Dodge City times., 1891-09-18

ping with reference to the double wed
ding in which they were to figure nc
maay weeks later. The next da
after their departure my mother saif
''Bsb, wish you would zee that Tom
room Is in order. He will be bacl
Saturday, and LudnEs and Isabella wer
SO busy with their sowing don't thin
they made his room IS neat a it nigh
BE-"
found that the room might be mad
neater. l picked up garment whicl
Tom had lung across chair, and cal
ried It to his closet, on entering whicl
my eye fell upon a well-worn blue fan
mel coat and neither garments hanginI
there. and . novel idea flashed into m,
mind Not long since q dress of darl
blue serge had been made for me on
o3 Ludora's and Isabella's old ones, an
1needed . jacket Of some heavier ma
terial. but matching the dress in color
to make it quite complete and com
Portable for the cool autumn days By
ripping up those garments and washing
and pressing the better parts of then
could get quite . respectable jacket
out Of them, and who would ever know
from whence I obtained it? I knew
Tom would not care, for, although
there WAS still fright smart Of wear iI
them" as Mrs. Hobbs would have said
they could be worn but little more
without patching. and Tom abhorrei
patches.
! carried the garments to my mother
to consult her. She, poor dear, having
practiced making over until she had
reduced the work to a science, dumped
At the idea" to use another of Mrs
Hobbs expressions. By the close oi
the next day our united efforts ha6
produced jacket which. with the ad'
dition Of some pretty buttons and .
neat binding of braid, was really quite
stylish looking. The next evening
drove to the station to meet Tom and
his friend, feeling quite dressed up
and cOmplacent in my new old dresa
and jacket But alas for my compls
cency! was soon to know the bitter
est modification of my life.
The next morning Tom came to me
%nas oeeame 81 sna. Siae an1a snnei sa
that was hanging in my closet?"
do you want it?" asked.
"Morey wants it. it's his. We're go
ing fishing, and as it's little rainy HI
wants to wear it. He's q careful fel
low Of his clothes"
think the power to faint is not II
me, or it would have asserted itself a
that moment. If the earth had sud
denly opened at my feet, gladly would
I have sunk into the yawning chasm.
"Oh! Toni" gasped. Il thought
those things were yours, and cut then
up and made them into that jacket
wore to the station yesterday"
'Cut them up!" exclaimed Tom, ir
consternation, which soon gave way te
uncomfortable laughter.
While he was laughing, | was des-
perately considering. I had always
been considered truthful; had always
been truthful, whether from inherent
goodness or lack Of temptation, ! can.
not say, but have hurni!iating sus'
picion that it may have been the latter,
a., now that temptation presented it
self. was willing to falsify, or rather.
to have some one else do SO for me.
When Tom had subsidized sufficiently te
hear me, said: "Ten him a tramr
stole the clothes"
"A likely story" replied Tom, that
. tramp should find his way up into
my closet and select that particular suit
Of old clothes as booty"
ssWAn tall h;u, vuo fhouOhf fhs
clothes were yours and gave then
away" I urged.
II shall tell him the TRUTH said
Tom, in Q tone Of moral severity quite
unusual with him.
He went up to his room, where Mr.
Morey was waiting. A few moments
later followed him up the steps and
slipped into my own room, which ad
joined his. that I might see, or, rather,
hear, how he performed the delicate
task in hand. Other emotions were too
strong within me to permit me to feel
any scruples in playing .eavesdropper
When reached my room heard Tom
assuring Mr.. Morey. in grave tone,
the frequent tremors Of which gave
evidence of suppressed emotion, that
had deliberately appropriated the miss
ing articles to my own use.
tom. you are trying to sell me. p"
said Mr.. Morey.
mo. she cut them u-n-p." replied
Tom. the crescendo on the word up
being caused by q burst of laughter,
''and made"
determined to 60 in and explain the
matter myself. It would be easier
than meeting Mr. Morey after he had
received Toms explanation. l don't
know what said, but made him un-
derstand the situation, and he assured
me the matter was of no consequence.
II should have had but little further
use for the Clothes" said he. II in
tended to take them home for my
mother to make over for my little
brothers; and I doubt not the boys
would give you a vote Of thanks, If
they knew. for they don't like wearin G
made-over garments.
Ny heart went out, at once, to the
little brothers
Mr.. Morey managed somehow, with
. delicacy Of which I am sure no other
man could have been capable, to con-
vey to me compliment on the feminine
which could produce so
pretty a garment from such poor
materials, and even expressed the hope
that ! would continue to wear it. But
that I averred I never could do again.
when Tom put In:
''See here, Bah. if you 60 ON wearing
It, not even mother need ever know
but what the things were mine; but If
you DON'T the truth must come out,
and you never will hear the last Of IL
from Ludora and Isabella"
Reflection convinced mo Of the truth
Of the argument, and I concluded that
Il would b better to wear the jacket
though know I should
always feel "queer" in IT.
This ludicrous incident made Mr..
Morey and me feel better acquainted
in few days than we should other
wise have done in weeks; and that the
attack had made ON his wardrobe did
not forever disgrace me in his mind was
proved by the fact that at the end Of
his visit he asked permission to write
10 me, and within . year asked me TO
be his wife.