The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-04-22
Sabbath Clothes.

wear"
"yYhy not wear your old one, one
more Sabbath? [ am sure it is mol
shabby" said her aunt.
| "My old velvet Oh this hot Sabbath
How it would look. ! couldn't think
of it. Besides, wouldn't put you tc
shame bv wearing it beside you III
your immaculate spring suit. No, I'm
sorry, but | shall have to let you go TO-
day with Mr.. Howe and May for es-
cort"
"I'm sorry, too. But, really among
old neighbors and friends, who will
notice, or care if they should notice!
that your milliner has disappointed
you"
"Who, indeed!" exclaimed Mr.
Howe. "The fuss you women make
over a bonnet or a gown is lncompre-
hensible and-ridiculous What mat.
ter is it anyway? Come, get on your
bonnet, Helen, and let US CO."
"Oh, no 1 really can't. 1t is too
late to get ready, too"
So the party started without her.
| Left at home, Mrs. Howe had some
time for thinking. She was a Chris
t;an woman. She really wanted to 60
to church. She felt that she needed
the strength and uplift she got at
church on Sabbath to carry her
through the week. But she had been
late in getting her spring suit. The
warm days had come before she was
ready for them. For two or three
weeks it had been somewhat of cross
for her to don the winter garments
when she went out. All nature was
| in its fresh attire, and she liked TO be
in accord. Her new outfit was now
ready except the bonnet, which had
failed to arrive. This Sabbath was
warm and sunny. Her winter gear
would be out of place, besides being
decidedly uncomfortable and how
could SHE wear the fresh dress and
wrap, and crown them with the old
velvet bonnet? She said to herself
that she could not. And then, too,
what would Mrs. Macy and Mrs. True
and Mrs. Lewis and all the rest OF
them think? Oh, she couldn't do 1t.
Nevertheless, her conscience was not
quite at ease as she sat alone and
thought. A verse which she had read
in her morning chapter, And why
take We thought for raiment ?" would
thrust itself in as refrain to all her
meditations. She had to admit that
she had taken SO much thought fol
her raiment this morning that she was
losing all the blessedness OF the SAP,
baths service. After all, what did II
matter to herself or any one else, II
she should wear her old clothes anOtll-
er Sabbath? Had she not soul thai
could rise above clothes? Suppose
Mrs. Macy or Mrs. True did comment
upon it, would they be likely to re-
member the circumstance the next
day, or even think of it again? II
they should think of it again, what
then? Who would be hurt? Besides,
what would be the influence on her
young daughter, who was already de-
veloping more Of Il taste for pretty
clothes than for some better things
Thus she unused until the family re-
turned.
At the dinner table the chuIch-goers
talked over the service, and Mrs
Howe could only sit and listen. II
seemed TO have been a wonderfully
suggestive and stimulating sermon.
Il wish you had been there, mann
ma, even if you did have to wear your
old bonnet" exclaimed May, who
seemed to have been particularly inn
pressed.
II wish I had, dear" replied hel
mother. 1.-The discomfort Of wearing
nv old bonnet would have been moth
ing to the discomfort of my medita'
tions at home, to say nothing of the
service ] lost"
That afternoon as the two ladies
were sitting in the quiet room, Mrs
Howe said
II see, aunt Mary, now inconsistent
nv practice was with my profession
this morning. I don't think it will
happen again."
ii hope not, dear, for Mays sake as
well as your own. | believe in sun
day clothes; ; in appearing in the
Lords house neatly and suitably clad
still, in an emergency, if my garments
are only clean and whole and respecta,
BILE, 1 should never think of staying at
home because l had nothing to wear.
| remember once when was a young
girl, Mrs. Brown, valued friend OF
mothers, who lived five or six miles
in the country, came into town one
Saturday with her little daughter to
do some shopping. which included
among other things, the getting OF
spring bonnets. 1t was in the days OF
sunbOnnets, and as the sun was warm
and the ride long, both mother and
daughter wore their gingham paste
board bonnets. They came to our
house for dinner; but soon after i ter,
rifle storm came up, which made il
impossible for them to do their errands
or to 90 home, and they remained
over night. The next morning moth.
er said to me, Il don't know what to
do. Mrs. Brown gets to church 30 sci
dom that she must go to-day, and my
old winter bonnet is so shabby that
dislike to offer it to her. However,
: she added after pause, Il will do II,
for she must co. The offer was made!
: but Mrs. Brown quietly replied, i
couldn't think of wearing your bon
net and compelling you to stay at
home, so if you will not mind, Ellie
} and will wear our sunbonnets and DC
very thankful for the storm which has
given us the privilege of going tc
church to-day
: "They went, mother and daughter
i'm their clean calico gowns and sun,
bonncts, and as | glanced now and
then into their absorbed faces, and
. realized how utterly oblivious they
} were TO their clothes, into what Il high
region above clothes they seemed tc
have entered, my own girIish tincry
sank into insignilcancc, ard n hum
BILE spirit took the place of the vain
one with which had donned it. And
) mnre, that little incident has had an
inIlnnnnn On my MhOla life No mat.