The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-22
THAT RED GOWN.
Why 1t Caused Nj. Thimble q
Great Amount Of Trouble.

a delicate and painful one. TO begin
with, ! call the gods to witness that
myself am to an iniinitesimal degree
only responsible for the train of morti-
hcations and regrets involved by that
little sin OF feminine vanity whcrcwith
iall the trouble began. TO be moro eX-
lpllclt, L Will say at once, and speak
the solemn truth, that ! never liked
that gown; l hated it from the very
moment when first it shrieked at me-
II use that word adviscdly. Mrs. Mac
.gregor's gown was of that shade of red
which shrieks. For you must know
that Mrs Macgrcgor's husband was,
as you might suspect, of Scotch de-
scent, and he had an instructive, con-
genital passion for that particular and
ishrieking shade of red which obtained
to surprising degree in the trade
mark plaid of the Highland clan bear
ing the proud name of Macgrcgor. 1t
was in Difference to her husbands alb
,surd, yet otherwise appropriate pas
sion, that Mrs. Macgrcgor had pur-
chased that gown. And Macgregor
was delighted with it. It's shriclls
were, in his prejudiccd Scotch ears,
sweeter than the tones of the tuneful
,bagpipcs. They were, L fancy, more
grateful to his sodden Highland soul
than the milder persuasive influences
OF hnnan haddic or of Athol brose Yet
i hated that red gown. Yes, at tho
very beginning intuitively recognized
and regarded it as thing of evil.
Mrs. Macgrcgor is my wife's sister,
and sweeter lady never walked in
leather, excepting. of course, my
wife herself, who, in spite of
her very few, but very disas-
trous, frailties, is Enthusiastically
the most beautiful and most amiablc
creature in all the world. The Mac
gregors live near us; we see one an
other constantly. This is great con-
venience. Macgregor abounds in
Scotch thrift; it is an incstimnble boon
to have brotherin-law handy when,
one is constrained to borrow money to
answer sudden and impcr alive de-
mands.
Last summer Mrs. Turner wrote nv
wife charming letter inviting us to
pay her Il visit. Mrs. Turner has a
lovely summer house at Calm Lake.
If You have ever visited the delightful
Wisconsin, lake region you surely do
not have TO be told of the extraordin-
airy beauties of Calm Lake, nor do
have to assure You that the Turner's
have made for themselves and their
friends the most delightful retreat in
all that delightful country. OF course,
Mrs Thimblc ana were ovcrioycd by
the prospect of a sojourn in this lovely
spot. We accepted Mrs. Turner's in
vltation with dispatch and an cnthu-
slasm which must have made even
Mrs. Turner's gracious hospitality
quake with Advertisements
am i'll no sense Il man of the world.
MY life has been spent i'll meditation
and in the pursuit of the literature of
education. My History of Henhawl
County" my First Book for Amateur
Astronomers and my essay upon ''rhc
Essential Principles of Vulgar Frac-
tons have enrolled my name-I saw it
In all modesty-in the proud roster Of
my country's bcncfactors | am of n
calm, contcmplative nature; / love
tranquility, shun .excitcments and
vanitles of society life. l recall now
with painful blush how upon a timo
made my appearance ut a church
sociable wearing my ear muffs-the re-
suit Of mental abstraction, for lust
then wa. deep in work upon log.
arithm involved by the conjunction OF
Aldcbaron and the other eye of Tau.
rus
80 was surprised and annoyed when
Mrs Thimble, having accepted Mrs.
Turner's invitation, suggested to mo
that her wardrobe was hardly extern.
slVe enough to admit of her making q
successful appearance at fashionable
watering place. 1t had not occurred
TO me that Calm Lake was that kind OF
place; neither had it occurred TO me
that Mrs Thimble's wardrobe was not
extensive. recalled that of the sevc n
spacious closets in our house was not
permitted to use one, and so had tn
stow away my linen and other trans in
the lower drawers of bureau. re.
membered very distinctly the pearl
gray dinner gown and the brown sill,
and the English walking dress = and
and - but why enumeratc? l was
wholly satisfied with Mrs Thimblc's
wardrobe, and it seemed to m,
that if her husband was salts
fed, surely the wife ought not tc
complain. But Mrs. Thimble though,
otherwise, and we re ferred the matter
to Mrs. Macgregor. and that worthy
lady agreed with Mrs. Thimble. Ac.
cordingly it was determined to have
Miss Kclccy come at once and make
up Il trousseau. You understand from
this that Miss Kelley is dressmalser,
and here the troubles begin. 1t befcll
lust ut that time-apd II Woo ;,e+ 49,