Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1891-10-09

to her companion, but arose and rang the
bell. 81 am going to give you cup of
tea. she said. "Hark! how it rainsl You
cant 90 yet, and you'll be less likely to
take cold when you do go, if you start well
warmed. Besides, | want to have you
stay. l should like to have little talk
over this question of dress which is so in
teresting to all of us women" She smiled
brightly at her guest, who, as if daZzled,
watched the entrance of the tray with its ,
bubbling kettle, its plates of bread and |
butter and crisp, dainty cakes; watched |
Myra measure the tea, warm the pot of
gay japanese ware, and when the brew |
was ready fill the thin-lipped cups, and !
drop in sugar and cream.
"HOw nicer' she said, with a sigh of
satisfaction. Her heart opened under the
unwonted kindness and comfort and Miss
Sydney had little difficulty in learning
what she wished to know. Cary Thomas
was the girls name. She lived 'at home
till two years ago. Did she like the city?
Yes, she said she liked it well enough, but
it was not much like home to board. She
and another girl that worked at Snow Il
Ashers had a room together out in Far
well street. They had pretty good times
when they were not too full of work, but
in the busy season they stayed so late at
the store that they didn't want anything
when they got home except to go to bed.
They got seven dollars week, more when
there was extra work to do.
"Can you lay up anything out of that?'
asked Miss Sydney.
mo, ma am, not a cent; at least dom t.
There are some girls in this store that do,
but they've got sick friends to save for"
"Now," said Miss Sydney, having thus
fa1N hn, l. t. faalrn
question. As | told you, | can't at all af-
ford to have one for every dress"
Cant you, ma am, what do you do,
them"
81 buy one jacket which will do for ev-
erything | wear
''But that isn't a suit" said Cary, doubt
fully.
mo; but is it necessary that everything
should be a suit?'
THE girls at our store think so much of
suits, in puzzled tone of self-defence.
81 know some people have a fancy for
them, and they are very pretty sometimes.
But don't you see that they cost a great
deal of money, and that working people,
you and myself for instance, ought to
manage more carefullyY
''Do you work, ma am?"
ITO be sure l do. You look surprised.
! All, you think that because | have a little
home of my own and live in a pretty room
| must be fine lady with nothing to do.
That's a mistake of yours. l work nearly
as many hours as you do, and earn the
greater part of my income, and | have to
consult economy to keep my home and
make it pleasant, and among the things
which | cant afford to have are SUITS
II wish you'd tell me how you do,
ma am
~ will, though I'm not in the habit of
talking quite so freely about my affairs
but I'll tell you, because it may give you
an idea how to manage better for your
self. In the first place, keep two or three
colors. | have black gown or two, and
an olive brown, and this acknowledgement
that you see and some lighter ones, white
or pale yellow. Now with any of these
the same bonnet will do. The one | am
wearing now is black with little jet and
pale yellow, and it gees perfectly well with
all my dresses, and so does my black cash
mere jacket and my paraso and gloves,
which are yellow also. Don't you see there
is an economy in this and that if | had a
purple dress and blue one and a brown,
should want different bonnet for each
and different gloves and a different para
sol!n
"Why, yes, it does seem SC" said Cary,
drawing a long breath. I'D like to dc
something different myself, but don't sup
pose I'd know how
would you mind if l told you what
think?'' asked Myra gently.
"No'm. I'd thank YOU
sit seems to me that the chief trouble
with girls who work in stores is that they
care more for what they call stylish, thar
for being neat or pretty. \ young girl car
look her best in simple dress, if it is wei
put on and becoming"
THAT'S what mother used to say. AND
Mark, he always liked me best in a white
bib apron. To be sure, he never saw mt
in city clothes''-she stopped, bushing
SIS Mark your brother?" asked Myra
, Then she blushed at her own stupidity, fol-
such deep blush as mantled in Cary,
cheek is seldom evoked by the mention OF
a brother.
''Nom, he's just a friend. His folk,
and mine lived just opposite in Gilmanton.
His father farms, and Mark works fol
him, but his time is out in the spring, anC
then he calculates to set up for himself
docs he ever come to the city?"
mo, not once since | was here; but Ii,
2 speaks of coming down this spring. ant
} that's one reason / like to look as stylish
as / can, SOS not to be different from tn,
rest when Mark comes"
81 think in his place | should prefer yoI
5 to be different" said Miss Sydney decided
ly. "Now, Cary, don't be offended; wha
, you girls aim at is to look like the ladie.
7 who come to the shop, isn't it?-stylish a,
t you would say?"
4 eyes, | suppose it is" admitted Cary.
| "Well, then, | must tell you the plaiE
e truth, you utterly fail in your attempt
No one would mistake a girl, dressed al
e you are at this moment, for a lady; no
f body!-but," disregarding the deep tiusl
| on her companions cheeks, eff / wen
into a shop, and saw there young lady a.
4 pretty and as delicately made as you are
/ Cary, with hair as smooth as satin, and
simple gown that fitted exactly, and a col
e lar and cuffs as white as snow, and per
a haps black silk apron or white one, anC
l with neat shoes and nice stockings, if
S saw girl dressed like that, with nothing
4 costly, nothing that any girl cannot have
V but everything fresh and neat and pretty,
1 should say to myself there is a shop cir
1 with true instincts of a lady.
Y "And Cary-don't think me impertinen
r if Mark came to town and saw a gin
S like that among the crowd of untidy, over
e dressed ones at Snow q Asher's, l thin
a the contrast would strike him as it woul
Y me-agreeably!
t Miss Sydney paused half frightened a
her own daring. Cary looked steadily int
the fire without speaking. The rain ha