The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-08-17
THE BLACK LACE DRESS

"And you're going to dance aft
er all, Katie Carleton
Henrietta Lacy was sitting in the
modest little third-story back room
which was all the home that Katie
Carleton had-a square room, with
one bulging window looking out upon
the roof, and the walls covered with
coarse, zizzag pattern of crimson on a
peagreen ground, while the carpet, well
worn in spots and carefully darned,
was of nondescript color and design,
great, sprawling leaves and scrolls
bursting out in tangled compleXity
which would have made designers
head swim.
But Katie Carleton, humble little
photograph colorer though she was,
was young and pretty, with yellow
HAIR waving away from her low, square
forehead, arched brows and deep hazel
eyes, while the confinement and
monotony of city life had not yet
stolen all the fresh roses from her
cheeks.
For Katie Carleton, like many an
other, had left a comfortable if not a
luxurious farmhouse home with the
idea that fortunes were to be picked
up in the city as readily as black
berries on a sunny stone wall. Poor
girl! She had found out her mistake
soon enough, yet she had too much
pride to return, useless burden, to
the honest old uncle and his six daugh-
ters, who made cheese and raised poul-
try in the venerable precincts of Elder
berry farm. Nobody wanted gov
erness; her little poems were returned
labeled Respectfully declined" from
the newspaper offices, and the water
colored drawings whereby she had ex-
pected to take the artistic world
by storm hung in the circulating
library window until their margins
were smoke -blackened and their bright
colors hopelessly tarnished, without
any one ever taking the trouble to ask
the price. And at last, just as Katie
was beginning to wonder whether
death by starvation was really such a
painful end, some kindly soul told her
of chance to get employment from a
great photograph establishment in the
Bowery.
Hetta Lacy was employed there, too
NOT exactly in Katie's humble ca
pacity, but as the smart young lady
who received the customers, helped
them with their bonnets and wraps
and answered general questions. She
considered it quite a condescension on
her part to patronize Katie. Katie had
too few friends to be specially particular
about their quality. And now, as Miss
Lacy sat opposite her, in lilac popln
dress and with an artificial bird in her
hat, one could but think of paroquet
that had somehow fluttered down into
dovecote.
NO." said Katie, 81 am not going"
81 know why, said Henrietta, spite
fully. "It's because Evan Merris does
not approve of fancy balls"
"Mr. Merris ought to be better
Judge of what is and what is not prop
er than mere country girl like me, .
said Katie, mixing a little more ultra
marine blue for the sash of a pudding
faced little boy with a cat in his arms.
"Oh, l dare say" said Henrietta,
tossing her head. "And you're really
determined not to go?"
"Yes, quite"
"Then perhaps you wouldn't mind
lending me the black lace dress that
you pasted the gold stars on when you
did mean to 90? l find that the lower
founce is completely torn off my white
tarlatan and l really haven't time tc
| plan a new costume"
"You are quite welcome to it, Hen
rietta," said Miss Carleton, kindly,
81 can put on little gold fringe
and make very decent Midnight
out of it," said Hetta, indifferently
"Only, Katie, I think you are goost
not to 60"
Katie did not argue the question
she only painted quietly on and Hen
rietta Lacy went away.
"Oh, Mr.. Merris!" said she, radiant
lv, on ascending the steps of the pho
tographic salon she met the handsom
young foreman of the printing off1c'
overhead. give just come from Kat
Carleton's. And you ought to see tn
lovely dress she has been preparin;
for the masquerade ball!"
"Indeed!" Evan Merris' brow dark
ened slightly. 81 thought she had de
cided not to go"
81 don't know about that" said Mis-
Henrietta, artlessly. Il only knoN
that she's got a beauty of a dress
black lace, all sprinkiJd over with gol
stars"
Mr. Merris passed ca, and Henriett
entered the salon, cohgratulating hel
self on her tinesse.
give put a spoke in her wheel,
guess" said the young damsel to he1
self, "and serves her right for gettin
Evan Merris away from me, that ha
known him years before she eve
showed her pink-and-white baby fac
here. And l didn't tell anything bu
the truth, eitheri I did see the dres
there and she has been making it."
Kate Carleton expected Evan Me-
ris in vain that night. The little bo
of fresh blue ribbon in her yellow ha
was all in vain; the new ruffle at he
throat and the spotlessly ironed whit
apron were donned to no ptlrpos
She extinguished her little lamp at
O'Clock, and, creeping into her alco1
bed, cried herself to sleep, she did NJ
exactly know why.
The next night was the night of tt
much-talked-of masquerade ball. Eva
Merris hated and despised these mi
cellaneous gatherings from the botto
of his heart, and yet just when ca
riage after carriage was driving I
and the crowd arriving he chanced
be standing in the brilliantly ight'
street, leaning againt lamp-post, al
moodily watching the prettily attir'
figures fit by.
Suddenly he gave start. The
was the black lace dress, starred ov
, with gold, floating across the paw
ment, worn by slight, graceful figu
and leaving faint odor musk a
patchously in its pathway. But he d
not see the triumphal flash of the We
! cd ewes as for an instant they rest