The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-08
WHY HANNAH DIDN'T GO.
TCoNCLUDED.l

Miss Brown, the dressmaker, dropped in
a little later.
81 heerd only just now that you're goin'
10 York" she said. as if to apologize LOT
not coming sooner, land that you're goin' to
get some things for Mis- Downing"
s'Yes. a dress" Hannah returned, while
her mother gave tremendous " Ahem."
$50 I heerd. l don't get 20 York very
often myself, and I'm afraid I'm getting
leetle behind the fashions. 1t don't pay, you
know. for me to get behind" she simpered.
Miss Brown was more noted for her shippers
than for the correctness Of her styles.
"Of course not"
$50 ] made bold to step round and ask
Won. as you're going to the city anyway.
an will be loOkn' at the fashions, to just
give a look fur me-"
81 shall certainly study the fashions well
for nv own benefit"
Al can't say exactly how many patterns
I'd like you TO buy me-"
"Oh. YOU want me to buy patterns, do
vOu?" Hannah asked, quickly. She was
one Of the most obliging girls in the world.
but this sort Of thing was becoming monot-
oDous. -,
"As long as you're in the city, an goin'
RIGHT by the fashion stores, [ s pose il wont
he no trouble for You to step in and buy a
pattern or So? 1Ou can get whatever you
think is pretty-sOme sacques. bodies and
skirts. and so on You can tell better II |
can when you see 'em. You might get
about five dollars worth. | think it'll pay
me. I'll let you have the money when you
know how much it is, or III sew it on"
While Hannah was silently making a
note # this, Mrs. Dobbs, their next neigh
Dor, came in.
Pretty neighbors, YOU are" was her
greeting. Pretty neighbors! Nellie she
lust come up from the store. Ma SEE she,
what do yer think? Hannah Goodrich is
going to the city a-IhuTSday. a-shoppin. an
Is going to get Mis- Downing a dress |
wonder If she woulGn't buv me q felt hatP
I'm sick an tired O. Ms Miller's hats OF
course she would SEE |. A pretty nelghbor
she'd be eff she wouldn't
"Why certainly" said Hannah. trying to
call ND a smile. It was only the ghost Of
one that responded. however What kind
Of hat will Amelia want?"
+She's gOin' to leave that TO your ludg-
ment Somethin' pretty and dTeSsy and
stylish and that'll be becoming to y0u."
Hannah was dark, with delicate features
and very pretty: Amelia was light, with
coarse features and homely.
shes willing TO 60 as high as So" Mrs.
D1bbs went on. "Stili. eff you don't have
10 spend so much she'll be tckltd. Look
ing around leetle and not taking the fust
thing that's offered, you kin sometimes save
as much as 81 cents"
The school where Hannah vainly strove
each day to make the Witbam youth learned
was some distance from her home and she
took her luncl con with her. She had just
settled down to IL the next noon when a
delicate, wthered-lookng, long ag0-comely
woman entered the room.
Hannah greeted her with her unfailiug
politeness. hOpiug against hope, that she had
not heard of The intended trip.
Mrs. Guon would not sit down. She had
run over only for a moment. She had just
heard that morning that Miss Goodrich was
going IN Thursday to the city and wanted
TO know II she would be willing 10 do the
least bit of an errand there Would she be
so kind?
OF course Hannah could not say no. and
Mrs. Guion chose to consider her embar-
raised silence an assent, and tOak from a
bag three pieces Of silk-blue, yellow and
green. all peculiar shades. Would Miss
Goodrich be so kind as to match them In
Zephyrs? She had yainly tried here and 10
Rdjarent towns to do so; but then, you
never could get anything outside OF the city.
and you could get everything there Would
Miss Goodrich be so Kind as TO get a half a
pound Of each.
TIE very small item of matching three
peculiar shades of silk was added to Han
nah's list.
She was sewing that evening when Mrs.
Clark. the physicians wife, came in. This
lady was well eff. dressy, but economical
and very fussy. All Witham knew that she
was hard to please. She would not burden
Miss Goodrich Tor anything, she began, if
she could possibly find time to go herself to
the city. or If she could get what she wanted
In Whitman. She had piece of br wn plaid
which she would like to get matched; would
Miss Goodrich be so kind, as to get the same
quality exactly and the same pattern? See
There was that fine stripe; did she notice
that? 1t was bought three years ago-Mrs
Clark did not remember now whether 1t was
in New York or Philadelphia; she had paid
z ri q q WOnll :
more.
Mrs Green from the Corners. Mrs. Drake
from the Center. Mrs. Williams from North
Witham, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs Jones. Mrs.
Cole, one after the other. were ushered into
the sitIing-room and begged TO have piece
Of goods matched or something big or little
bought in the city. They always knew IL
would be 10 trouble for her as long as she
was buying for herself, and not one offered
to advance the money for the purchase.
After supper on Wednesday evening Han
nah wrote out her list In full. She was
studying ii, little amused and very much
vexed, when her mother entered.
Ma. We been counting up" she said.
Waal?'
The things / am requested by the neigh
bors TO buy amount at a rough guess to $50
They would easily fill three trunks, and the
work Of hunting for them would occupy me
at least four days. Not one has offered a
cent in advance or the money to pay ex-
spend in the city"
81 told you SOL told you So"
what could | do? should have offended
every one Of them if l had put the case tC
them as it is"
WAL. what air you going to do? You're
In for 1t, you see."
I'm not going-that's what III do about
H. Wen buy our winter dresses al Blake's
as the rest Of Witham will, TOR all me. The
next time | make up nv mind to 20 10 New
York, not soul in Witham will know il
till am gone, If you please, ma
Mrs. Goodrich did please. When Hannah
went, early the next spring, even Mrs
Downing was not told till the last moment
and then it was because Hannah changed
her name to Downing the day she went an(
was as pleased as before, Of course, to un
dettake any commissions for Jerry's mother