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

Agnes made her debut on Thursday
evening. Nobody i'm her part of ely
bourn avenue ever heard Of a debut. but
the other girls come out just the same.
although there is no formal reception
and presentation, for they generally
come out at some time of the public
balls that are given by the different
labor unions in Snydacker's Hall
Agnes has been showing symptoms
of young ladyhood for some months.
OF 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 were disgustingly red and
She took to wearing gloves ut her
work, to the great horror of her moth
er, 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 bc made real long,
and finally she obtained the boon. less
because she wanted il than because
her mother thought it would save let
ting down later. The next St,p was
to steal out to the drug store and buy
box of pink face powder This pur
chased, there seemed to he lat ore
thing more necessary for youu% lady
hood, ana that was Il beau Steady
company-who would hang arOuIi 'ir
house of evenings ana meet iIcr - SEQ
way from the bakers and walk E.'''
with her carrying the loaf under his
arm.
or course Agnes knew alnoe; aH e
the boys OF the ncighborhcDd. Eui go"
wanted beau from another part f
the city. Katie Audarno bad q ynun%
man who came To see her every SIM
day i'm the most splendid clothl- anl
Agnes figured that she wan; u last
such another. SO she rcpu>cd tl!' al
vanccs of 'the boys" ana waited.
She was justified. for along in Sop.
tcmhcr 4 new bricklaycr car" - work
on Lehman's store that was hcing tuiit
across the street from her home He
was tall and straight and had Zig
black eyes. Agnes liked him. even in
his working clothes. hut when She slw
him i'm his Sunday getaway ana 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 TO
know each other. but one Sunday even
ing he appeared at 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
her mother frowned on dances and jun
ketings and reminded her that she was
not vet grown up. Three times Ed
implOred Mrs. DOugan to let Agnes 20
to dance and three times she re-
fused. but as IL came near time for the
"briclSlayers' annual BALI ne laid sys-
tcmatic seige to her.
This matter settled. Agnes had to
think of her gown. Not new gown.
lint frtrIa ~ 1a fra.r Of laa,. Ia
serge. She finally had Miss Fitch. the
little dressmaler over Lchman'S store.
construct Il pink chiffon front for the
occasion, and she made bows Of pink
watered ribbon, which she disposed
wherever she saw n bare spot of other
trimmings. She had Il new pair of
white kid slippers and pink cotton
bose.
Even Mrs. Dougan relaxed 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 TO wear n finer dress than Agnes.
Agncs's head had blossOmed i'm white
curling rags early in the morning: now
they were removed and she hd 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 eN-
preston. II hardly seemed possible
that this beautiful young woman that
stared back ut her really could Ice her.
Agnes DOugan, She went downstairs
shyly when Becky called MP that Ed
was below. His jaw fell ana his eyes
frightened aS she entered the parlor,
but he only said. "IIowdy do. AgneS?"
Agnes revolved before him. DO
look all right" She asked.
You look grand" he rcjoincd fer
vently. Il bet there won't he a fcilos
there with pretticr girl"