Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1889-11-28

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"Now, MY DEAR LITTLE INVALID"
Falconer were driving I'm the park
| "Wouldn't it be perfectly lovely if" and
| she looked up at him with a knowing smile.
Gam I to discover another unexpected
talent in my wifes'' he said, laughingly,
as he looked down at her face, "the talent
| Of match making?"
81 think not,' she repliedS s1there are
some matches which make themselves
Like ours, for instance"
eyes, like ours," she answered, q little
absently; ''do you know have not quite
recovered from the surprise Of it yet?"
"Wel, I have" he answered, gayly. ttIt
seems the most natural thing in life that
you should be here by my side, and as if
had known YOU always. By the way, we
have cards to a brilliant reception at Mrs.
Belmond's next week; suppose it is to be
one of the social events of the season.
"ShalI we gos''
81 think sou he replied; tthe cream OF
the city will be there, and some whom
should like to have you meet. I should not
like to have my wife eclipsed in the line of
Dress" he added, after pause.
(which remark indicates another visit to
Nine. Morand, I suppose she said,
quickly. "W hat an advantage you gentle
men have over us ladies. When you con-
template festivity you are not obliged
to rack your brains for new design in
broadcloth."
"Then you do not consider the posses
sion of fine clothing the chief aim IN life"
81 do not" she answered emphatically
ssTo be sure there is a certain pleasure in
selecting beautiful materials and having
them made up artistically and well, but in
the abstract, how foolish it seems to have
dozen dresses, where two or three would
answer every purpose"
"Looking at things in the abstract, my
dear, there are great many queer things
in hfe-the unequal distribution of wealth,
for instance. While you are signing over
the necessity of getting up a new costume
which you do not need, your poor neighbor
may be shedding real tears of distress over
the lack of means to get the one dress which
she does need pitifully, and so the world
goes. In the abstract, the all things in
common rule, practised in New Testament
times, is the true one, but in actual expert
ence, IN our time of hurry and greed, it
would produce a worse middle than we
have now"
"The requirements of fashion are another
abstract nuisance" said Isabel, laughing.
SIT seems such utter nonsense that must
put enough rich material to trim my poor
neighbours dress lavishly into a bungling,
unnecessary train, which serves no pur.
pose whatever except to get in the way and
trip upawkward gentlemen"
"There is one fashionable folly which I
hope my wife will never give up to-" he
said, gravely. 81 notice with pleasure tSat
you have not as yet appeared in public with
barred neck and arms"
She blushed rosily. "Pray do not think,
Mr.. Falconer, that could be SO lost to all
sense of delicacy as to appear in pro-
miscuous crowd of people dressed in such
manner. / assure you I blush for my sex
when see such exhibitions, and believe
it is at the bottom of a great deal of the
laxness and immortality to be found in our
fashionable life.''
81 do not doubt it." he replied, heartily.
81 believe many a scandal in high life may
be traced to this unwomanly folly for its
origin, and it ought never to be seen out
side of the slums or variety theaters;
shamelessness is to be expected there"
81 am glad you agree with me-" said
Isabel, land wish you would carry your
good taste a little farther, and tell me what
to purchase for this occasion"
"Since you speak of it, noticed piece OF
velvet brocade in q delicate shade OF
lavender gray, at Hoags, which I thought
| at the time would make up beautifully"
s'There, now, you are developing unex-
| pected traits" she said, laughing merrily;
81 had no idea that you were so much OF
man milliner."
| He retorted smilingly: "Let Us go into
| partnership business; you to make matches,
to design the wedding garments"
| A little kindergarten outfit had been pro-
cured for Oracle, and these were placed in
| Lottie's room, and many happy hours were
| spent there by the young teacher and her lit
| tie pupil, who never wearied of the pretty
] contrivances by which she was learning the
| rudiments of more advanced study.
| Lottie had become much attached to the
| little girl, and her affection was fully re-
| cprocated by the affectionate child, who de-
lighted in waiting upon her and taking the
steps which still caused Lottie such pain
| and WEAKNESS.
They were engaged with the simple les
| sons when Isabel returned from her ride,
and Oracle was bending over her little
desk engaged in problem in addition
wrought by means of pegs stuck in the
| holes of gaily painted board.
| ''What studious pair we are" said
Isabel, coming in with ruddy cheeks from
the bracing October air.
sMamma, there has been man in our
room while you were gone" said Oracle,
looking up from her work gleefully; the
/ home room was spoken of as our room be-
cause each felt an ownership in it.
| IA mani" replied Isabel, in some sur
Prise; swhat an unheard-of proceeding
ssYou had better investigate the matter"
said Lottie, demureIy, and Isabel, in obe-
dience to the hint, rose and went in at once.
i Mr.. Falconer was there before her, and
| hanging upon the wall in the best light the
| room afforded was picture, the exact coun-
| terpart of the one chosen for Ralph and
Lilly, and the first Offering which had been
/ made to the home shrine since it had been
/ established.
FRO BE CONTINUED
/ The Ago OF Trees.
The average natural age of the oak il
i from 800 to {, 600 years; Of the elm, $50 TO
500 years; the maple, 600 to 500 years; the
i yew tree, largest OF all, 2,5o0to !, 600 years;
the cedar, 800; linden, 1900, and the cypress