such !
another wedding in December. All those
girls had to ride a mile to the yestry of st. |
Paul's; form there, and tramp round TO The |
front door OF the church; drop their wraps |
Off at the door, where the cold wind struck |
their bare chests and shoulders; stand /
twenty minutes at the altar; ride back that |
mile; and stand up all the evening at re-
ception so crowded that the windows had |
to be dropped from the top to prevent
asphyxia; and then at midnight drive back
to their homes, the thermometer being six
below zero. There were six bEidemaids
there; two had pneumonia W thin the week;
one had acute bronchitis; another tonsili-
tbs; the other two, being tough or case
hardened, escaped with severe colds. SO
much for low dresses at church we'd
dingr'
NANNY wasn't one OF emp asked
grandma, anxiously.