The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-12-10
MISS KELLY'S SUIT,

Ihe girls III the envelope factory have
just finished luncheon when the fore.
, man comes in and announces thatowino
, to break i'll the machinery work will
be suspended fer the rest of the dav.
Though this will make some difference
in the amount of their bills at the end of
the week, the girls are not sorry for this
half holiday, 1t gives them in oppor-
tunity to domany things. There is Miss
Maggie Kelly, for instance.
This young lady had long been wait
ing for chance to visit that locality in.
definitely described as up town" in
order to inspect the various styles of
gowns, wraps and hats offered there for
sale. She is about to purchase new
suit and proposes to have it in the latest
style. She can get Il fairly correct idea
of this by visiting the various establish.
ments where costumes are displayed.
After the foreman has made the ar
nouncement that the girls will have that
afternoon to themselves, Miss Kelly hur-
riedly fixes herself up. Then she says to
one Of the girls:
Hey, Name! Come up town with me,
will yer?" The young lady addressed
assents, and so they start.
They spend pretty much all the after
noon visiting the big dry goods stores
and inspecting the costumes worn by
the women out shopping. Maggie scans
the latter closely, and If much struck by
the beauty of several "swagger" COS
tunes worn by young ladies about her
size and build, Why could not she have
one?
In the next establishment visited is a
fine display Of these pleasing Innovations
/ in woman's attire. Miss Kelly inspects
them all with elaboration. The more
she does, the more infatuated does she
become with the swagger costume.
She inquiries the prices, and her heart
sinks as she finds they are beyond the
amount of her capital. With her face
bearing Il sad, hopeless expression, she
| goes home. Miss Maggie does not sleep
! well that night. Her dreams are dis
turbed by visions Of shirt bosoms, four
in-hand ties and cute little vests. In the
morning she awakes unrefreshed.
Her longing to possess Il swagger suit
has grown during the night. She tries
to overcome this by settling her mind on
other objects, but fails utterly, Only Il
swagger suit will appease that wild long
ing. She nust-she will have it within
a week, but how?
Presently an idea strikes her. The
cloud clears from her face. Her spirits
rise. During that afternoon Maggie is
so gay and lighthearted that her COM
panions in the envelope factory cannot
refrain from remarking her manner.
The following Saturday evening finds
the young woman about to finish her
swagger suit. Ever since that idea first
seized her Maggie has been busy making
a gown and Jacket. All she lacks is the
shirt bosom and tie. She would have
had these before but for lack of funds
Having received her weeks pay at the
factory on Saturday afternoon Miss Ael-
" is now prepared to purchase these nee
essary details to the costume, with which
she proposes to create pleasant sensa
ton on the Hill on Sunday.
After her supper they dine on the Hill
at noon-Miss Kelly carefully counts hel
money and finds that she has just one
dollar and twenty-five cents. The bal
ance she has given to her mother earlier
in the dav. With this sum in a small
nurse. which she clutches closely, thu
Young woman HES her to thorough
fare where the stores announce tina
gents furnishings" are sold inside a
,, ridiculously low figures. She stands II
front of the place a moment, gazing a
the display in the windows A youn!
man steps to the doorway from the III
terror, beckons to her and says "oVe
in. lady; everything cheap"
This invitation and announcement
to prices seems to be all that is nece'
sary to induce the young lady 10 entel
She steps in. An old man stands benin
> the counter. He mods his head shShtl1
rubs MS hands together, smiles and says
= Good evening"" Miss Maggie says:
: 81 want II shirt" =.
1.-The old man smiles again, ruDs N
. . hands faster, looks up at his STOCK, an
u i requests the young woman to so lnI
more particulars. She does so, and III
result is that soon three or four OF tines
Il articles, made from linen and about I'll
70 size year-old boy would wea
III are spread before her. The prices rang
o. from fifty cents to one dollar EACH Oh
" does not know which to take.
" perhaps your brother would like IN n
one" the shopkeeper ventures, at I,
same time spreading out one that
II saws will cost eighty-fve cents. -,
a. The idea that Miss Kelly is making Il
III nnrcbase for any one but male memD
Of her family never enters the willy o
q, mans head. The young woman does II
&C inform him to the contrary. What Is
y his business, she thinks.
III 81 don't know" she answers i "o
der if it would fit him3 He's ABOUT u
1e same size as myself" ,;
ne She is assured that this particular SUI
lie ''-'' ~ ''-