Bradford County telegraph. (Starke, Fla.) 1888-current, 1900-04-20
MOLLY'S DRESS.
BY MIRA L. COBBE.

party, and yet she knew she would be
the WOrst-dressed girl in the room.
Her roeks were shabby, and none of
them more so than the one she would
be forced to wear if she accepted
Frank Gillman's invitation. With .
deep sigh she rose from the bed where
she had been lying thinking the whole
matter over, and turned towards the
tiny closet where all her dresses hung.
Reaching into its musty recesses,
Molly drew forth q much bedrabbled
gray dress and looked at il sadly.
When new the preceding summer it
had served as a best gown, and in that
capacity did enough service to have
been placed upon the retired list, but
Molly was not as consIderate as that
With considerable ingenuity she had
transformed the coat basque into Q
low-cut evening waist, and the long
sleeves into pretty little puffs. Around
the neck she had draped little cheap
chiffon, and above it her soft white
neck had emerged like q lily. Now,
however, the dress was creased and
stained and the chiffon rumpled. She
might afford new chiffon, but that
would not cover the stains or Q great
tear In the skirt All the other girls
were going to have new dresses, but
that was something beyond her scsnty
purse
''Oh. DEAR" she sighed again, toss
ing the dress aside and sinking back
on the bed, IF were a girl in a story
book I'd have some convenient garrett
to go to aud there I'd find a handsome
piano cover, or a lamp mat or q bed
spread, or something equally useful,
out OF which I'd rig up q dress that
would make all the other girls turn
green with envy. As am just Molly
Prentiss, Clerk on FIVE dollars q week
can't have a new dress, oh, dear!
oh, dearp' and poor Molly buried
her pretty face in her hands and
sobbed bitterly. She was only 90, and
it was so hard to deny herself all the
things of her age most love. At last
she reused herself, and sitting down
wrote q courteous refusal to Frank
Gillman's invitation, although her
eyes were so blinded with tears that
she could scarcely write the address.
Not waiting, for fear she would change
er mind, Molly caught up q shaw,
and, throwing it around her, rushed
out to the nearest letter box and
dropped the letter IN. As she saw it
disappear she caught her breath, and
would have given worlds to have re-
called it, but it was too late, and she
returned to her room very much de-
pressed IN spirits.
A boarding house is not the most
cheerful place in the world, and Molly
thought hers had never seemed so
gloomy as it did that evening, and
when she went to bed at last she
sobbed herself to sleep.
The party upon which she had set
her heart was not a great social event,
but to her it was OF vast Importance.
1t was merely dance given by the
young men in the store where she
was employed, and Frank Gilman
was the floor walker of Molly's depart
ment For some time she had noticed
that he had paid her special attention,
overlooking little things she said and
did, but it was not until she had read
his note, which was awaiting her wher
she reached home the preceding night,
that she realized that he regarded hel
with any special favor.
When she took up her position be
hind the counter and tied her blacl
apron about her waist, Molly saw tina
Franks eyes were fixed upon her face
which still bore the traces of hel
weeping, aud she tried to smile a
him, but her eyes filled with tears
The young man noticed her emotion
but was too busy to go over and in
quire into the cause OF it for severa
hours. When lie did so she had re
covered her elf-possession and merel,
laughed away his inquiries. Whel
Frank received her little note, how
ever, he began to understand tina
: something was worrying her and b.
resolved to discover the cause of he
depression. During the days whiel
followed, however, Molly avoided hin
constantly, and he felt that he mus
have offended her in some manner o
other, when he overhea, d little con
versation between another girl anC
her which enlightened him wonder
fully. 1t was the day OF the party
and all the girls were chattering abou
it upon every opportunity.
Say, Molly" whispered one Of tn
girls to Molly, As the two were sortinI
out some of their stock towards tn
close Of the day. what are you goin
to wear tonight"
, Pm not going" Molly replied
with little catch in her voice.