The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1890-10-08
THE MYSTERIOUS DRESS.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS.

"You are invited to the regiment ball,
my DEAR" said Mrs. Ackland, as her
daughter entered the room, her dripping
waterproof and umbrella giving evil
dence of a sturdy battle with the storm
that could be plainly heard even
through closed shutters and dropped
curtains ON that upper floor. ''The
most polite letter from Colonel B,
and knowing that forsook society long
ago. Mrs. Colonel B will take you
with her own girls. 1t is really charm
ing of her. Here is the ticket"
The elder lady's frail fingers drew two
elegant squares of pink and gold paste
board from an envelope as she spoke.
But the girl, having hung her water
proof in an ad jacent kitchen, and percbed
her umbrella where it could drip harm
lessly in some stationary tubs of said
kitchen, did not even pick them up.
at would be better to publish the
fact that have retired from society also,
mamma" she said, little sadly.
"You!' cried her mother. SAT twenty,
Effiei"
black frock," said Effie, "and that
patched at the elbows"
''You could go in white" said her
mother. "You look very girlish. Gen
tlemen admire white, or used to. White
and few flowers, and no jewelry. No
one could find fault with that style. The
greatest heiress in Boston, when l was a
girl, was known for her simplicity-al-
ways white"
' al fancy 1 should be il / went in a
sheet and pillow-case costume" said
Effie. "Really, that would be the only
white one / could manage. That poor
old whiteIdress that still exists in youl
memory is short in the waist, short il
the skirt, won't meet in the belt, and
has sleeve that would not go over my
wrist. I've grown a great deal in five
years, mamma"
"ls it five years since you went tC
your cousin Jennie's wedding in itg
cried Mrs. Ackland. ''Dear, dear. how
time flies. Couldn't you make over one
of my old silks2"
~ should be a laughing stock
ludluLndi ndlh l-lllC' W cll, L eau IlNN
without going to the ball, though
should enjoy it very much"
s "The daughter of Captain Acklant
ought to have opportunities, said the
widow. "How are you to marry if yor
never meet any one, can not think. A
pretty girl like you was never meant t
be spinster and work for her bread"
INF IN, fIaN
said the girl. "Type- writing is not
lively amusement, and am as likely Il
marry as am TO go to Cuba. Don
sigh so bitterly, mamma. 1t would onl,
make you lonelier if went to the ball
and should be up late and make mis-
takes next day-lose my place perhaps
III write a very polite regret when &c
some fine note-paper. Now, let us hav
| tea"
| f. The little brown teapot, the two blu
cups and plates to match were soon OF
the table. Effie Ackland had a way 0
making excellent little dishes out of mex
to nothing-it was very convenient unde
the circumstances-and though the giT
pinned for something besides the dall,
routine of type-writing, and evening
spent in listening to her mothers remi
niscences of former grandeur-for Mrs
'Acklaad had been a belle and beaut
and an expectant heiress when she mar
ried the dashing young captain-it wa
the mother who bemoaned herself,
| At last, tea being over, it was dis
covered that the storm had passed, an,
Al. al.as au.ra
Effie declared that she would run dow
to the little stationers and get some note
paper of the proper sort on which to re