Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1890-08-16
A UNIQUE CHARACTER.

A UNlQUE CHARAClER.
We had taken cottage for the sum-
mer in small village on the south Jer-
sey coast. The rusticity and seclusion
of the place delighted us. John, whose
pen has to earn our daily bread, was in
a state of perpetual self congratulation.
But our paradise had one draw back
there was no church, services, when
there was any one to officiate, being
held in the school house; and in less
than fortnight after we took posses
sion of the cottage our cook packed her
trunk and departed, declaring that the
place was too haythenish for any re-
spectacle person to live in.
In this emergency Ann Dorner was
recommended to us. Her father, long
honest as the day and pow
erful religious, the neighbors told us
had brought up his family in small
cabin on the outskirts of the village, and
Ann had never been 10 miles from home.
She had clean looking sensible face,
with somewhat interpretive eyes; her
hair, which was pale brown, was
brushed smoothly back from her low
straight forehead, and hung in loose
mass down her shoulders, while her
gown-it was literally a gown, sort of
pre- Mother Hubbard affair-was dark
blue calico, hanging unbelted from the
yoke, and neither shoe nor stocking
graced her substantial feet.
In every way she was so unlike the
type of servant girl to which we had
been accustomed that hesitated to en-
gage her. But her honest sensible face
decided me. In time, no doubt, she
could be persuaded to adopt more
civilized toilet
But Ann, who had been brought up
Methodist of the Methodists of the "old
school, had the courage of her convic-
tions, and her ideas on dress were as
fixed as the laws of the Medes and Per-
slams. Like the Goddess of Liberty she
had but one style of costume and she
wore it on all occasions; even on Sunday
she refused toput on shoes and stockings.
In vain we argued with her on the inn
propriety of going barefooted to church.
AIMS firmness remained unshaken. At
first l thought it was downright obsti-
macy; but that was before l knew Ann.
In time found that her rigid views con-
cerning dress We're rooted in a religious
conscientiousness as sensitive and as
narrow as that of John Ward.
"rve got shoes an stockin's, ma'am, !"
she said, in answer to my offer to ad-
vance the money for the purchase of
these articles; "but maybe some other
folks haven't, an don't think I've got
a right to dress any better than the poor
est person in the place can afford to,
cause if l did, ma'am-don't you see?-
they might be discouraged, an say they
wouldn't go to meetin' unless they could
dress as good as Ann Dorner.
But having learned on careful inquiry
that there was no one in the village SO
poor as to be obliged to go barefooted,
we at last persuaded her to put on shoes.
gather her flowing name into braid,
and encouraged by these concessions,
ventured to suggest change in her
head gear. Ann took off her calico sun
bonnet and surveyed it critically.
ut amt handsome, that's fact, she
admitted, "but if l amt too proud to
wear it, ma'am, I don't think you'd
ought to mind. It's clean an whole, an
it's as good as anything ole Mis- Carson
can afford to wear.
At last, however, she promised that
if l would make her perfectly plain
black bonnet she would wear it on Sun
days.
Ruching was being worn for face
trimming at the time, and having COW
cred a close fitting frame with black
silk and added few loops of black rib
bon ventured to put here and there in
the ruche tiny knot Of narrow lavender
velvet. Ann looked really pleased when
she tried it on, and the next morning,
catching glimpse of her as she went
out of the gate wearing the new bonnet,
l quite congratulated myself on my sue
cess; but few moments later, having
occasion to go to the kitchen pantry,
found laid carefully together, not only
the knots of lavender velvet, but every
loop and bow that had decorated the
outside of the bonnet Plain as had
thought it, she had divested it of every
thing except the ribbons that served for
strings.
1T looked very nice, ma a'am, she said.
when l demonstrated with her, but it
was most too gay for professor. And
no amount of persuasion could induce
her to have the trimmings put on again.
Her zeal for plainness did not contine
itself to her own apparel.
Il rather think, ma am, I'll have to get
somebody else to do the fine irouin', "
she said to me on Monday.
But why, Ann?" asked in surprise.
"There are very few starched pieces. "
"Yes, IN, know it," said Ann, "but
they're trimmed, an as l don't believe in
folks wearin' trimmed things, I don't
think it would be right for me to do 'em
up for EN-"
"Rut don't YOU think, Ann" said,