The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-03-22
THE LINEN DRESS
EY GEORGE STEVENSON.

BY GEORGE STEVENSON.
~WENTY guincas What
7 {Tk can | buy with them
1898 Thus unused Polly Green,
Z e ~ rs she arranged the pew
u 80 terdiShes upon the dresser
+ |aS < IN the pleasant Vermont
0-,s1[S farmhouse.
1t Wa, during one of
the darkest moments of
the American Revolution.
and Burgoync was near TicOndcroga. ready
TO pouncc down upon the New York and
Vermont farms and Villages.
Polly, father mad enlisted to defend
his home. and was at Fort Edward under
schuyler; his eldest brother. boy OF
twenty, was with Washington. and his
Younger brother. Nat, sixteen years of
age, was i'll the South under his name
sake. General Nathaniel Green. The men
had gone before harvest had been gather
ed. and SO it fell 10 the lot of Polly, her
mothcr, and two brothers OF fourteen. 10
reap and sell or stow it away. OF the
proceeds. after the family expenses had
been paid. remained twenty gIincas for
Polly. and ten apiece for the boys in pay
ment for their services.
The boys, with patriotic zeal, had sent
their money to Albany to help the strug-
Cling Continental soldiers defend their
homes. Should Polly do likewise?
This is what troubled her as she was
Naking the pewter dishes (which had
been her greatgrandmothcr's) shine by
the vigorous application of rotten stone.
Twenty guineas. Why, that would get
The soldiers of General Schuyler only Il
lays porridgc"'
And then last summer when She had
been down to Boston after the cvacua-
ton, she had seen lovely embroidered
Irish linen and Il string of red coral beads
in II merccr's shop.
The whole cost, together with some
muslin and footgcar. would not exceed
twenty guincas. Better be it so. then:
T Mister Schuyler won't begrudgc poor
girl few tincries. Let it be the Irish
linen, at length Polly said aloud.
'Oh, my girl, have you no love for
your country! DO you want to wear
goods manufactured by the Red Coats
whom you are trying so hard TO expcl."
asked her mother. who had just entered
the room and heard Polly's soliloquv.
Polly became very much embarrassed
under her mothers rcproachful gaze, and
At last pcnitently confessed To her vani-
les and promised her to patiently wear
| homespun until Washington should drive
King Georges soldiors out of the colo
MICS
So Polly put her money in lcaden
tea-cheSt which had been periodically
kept empty since the tax had been i'm
posed.
But still the longing for the coveted
tincries grew upon Polly, and one dav
when Dorothy Sheppard, neighbors
girl, asked the leave of Mrs. Green to
take Polly with her on a visit to Boston
to her aunts house. Polly was at her
mother every minute until the desired
permission was obtained.
Just before starting on the old stage
she ran to the tca-chest and stuffed the
golden guineas into her hand bag. then
inferred the stage and was off
Two days Laser, as the painting stage
horses drew up in front of Miss Eliza
Wentworth's house, small dried-up
"'ii''h 'diii' W tiit Silt. anu klSSlll1 Ii.c
girls babe them come into the house.
This little pers IL was Miss Eliza her
self, and aunt of Dorothy.
1--WE are having a great deal of com
pany at present, Dora" she said, as she
swung the door open and ushercd them
into the broad. wcll-lightcd hall. .Six
If my h'iy friend, from different parts
If the colonies are here. Four of them
are British officers wives. and prophecy
1 speedy subiugation of the colonies. Are
yoU Tory. Dorothy" asked the old
woman.
Father ami Mr.. Green are both with
-, i schuyler ready 20 fight Bur
= Il, " she replied.
Mss Wentworth looked displeascd
'nd 'nut,,red something about the colo
l.stS being I'm ,rateful ''for the kind acts
II good King George"
Tn girls entered the house. and after
INVESTING themselves Of their wraps and
r'kir% their toilets, were summoned to
he tea-tabie. Seated around the board
were SIN females. and after grace was said,
'lch raised her tea-cup and cried:
Heres to the health of glorious King
gorge"
To the CONSERVATION of the ladies. and
especially Of Miss Eliza. the two girls rose