Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1899-09-15
BRICKLAYER'S BALL

Agnes made her debut on Thursday
evening. Nobody in her part of ely
bourn avenue ever heard of Il debut. but
the other girls come out just the same.
although there is no formal reception
and presentation, for they generally
come out ut some time of the public
balls that are given by the different
. labor unions In Snydacllcrs Hail.
Agnes has been showing symptoms
OF young ladyhood for some months.
or sudden last summer she left of
wearing her long braids AMI bundled
her brown hair into an ugly wad on
top of her head. She noticed that her
knuckles We're disgustingly red and
She took to wearing gloves ut her
work, to the great horror of her moth
err, whose own toil-worn hands are
bent and twisted until they look more
like quaint vegetable growths than
hands. Agnes begged that her blue
serge dress might be made real long"
and finally she obtained the boon. less
because she wanted il than because
her mother thought ii would save let
ting down later. The next step waS
TO steal out to the drug store and buy
Il box of pink face powder. Ti.!S pur-
chased, there seemed to he lat "ip
thing more necessary for youu@ lady
company-whO would hang arouHl 'ir
house of evenings and meet icr "a %"
way from the bakers and wall; li.''
with her, carrying the loaf under his
arm.
or course Agnes knew almost al e
the boys of the ncighhorhoGi. hu: ia"
wanted II beau from another part #
the city. Katie Andarno bad - yuiin@
man who came tO So" her every ;'in-
day in the most splendid cloth anil
Agnes figured that she wanted iuSt
such another. SO she rcliilscd iii'' a;l
vanccs of 'thc boys" ana waited.
She was justified. FOR along IN up
tcmhcr Il new bricklaycr caIr" ~ w"rl;
on Lclman's store that was i'cing built
across the street from her home. lie
was tall ana straight and had hig
black eyes. Agnes liked him. even in
his working clothes. hut when She .Iw
him in his Sunday getaway ana brown
derby she was entirely convinced that
she desired him for her STEADY" IL"
was of the same opinion. and they
never really knew how they came to
know each other. bu, one Sunday even
ing he appeared mt 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 to keep
steady company with Ed" but still
her mother frowncd on dances and jun
kctings and reminded her that She was
not vet grown up. Three times Ed
implored NIrs. Dougan 10 let Agnes 20
to II dance and three times she rc.
fused, but as 1t came near time for the
"bricllnyers' annual BALI he laid sys-
tcmatic seigc to her.
This matter settled. Agnes had to
think of her gown. Not Il new gown.
but the furnishing mp of her blue
serge. She finally had Miss Fitch. the
little drcssmakcr over Ichmnns store.
construct IL pink chiffon front for the
occasion, ana she made bows Of pink
watcrcd ribbon, which she disposed
wherever she saw Il bare spot of other
trimmings. She had II now pair of
white kid slippers and pink cotton
bose.
Even Mrs. Dougan rcaScd her usual
calm on the night of the ball AMI hur-
ricd supper so that she could help Ag-
mes to dress. The younger children
were wildly excited. and Jimmy"
fought three rounds with Rudolph
Tinsch, who said that his sister was
going 10 wear Il finer dress than Agnes
Agncs's head had blossomcd in white
curling rags carly in the morning: now
they were removed and She ld Il fine
crop of friZzlcd trcsscs. When she was
finally dressed and had slipped into the
transformed blue serge she looked in
to her narrow glass with an awcd OK
preston. 1t hardly seemed possible
that this beautiful young woman that
stared back ut her really could he her.
Agnes Dougan. She went downstairs
shyly when Becky called MP that Ed"
was below. His jaw fell ana his eyes
frightened rs she entered the parlor,
but he only said. "IIowdy do, AgncS"
Agnes rcvolvcd before him. no !
look all right She asked.
You look grand" lie rcioincd fer.
vently. Il bet there won't be Il rcilo,
there with n prcttier girl"