Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1891-04-16

80 ~ NNtItN tttANlNf NAAiAttlAN ulIot EANI
up the idea OF her new black silk dress.
i must have stylish outfit for Easter.
And dare say Jenny can get along with
her old hat retrimmcd. lido need those
bracelets, and am positively afraid to
let papa know how much Mrs. Needle
ford's dressmaking bill is in arrears. One
can't 90 into society without spending
money, and it's a life-and death business
with me.
Gratia Fielding was the family beauty
Ia selfish, smiling little fairy, who ig-
nored eyerybody's rights but her own,
and kept her two sisters hopelessly
shabby to indulge her own passion for
dress.
"I wonder said Gratia, as the soft
spring days crept on, "what shall have
for an Easter bonnet this YEAR,"
Mrs. Fielding looked alarmed.
Isn't that new one with the white
lilacs good enough2" said she. ''Papa's
salary. you know"
"Oh, don't lecture me any more ("
said Gratia, pctuantly. "Economize-
cconomize! am perfectly sick of the
word. OF course l must have something
entirely new for Easter. Nobody wears
their old things"
Except Jenny and Louise an1--my-
self" said Mrs. Fielding, bitterly.
"Oh, but that don't signify, you
know" declared heartlcss Gratia. "You
are old, and Jenny has no good looks of
any consequences, and Lou is only a
schoolgirl. lam the one to be thought
of now. And new bonnet must have.
None of your homemade affairs, either
"a real p iris affair. Easter wouldn't
be Easter without q new bonnet. But
Lally Vigaroux says l mustn't purchase
until the very last moment II wish to
get bargain. The milliners are so stiff
In their prices at this time of ycarr'
And so. the very week the church.
bells were ringing, and the florists win
dows were abloom with white lily-cups
and snowy rosebuds, Gratia Fielding
secured the fashionable thoroughfares Of
New York for bonnet that should
awaken the envy of all her friends.
This is the very one l want" said
she, in Madam Plumejeau's fashionable
atelier. ''It's so simple, and yet so ele.
CANT. Oh, madam"
1T is an order" said madam, com
placently altering its position on the
standard. "bIiss Everly's own taste.
White rosebuds and fern leaves, and
handmade Honiton lace in the regular
Bermuda lily pattern. The lace alone
gives it style that nothing else can APP
proach. 1t was made by one of our
young women-Estelle Dupont"
You'll duplicate it for Inc, madame"
coaxed Gratia. ''Oh, / must have it,"
duplicate it? Certainly not" said
Madam Plumejeau, slightly drawing her
self up. Ii is TO be sent home to-
night. We never duplicate"
Gratia's eyes fairly gloated over the
lovely creation.
She was 10 contemplate milliner her
SELF The simple straw, the buds, the
leaves, she could manage, she thought ;
but the exquisite Honiton lace-that was
the probleml
AS she sauntered out, she incidently
asked one of the smart young women
behind the counter for Miss Dupont's
address.
"But it's no use," said Miss Martin. as
she wrote out the direction. "She's at
tending upon sick mother. She won't
take in any work"
But she shalt" said Gratia Fielding,
to herself, "or will know the reason
why"
She went directly to No. 46 Falcon
Court, a dingy neighborhood, full of
dismal red brick houses and piteons. lit
tle'stores, where nobody ever seemed to
come, and inquired her way to Miss
Dupont's room.
II have come from Madam Plume
ieau," said she. "She wants you to
make me piece of lIoniton lace, in the
Bermuda lily pattern, exactly like Miss
Everly new bonnet, and to trim one
precisely like hers"
Estelle Dupont, pallid. slender, old
young woman, shrank back.
1t is quite impossible" said she.
But 1 must have itp persisted
Gratia.
Estelle pointed to the bed, where Icy
n yellow faced little Frenchwoman, with
large, fever-bright eyes, her head NOV
ing restlessly to and fro.
"That makes no difference" said
Gratia. "You can be working while
you sit at her bedside"
IA piece of pillow lace like that de-
mands time, mademoiselle," pleaded
poor Estclle.
"Well, you've got time enough. l
could do it myself if only had the
knack. There are two days and three
nights vet. And if you don't choose to
oblige me, why, there's an end of your
engagement with Madame Plumeje au."
Which was considerable stretching
of facts; but Gratia knew that power
full lever was needed to attain her object,
and did not stick at lie.
Poor Estelle wrung her hands. Madam
Plumejcau had already advanced three
weeks salary 10 her : she was by far too
autocratic parsonage to be disobliged,
and yet the dying mother, who would
scarcely bc content unless Estelle's hand
was in hers all the time
'If you could only wait few days,
mademoiselle !" she pleaded, piteously.
await, indeed when it is for an
Easter bonnet!" cried Gratia, impa-
tiently. ''IIow unreasonable you work
ing people are! No, must have it on
Sunday morning without fail and 1t
must be an exact duplicate OF Miss
Everly's. want to look my very best
en- Sunday morning. and | want to see
how amazed that naughty heiress will be
when she sees me wearing the very copy
of her exclusive Paris idea. You Will
promise it to me You must promise
1t %
eff Il can possibly get it done!'
''But you mustw repeated Grntia,
with little stamp Of the foot, ''or lose
your place at Madam Plumejeau's. Do
you understand
II think" she exultantly told herself,