The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1893-10-31

stairs to the second story, in the wake
of three girls who had gone in just be.
fore her.
The doors of the front parlor were
open, and Jenny say Mrs Wright and
Bertha standing just within, the latter
wearing a pale blue nuns yelling
trimmed with white lace.
ct do hope I won't be the only one
in a thick Dress" thought Jenny, sigh
ing involuntarily.
One of the girls N front of her turned
suddenly and looked back, and Jenny
recognized her as Edith Alden, the girl
from New York, in whose honor the
party was given. She nodded as IN
differently as she could, and the next
moment they were in the dressing
room.
The room was half full of girls, all
chattering like magpies; and Jennys
heart sank like lead as she saw that
nearly all wore light dresses, and the
few whose dresses were dark had
turned them in at the reck filled in the
space with illusion or silk, so as to give
them a pretty effect, while all wore
little ornaments IN the shape of chains,
fancy pins, or bracelets. Oh! if only
she could slip out and go home! But
it was too late for that. Half a dozen
girls had already spoken to her.
She made her way to a far corner,
and began slowly to inhibition her long
cloak, dreading the moment when she
should stand revealed in her plain,
dark dress, with the ancient hair
breastpin as her only ornament, and
just then she heard some n say:
Lend me your glove hook, Fannie.
1 never can button these gloves with
my fingers"
Gloves !! Jenny had never thought
of gloves! The only pair she owned
were dark brown, and were reserved
exclusively to wear to church. Oh!
what could she do! 1t was bad enough
to have on a dark, heavy dress-but
no gloves! Tears of wounded pride
rose SO thickly to her yes that she
could not see to unfasten the '~'fascina-
tor" which had caught in the breast
pin.
She heard the girls troop out, eager
to Q what was going on below; but
she stood there fumbling with the
breastpin, and washington, how ear
nestly that she hadn't come, and
wondering if she would ever have the
courage to go down stairs,
"Want to use my glove hook, Jen-
nyG" asked Ella Eastman, on her way
to the door.
"I-no-I-Ididn'tb bring my Gloves"
faltered Jenny, without looking
around, and dragging desperately at
the ''fascinator."
well, I came very near forgetting
mine" said Ella, in an Indifferent tone.
"Come on, Edith. Are you ready7"
"Almost. Go on, don't wait for me.
I'll follow you in a minute"
I'll wait at the stairs for you. WANT
to look down into the hall" said Ella,
as she left the room.
An instant of hesitation, then swiftly
the girl from New York crossed the
room to Jenny's side. How sweet she
looked in her white crepe with pearls
on her neck, and a great bunch of tea
roses on her breastl And how care
lessly she tossed on a chair her plumy
fan and lace handkerchief. Then, as
in a dream, Jenny saw her plunge her
hand into a blue plush party bag"
and heard her say:
1T is too bad you forgot your gloves.
Can't you use these3 They look as if
they'd fit you. I always bring two
pair, so that if 1 tear one pair I have
another ready. And I want you to
have these roses, too. See how pretty
they look against your dark dress.
They scarcely show at all OF mine"
Then-so quickly that Jenny scarce
ly knew how it was done-the roses
were pinned on her breast, and with a
little smile and nod, as if well pleased
with the effect, the girl from New York
was gone.
Jenny stood there a moment, dazed,
bewildered, with a lump in her throat,
tears in her eyes, and the pretty gloves
in her hand. Only the arrival of a
fresh bevy of gay young guests aroused
her.
"Why, Jenny Cole, that you9" said
one. How nice you look, Jenny"
from another; and, "Where did you
get those exquisite roses?" cried third.
''They were a present." answered