The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1889-07-03

''I can't affort no such price as that"
Miss Gill closed the drawer with a
bang.
"May ask" began she.
"pd set my price at twenty five
dollars" said the customer. ~ don't
want none o. your fancy fixin's. Some
thing good and plain would suit mel"
"We don't deal in any such quality of
goods as that" said Miss Gill, elevating
her nose and COMPRISING her lips.
81 might give thirty, If l was put to
it,"
"Quite out of the question, =" said Miss
Gill. "Our price for making up the
material alone is thirty dollars"
Mrs. Blinn sighed, took up her UNI
brella and alligator bag, and slowly with
drew. Miss Gill uttered a sniff of dis
dain.
"The ideal" said she.
''I don't know what people expect" "
observed Mrs. Aramis, from her recess.
Out on the pavement, however, as Mrs.
Blinn was unhitching the horse and
gathering up the time-worn reins, pale,
pretty young woman accosted her with
timid eagerness.
81 beg your pardon, said she, ''but
l believe you did not suit yourself at Mrs.
Aramis's9"
"No," said Mrs. Blinn, ~ didn't"
''Perhsps," hazarded Miss Frederick,
81 might be fortunate enough to"
''Be you dressmaker 2" said Mrs.
Blinn, turning the full focus of the spec
tacles directly on the girls face.
81 make gowns-yes."
Mrs. Blinn paused, with her foot on
the muddy wagon step.
"And," added Miss Frederick, 'I can
undertake TO make you a nice, plain
black-silk dress for twenty eight dollars. +"
"I'm willin' to pay that much, said
Miss Blinn. "When can you measure
me Z"
Tomorrow, said Miss Frederick.
cat No. =, Sixth Avenue, at ten o'clock.
l will see about the material at once"
"I'll come, said Mrs. Blinn. "It's a
sort o. bother racketin' in and out of the
city, but there's to be a wedding in the
family, and l want the dress to wear
week after next"
''It shall be ready" said Miss Fred
erick.
She watched the creaking vehicle Jolt
down the street, and then went straight
to the neat little room of friend of hers,
who had just opened an unpretentious
milliner's shop at No. = Sixth Avenue.
"Jenny," said she, 81 want to borrow
for fC-r ixva
got customer, and / can't take her to
the dark hall bedroom where / hiber-
nate. And l want to paint little sign,
and tack it up above yours-for this oc-
casion only
Miss FREDERICK, Dressmaker.
''You shall, and welcome" said kind
Jenny Plympton.
Mrs. Blinn came, and was duly fitted.
Miss Frederick showed her a sample of
the silk, which Mrs. Blinn looked at this
way and that, raveled out, and rubbed
between her thumb and finger in a know
ing manner.
''It's good silk, said she.
eyes, y" said Miss Frederick, sit is good
silk"
"When can you have it readyl"
''By Saturday night"
''I'd sort o. like to try it on afore I pay
for it," hazarded the old lady.
~ will bring it out myself and try it
on you," said Miss Frederick.
Mrs. Blinn frightened up at once.
'Will youl" said she. 'I'll send the
farm-boy in for you, then, with the
wagon, and p'raps you'll stay over Sun
day with met You look sort O. pale.
Mebbe it would do you good to breathe
the country air."
81 should like it of all thingsl" said
Miss Frederick, eagerly.
She arrived ON Saturday night, with
the dress carefully pinned up in brown
paper.
She tried it on, and Mrs. Blinn, Naomi
Blinn and Susanna Blinn all pronounced
it ga perfect fit"
"Sueh rich silk! I" said the old lady.
"a deal better quality than Mrs. Judge
Jexon'sp
"Such pretty jet bangles all over itr'
said Miss Susanna.
"Sueh a stylish cutl" cried Naomi.
"Ma looks dreadful ladylike in It'll
wonder if Miss Frederick would make
me Onep
ga black silk2" cried Susanna, in
credulously.
"No, to-be-surel" said Naomi. San
alpaca, or a chaili, or something-Eh-
what's the matter2 Is she sick2"
For, even as Miss Frederick was ad-
justing the sash drapery of the new gown,
she sank fainting to the floor.
81 think it must have been because ]
was so weak" she murmured, when at
last breath came and sense returned to
her. al have eaten nothing but bread
and water for a week"
Mrs. Blinn who, good soul, thought a
deal of her breakfast, her dinner and her
supper, uttered cry of dismay.
''I am dreadful hypocrite" said Miss
Frederick, smiling family. 81 may as
well tell you the whole truth. Pm not a
dressmaker at all-only shopgirl-only ]
used always to help with poor mamma s
dresses and my own when-when we had
money. Mamma is dead now. This, y
glancing at the silk gown, twas her best
black silk, that never could make up my
mind to pawn. She only wore it half a
dozen times, and sponged and turned il
oil oaraf,,llv Tffc nnf nam hut buf