Evening journal., 1899-12-29
BRICKLAYER'S BAIL

Agnes made her debut on Thursday
evening Nobody in her part Of ely
boutn avenue ever heard OF a debut. but
The other aifls cOne'out Just the same
although there Is 40 formal reception
and presentation. for they generally
come ont at some time II the public
balls TINT are given by the different
labor nnions In SnydaclSer's Han.
Agnes has been showing symptoms
Of Young ladyhood for some months
or sudden hast summer she left on
wearing her long bralds and bundled
her brown hair into an ugly wad on
top 81 her head She noticed that her
kuuckles were disgusungly red and
she took TO wearing gloves at her
work to the great horror OF her moth.
er whose own toil-worn hands are
bent ana twisted until they look more
like quaint vegetable grOwths than
hands. Agnes begged that her blue
serge dress might be made real long y
and finally she obtained the boon. less
because she wanted II than because
her mother thought II would save "let-
TING down later The next step was
TO steal ont 60 the drug store and buy
a box Of pink face powder. This pur-
chased. there seemed TO be but one
thing more necessary for young lady
hood, and that was beau steady
company who would hang around the
house of evenings md meet her on the
way FROM the bakers ana walk home
with her. carrying the loaf under his
arm
OF course Agnes knew almost all Of
the boys OF the neighhorhOOd. but she
wanted beau From another part OF
the city. Katie Andarnn had a young
man who came to see her every sun
day in the most splendid clothes and
Agnes figured that she wanted just
such another So she renulsed the adj
vanccs of "ihe boys" and waited
She was Justified, for along in Sep
TENDER new hrlcklayer came 10 work
on lehman's store that was being built
across the street from her home. He
was tail and straight and had big
black eyes. Agnes liked him. even In
his working clothes. but when she saw
him in his Sunday cutaway and brown
derby she was entirely convinced that
she desired him for her steady" He
was OF the same opinion. and they
never really knew how they came 10
know each other. but one Sunday even.
ing he appeared AZ the front door OF
the Dougan house and inquired for
Miss Agnes. They went walking in
Lincoln Park that evening
In this way Agnes came 30 keen
steady company with Ed" but stu
her mother frowned on dances and jun
ketngs and reminded her TINT she was
not yet grown up. Three times I'D
implOrcd Mrs. Doucan TO let Agnes 90
90 dance and three times she re-
fused. bot as Il came near time for the
"brlcl,layers' annual hall' he laid sys.
tematlc selce to her
This matter settled. Agnes had 10
think Of her gown. Not n new gown,
but the furnishing mp of her blue
serge She finally had Miss Fitch. the
little drcsSmalyer over llehman's store
construct pink chiffon front for the
occasion. and she made bows of pink
watcred Ribbon. which she disposed
wherever she saw q bare spot Of other
trimmings. She had a new pair OF
white Kid slippers and pink cottor
bose.
Even Mrs. Dougan relaxed her usua
calm on the night OF the bail and hur
ried supper SO that she could help Ag
mes 20 dress. Tho younger children
were wildly excited. and Jimmy
fought three rounds with Rudolph
Tinsch who said that his sister wat
going to wear a finer dress than Agnes
Agnes's head had blossomed in whit
curling rags early IN the morning; nov
they were removed ana she Id n fin
crop OF frizzled trcsses. When she wa
finally dressed and had slipped into tn
transformed blue serge she looked i'm
TO her narrow glass with an awed ex
preston 1t hardly seemed possible
that this beautiful young woman tina
stared back at her really could be her
Agnes Douganl She went downstair
shyly when Rocky called up that ED
was below. His jaw fell and his eye
frightened as she entered the parlor
but he only said. "fIowdy do, Agnesg
Agnes revolved before him. mo
look all rightG" she asked.
"You look grand" he rejoined FER
lvcntly. II bet there won't be a fellow
there with prettier girl