Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-06-07
WANTED, A GOWN.

startling announcement as she served my coffee.
 The Bible a very demoralizing bookp' she said calmly.
 ".Janet!'
 m afraid that's heresy, but it's so.'
 What are you driving atf" I demanded sternly.
 Well, of course don't mean it's all de- moralizing," she conceded, putting her elbows on tho table and her chin in her hands. Its only in spots. You remem- Der the lilies of the field who toll not nor spin, yeteclipsed Solomon by the gorgeous. ness of their raiment. We'll, that stirs up envy and malice and all uncharitableness In frail feminine nature, Jackie. It truly does ,,
 What do you mean?p
 I'm not a lily, don't you see, so six days out of tho week hustle to boat the band. My recreation tho seventh is house. cleaning. With it all I can't get raimont enough of the simplest sort for necessary purposes, letting alono there being any glory in it, If you think the thought of the lilies doesn't make mo want to swear, you don't know Then there's that text about taking no heed for the morrow; that's impractical, Jackie, and you can't deny it. "
 l lodged the point. Does any mortal know what you are driving at?" I in quired hopelessly.
 Only trivality, but trying, /" my lit tie sister said resignedly. I can't go 10 the Millionaires' Saturday, that's all ''
 {" But you've accepted.
 Yes, because l took no heed for the morrow If had. I'd known couldn't go 1 haven't t Il gown except the skirt and jacket l wear all tho timo, and they are not suitable.
 Do you mean that you really haven't one or just none that you want to wearP'
 There's no Flora McFlimsy in this,' Janet said, with grin. Its cold, hard fact. Tho burglars burgled tho flat so successfully last summer that they took every gown 1 possessed as well as the furs. My wardrobe this winter has consisted of one cloth gown and charitable thoughts neither of them very warming-but the thing that upheld me was that I didn't run into debt and buy more clothes. Mo. ments l fairly glowed with the conscious ness of virtue, but mostly my teeth have shattered like castanets.
 eI didn realize it, U l said thoughtfully
 ssI didn't mean that you should. Coffee all rightY' Janet broke off. But now that tho winter over. she resumed, "I'd just as soon speak of it. You had to got yourself new outfit and couldn't help me- and you'd have been awfully uneem- fortable about it. I notice We had just as good time out of life this winter in my ono gown-until now" she ended sadly
 What wrong with it now?''
 Nothing, except that it was showing 1A ,fz l. ripped it to pieces, put it in tho washtub and made it up wrong side out. Had to stay indoors two days while did it. It now lies near to godliness in that it's clean, but rapping at the portals of the MilIionaires' clad in plain virtue, ,wouldn't qualify mo for admission.
 Janet" 1 said reprovingly.
 ''Oh, don't mean that virtue isn't nee. essary, too" she exclaimed airily; "like- wise good clothes. One 1 have, the other I lack. Oh, .Jack!'' She went off into a peal of laughter though I saw tears in her eyes. "Jackr' she gasped, "isn't it deliciously funny? Isn't it absurd to be asked to the Millionaires' and have to be taken sick at the last moment and send regrets because really you haven't a gowni Think of mo being in q hole like that, and the days when l had dozen gownsl I think it's magnificent No one would really believe it. She wiped her eyes and went off into another peal.
 1T think it S pathetic, broke in. "I m awfully sorry, little girl, but I've got note to meet this week. and I'm strapped. Can't you wiggle out Q gown somehow and gof''
 Janet shook her head collectively. She had evidently given tho matter thought.
 "No. sent home last week what extra money I could spare, and will not bor- row. I'm disappointed of course, for the luncheon will be beautiful, and the old set is to be thero, but I'll be quite as hap py in the long run if l don't go, and Sat urday I'll wire Gertrude that I'm III. Fifty years from now it will mako no diff ference,"
 But we liye in the present, said dis oontentedly
 "I've had great laugh out of it." Janet replied philosophically and there was twinkle in her eyes as she spoke. "And it is something to be asked, you know. Hurry off. You're late.
 Janet clutehed mo by the arm when oame homo that night and pointed to a gown on the floor.
 "The day of miracles is returned. tdh0 DdGh WDuU 6dlu uDUub bue loiDlc. Aunt Susan sent it. It's three quarters worn, and it looks like the old boy, but it has possibilities and Pm going to the luncheon.
 And she went. By tho aid of tissue paper puzzle, which she called pattern, 1 saw her evolve pair of sleeves in manner that elicited my deep admiration, but more than the sleeves my masculine brai in coI116 nOt fol1Ow I only know that on intervening she shipped and tried on and stitched and evolved a smart whole that inspired respect for her abilities. Then she cleaned her gloves, retrimmed her old hat and on Saturday arrayed her self.
 s'You really look fit, ; I said as she was leaving. ''I trust your mind and appetite are in excellent working order"
 There's nothing the matter with my appetite" she responded as she went khrail0h fho door tand I don,t Daed my