The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-02-07

paper, and Mrs. Brown baSted some
lace around the sleeves of her new
dress. so as to have it ready for
church the next day, which was Sun
day.
But when she got ready to put
the dress on, she found that Miss
Camp had made the waist little too
genteeL She had given special orders
that it should be made of genteel
tightness, but it was about three
inches smaller than her waist. Miss
Camp was not acquainted with her
figure.
Poor Mrs. Brown tugged and pulled,
and grew purple in the face. and the
perspiration stood in big drops on her
forehead, and she split her thumb
nail, and scratched her hand with q
hook, and sire tched all the seams in
that refractory waist to fearful ex-
tent; but still it would not button.
2 The church bells were ringing de-
family. She should be late, and
Brown was always irritated if they
were late. Browns boots always
squeaked, and he had very strong
antipathy to going up the aisle after
the congregation had assembled, in
OuOSO OOOGS
Mrs. Brown went to the head of the
stairs and screamed to her husband.
Mr.. Brown came up. He had just
achieved the feat of getting his
hands incased in a new pair of brown
kids, and was fiattering himself that
his hands looked very genteel in
them.
He was aghast when Mrs. Brown
suggested to him that he must help
button her dress. He tried it first in
his gloves, and burst the RICH hand
one entirely across, as he might have
known he would
He tore the glove off with rather a
big word for him, for Brown was
very good, moral man when things
did not go crosswise.
Jupiter, Almira! why, this dress
isn't half big enough for you!" cried
he, after pulling on it for the space
of five minutes.
1T is plenty large, only the day is
SO hot; every body seems to swell up,
somehow hot days. Try again, Rufus,
and I'll draw in all cam
Rufus did try, and being toler-
ably strong man, he succeeded in fas-
tening a button No sooner done
than off burst the button! A second
button shared the same fate. After
that it was easier. The dress was
fastened and Mrs. Brown pinned over
the buttonless parts, and hid them
with a bow of ribbon.
Brown surveyed her in amazement.
''My DEAR" said he, you look like
a wasp in the consumption. And,
come, that is the last BELL" and he
hurried away lest they should be late.
The dress was pinching her fear
fully and she could with difficulty
breathe; but she knew it looked ''gen-
teel,'' and Mrs. Jones was just behind
her, so she was happy.
At the church door someb body
stepped on her trail-for the dress
trailed little-and there was an
ominious sound of something ripping.
What woman does not know and
shudder at that sound? But Brown
would not stop for investigation, and
poor Mrs Brown went into the church
And then, when they rose in prayer
time, old Mrs. Kenny, just before her,
shook out her handkerchief, which
was scented with musk, and musk in
variably made Mrs. Brown sneeze.
She felt the catastrophe impending
and tried her best to avoid it, but her
efforts were vain. She sneezed, and
the strain upon that wretched dress
waist was too much.
The fine thread with which the
| seams were sewed gave way with
| loud, splitting report, and poor Mrs.
| Brown fell down in her seat on the
point of swooning, and drew the
! fiimsy sack she wore closer around her.
And then the miserable woman sat
through that interminable sermon.
expecting every moment that the
dress would give entirely away, and
melt off from her-afraid to breathe,
afraid to stir, and devoutly wishing
she could creep into knot hole some
where. But knot holes are never ly-
ing around loose on such occasions.
At last the services were over, and
poor Mrs. Brown took her husbands
arm for support. And Mrs. Jones
came up behind her, and whispered in
her ear:
my dear Almira, your dress is all
burst out behind. And somebody has
stepped on the skirt and torn it.
Those cheap cashmeres do tear SO
easily. Draw your sack back little,
dear. and if you walk carefully no.
body will see it unless the wind
blows. 1 am so sorry
Mrs. Brown had to bear this. and
had to realize, too, that it would not
be just the thing to knock Mrs. Jones
down, as she would like to have done.
Hallway home Mr.. Brown stepped
on piece of orange peel and slipped.
In recovering himself, he caught at
his wife's dress. The act was fatal.
The whole thing gave way. and
about twenty yards of ruff1ing and
futing lay futtering along on the
sidewalk.
Somebody's puppy, following after,
in playful mood seized on the ruff
fling, and in spite of Mr.. Browns
vigorous assault with the cane be