Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-05-19
WANTED, A GOWN.

leave the meager Iare or BonomlA ana revel among them once more Two days after the invitation came she made very startling announcement as she served my coffee.
 "The Bibles 6 very demoralizing boekI'' she said calmly.
 "Janetr'
 "I'm afraid that E heresy, but it's SO ''What are yor driving atf" demanded sternly.
 ''Well, of course don't mean it's all de- moralizing," she conceded, putting her elbows on the table and her chin ill her hands. Its only in spots. You remem- Der the lilies of the field who toll not nor spin, yet eclipsed Solomon by the gorgeous ness of their raiment We'll, that stirs up envy and malice and all uncharitableness in fral feminine nature, Jackie. 1t truly does.
 ''What do you meanS"
 s'I'm not lily, don't you see, so six days out of the week hustle to beat the band. My recreation the seventh is house. cleaning With it all 1 can't get raiment enough of the simplest sort for necessary purposes, letting alone there being any glory in it. If you think the thought of the lilies doesn t make me 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.
 I lodged the point. 'sDoes any mortal know what you are driving at?' 1 in- quired hopelessly.
 "Only triyality, but trying, my lit- tie sister said resignedly. 1T can t go to the Millionaires' Saturday, that's all. J
 But you've accepted. /"
 'sYes, because I took no heed for the morrow. If l had, I'd known l couldn't go. I haven gown except the skirt an0 jacket wear all the time, and they are not suitable
 Do you mean that you really haven't one or just none that you want to wearf" sAThere no Flora MeFlimsy in this, " Janet said, with a grin. "It's cold, hard fact The burglars burgled the fiat so successfully last summer that they took every gown 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 1 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 chattered like castanets.
 II didn realize it, 5" said thoughtfully.
  all right?3 Janet broke off. "But now that the winters over, she resumed. "I'd inst as soon speak of it. You had to get yourself new outfit and couldn't help me, and you'd have been awfully uncom- fortable about it. I notice I've had just as good a time out of life this winter i'll my one gown-until now," she ended sadly.
 What wrong with it now?"
 Nothing, except that it was showing the result of busy life, so last week ripped it to pieces, put it in the washtub and made it up wrong side out. Had to stay indoors two days while l did it. It now lies near to godliness in that it's clean, but rapping at the portals of the Millionaires' clad in plain virtue, wouldn't qualify me for admission.
 "Janet!' l said reproyingly.
 "Oh, don t mean that virtue isn't nee essary, too :" she exclaimed airily; like wise good clothes One 1 have, the other lack Oh, Jack p She went off into a peal of laughter, though I saw tears in her eyes. stJackP" she gasped, "isn't it deliciously funny2 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 gown2 Think of me being in a hole like that, and the days when 1 had dozen gowns I think it's magnifcent. No one would really believe it" She wiped her eyes and went eff into another peal.
 1T think it's pathetic, D 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 ou5 gown somehow and got"
 Janet shook her head collectively. She had evidently given the matter thought.
 No. l sent home last week what extra money could spare, and will not bor- row. I'm disappointed of course, for the luncheon will be beautiful, and the old set is te be there, but I'll be quite as hap py in the long run if I don't go, and Sat urday I'll wire Gertrude that I'm i'll. Fifty years from now it will make no diff ference. ,
 But we live in the present, I said dis oontentedly.
 :" I've had a 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 clutched me by the arm when eame home that night and pointed to gown on the 1oor
 The day of miracles is returned I take back what I said about the Bible Aunt Susan sent it. It's three-quarters worn, and it looks like the old boy, but it has possibilities, and I'm going to the luncheon
 And she went. By the aid of tissue paper puzzle, which she called a pattern, 1 saw her evolve a pair of sleeves in manner that elicited my deep admiration, but more than the sleeves my masculine