The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-02-19

they were to play at a pupils concert.
''What do you think?" Miss Per.
kins heard Jennie say, "Mr. lamont
has decided to give the concert next
Tuesday evening, instead of in the
afternoon, and, it's to be at Blank
Hail."
els it," asked Hattie. "Does that
make any difference to us?"
':Any difference!" exclaimed Jen.
ME. "Well, it does to me. l haven't
an evening dress that is fit to wear,
and it is about as short notice to get
one up in as one could have"
COIL" said Hattie, ''have we all got
to wear evening dresses?"
II should say" returned her friend,
"that we have. My dear, no one ever
plays at an evening concert, and espe-
cially in such hall, unless one is
dressed for it. Besides, we are to have
reception after the performance"
"Well," said Hattie mournfully,
but with decision, II haven't got any
evening dress, and I shall just wear
nv brown cashmere, no matter what
the rest do"
Here Miss Perkins was called away;
but she had heard enough. There
was absolutely no way to get q dress
ready for Hattie, even if she could al
ford such expense. -,
"AndI can't afford it," she said to
herself. Three of the boarders going
to leave this week; the bill for her
music lessons fifteen dollars more'n l
expect, and such lot for my laven.
der silk! Ican't do it, anyhow: She'll
lust have to put mp with her cashmere:
Land! she's lucky to have that. ia
thought I was made, if I'd had such
a pretty dress when I was her age"
In spite of herself, however, she
felt much upset. She knew so well
the natural discomfort a girl feels
when she is appropriately dressed.
Had she not suffered real agony,
! many times in her young life, because
she could never dress like her COM
panions? 49,,
swell, I can't help it, she said to
J., herself impatiently. 'There amt
9 time to get thing ready, even II
d could manage with the money"
= And she began to put away her own
new dress. She had almost finished
% folding the draperies, when shf
y stopped short. and dropped the dress
II upon the bed.
+. II can't do it," she said aloud
T TREMENDOUSLY. "For forty years l'v'
o. actually hungered and thirsted for al
IS evening dress. And now I've got II
" it is too much to ask long sutferln
- IS saint to give it up to somebody else
et And I amt saint. Nor don't wan
i, to be either" she continued, some
N what belligerently; II never did nav
Mt any opinion Of people who made
- business of being pious. It's ba
tv enough to do things you have tt
bte without sIirmishing round, huntln
no ND land knows what! Self-sacrltl(
nd is very we'll, but there is such q thin
~ as sacrificing ones self till you NAL
+ pigs other people. I amt going
mt bring Hattie up to think she's got
eft have the best Of everything, no ma
ed ter if 60 without.
Miss Perkins shook her head vlcte
iously, and went on folding her ares
|ed Pretty soon, however, she stopped,s al
.ch again began her audible self-comm
So nings.
be "Poor child! IT'S mean. She oug
in. to be dressed somewhere near rig
no Mr., lamont said, if she pleased
to audience, he'd no doubt she would
rch some pupils. And people are su
the born fools, they let dress count a go
I deal. And I s'pose l could wear
Dr. black silk. 'Twon't really be out
oct place. Don't make any difference
. s'pose, if woman OF fifty-hVe al
hit dressed up to kill"
nv. Here she sighed voluminously.
lion did make such difference to her!
a to "You're q vain old woman
,illy said scornfully to her disappoln
are, face in the mirror. I'D like to k1
arty who you think is going to look at J
chit auy way? You amt to be put up .
tho tho platform, for crowd Of people to >, s.
at and criticise. Butch, dear!"
she in the midst Of her words, poor \
tho Tno1,a broke down completely,
had what she afterwards called
Hat regular housekeeping cry. ~
look away all the cobwebs, and cleaned
the dusty corners better'n any pa
fullv scrubbers ever used"
y ola She said nothing to Hattie, howe
new for, as she told her discreet come
As in the looking glass, "she's &c
her chance here, too. II she takes !. no.
saw it the right way, she's worth Il, me Q
allow low dress. If she don't-well, we'll :
deli. So she watched her neice caref
sized and with growing triumph. Ono
a while she thought she detected a
the tain wistfulness in the girls face
|ream that's all. Cheerful and lnterest'
nrred ever in all about her, Hattie
t.,a !, az onnt that she wishet