Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1890-09-13
ONE GOWN FOR TWO.

ONE GUWN Eur TWO.
Mrs. Hawes had returned to her work
of looking over old coats and trousers
with view to making them into rugs.
She remarked to herself, and to the cat,
that it "wa'n't no manner of use to
waste her breath calm when folks didn't
want to hear"
She stood tearing off a strip from an
old time Sunday coat belonging to her
husband, when the door opened quickly,
and girl about sixteen years old walked
in with an air as if she had been run
ming.
"Here I am, mother" she said.
''What is it you wanti"
Mrs. Halves glanced up. "'Twas
Marthy Jane l was calm, ;" she said.
"I'm Marthy Jane. o mother, when
will you know me?'
The girl threw her head back and
laughed. Mrs. Halves dropped the coat.
skirt, gazed a moment, and then laughed,
too, but with a vexed air.
THAT comes of havin twins to con
tend with, she remarked. ~ thought
by the way you broke into the room twas
Jane Marthy. She's liable to cont
a door s if she had ben shot out
OF gun. Where've you both benz"
sDown t the brook. The wind blew
so t We didn't hear you when you first
called. Did you want anything part;cu.
lar2"
The girl tried to speak patiently,
though she was longing to go back and
resume making a swing between the two
cider apple-trees.
Miss LAWYERS jest ben here" Mrs.
Halves announced.
"Oh, has she2'
Martha Jane clasped her hands as sAe
put this question. Her face flushed and
her eyes sparGled with interest. Hen
mother partially ripped sleeve before
she spoke again. Then she continued
"She's decided to have that music
party-musikarl, she calls it-next
evenin. That German,
Herr Rickerstruther or sometain' can
come then sooner'n she expected. She
invited both you girls. She said it would
be liner'n than anything you'd ever heard.
Miss Dslrymple from Boston's goin' tc
sing. l thought you'd like to know
right off. That's why | called, though
knew you was hayin' good time at the
brook"
Martha Jane turned and walked to the
window. From there she asked, "You
laid we were both invited?"
'To be sure. I'm afraid you'll have a
hard time decidin', F" the mother answered,
anxiously.
"There's nothing to decide, said
Martha Jane. cts Jenny's turn. l
went to the church fair last month, you
know"
She came from the window and stood
before her mother. She flung out her
hands with a quick gesture as she ex-
passionaiely, 81 do wish we
mad more than one dress! 1t does seem
sometimes as if couldn't bear it,"
"You don't wish so any more'n do, -
iaid Mrs. Halves. "You know jest how
It's. We keep havin' doctors bills to
pay for my sick spells, N now it don't
ook s. if we could ever afford for you
each to have a nice dress. 1 s'pose we
ought to be thankful you en- have one,
n so swap round bout goin' to places,
bein' jest of size n as like S two peas,
anyway. wish twas diff'runt, but
can't help it. "
She sighed as she ran her knife across
The stitches.
Martha Jane was moving restlessly
about the room.
"P'raps Jane Marthy'd give you her
chance" suggested Mrs. Halves, more to
see what this daughter would say than
Tor any other reason.
II shouldn't wonder" was the re-
,ponse. "She's twice as good as l am,
but she wants to hear that music as much
as do. She loves 1t just as well. No,
it's her turn. She must go, and 1 must
stay at home and envy her. It's horrid,
horrid, to be so poor"
The girl tried to keep the tears that
rushed to her eyes from falling on her
cheek. She saw her mothers lips trem-
BILE.
"I'll be good about it after a little, y
Martha Jane said, in an unsteady voice.
"Only give me time to think it over and
get the upper hand of myself"
She hurried out of the room, aud up
the steep stairs to the chamber under the
roof which she shared with her sister.
She sat down on the bed, crying out in a
whisper, "Td rather hear Miss Dalrym-
pie sing than anything else in the
worldl"
Then justice compelled her to add,
$50 would Jenny, and it's her turn"
In ten minutes she came down the
stairs. She opened the door and tried
to speak with brave cheerfulness:
CAN right, motherl l don't mean tc
be mean wretch this time"
She ran at the top of her speed down
to the brook, where her sister was now
trying the new swing, dreamily 'Ietting
the old cat die" in the oft, sweet air.
Mrs. Halves left her work and watched
the young figure as it bounded along.
They couldn't either of 'em be mean
wretches to save their lives" she said
aloud, with kind OF sorrowful pride.
But Martha Jane had not yet fully got
''the upper hand of herself When she
told Jane Martha of the invitation and
said, cts your turn, you know" she
felt rather bitter. 1t seemed to her that
her sisters turn always came to the best
things.
There was silence for moment.
Then Jenny said, as if speaking to her
self, ''0nly to think of hearing Miss
Dalrymple singh"
These twin girls were gifted not only
with the musical temperament, but witt
rarely sweet singing voices. Not *
be able to improve these gifts undel
competent instruction had been one O.
the great trials of their poverty.