The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1900-03-01

pOSus
'sYou see haven't forgot the lovely
poetry you used to write in the days
when you were Grace Avery and the
poet, belle and glass OF
all in one" wrote the home
staying cousin who had sent out the
invitations, land count on you as my
chief attraction" Which letter goes
far toward explaining the special dis
favor with which Mrs. Vining had eyed
the prehistoric black silk when she took
it down that morning for the sixteenth
course of alteration.
Mrs. Vining was the mother OF grown
daughters; but she was such bright
eyed, pink-cheeked and altogether
youthful little mother that it is not to
be wondered a. that she shrank from
the ordeal of returning to what the
newspapers would call "the scene OF
her girlish triumphs" gowned in a black
silk that was shiny where it ought to
have been lusterless, narrow where 1t
ought to have been broad. and broad
where it should have been narrow-a
gown, in fact, that exhibited all the
known depravity of clothes that have
outlived their allotted period OF serv-
ice.
81 suppose I'm horribly selfish and
worldly-minded," the little mother had
said to herself that morning, as she sat
in the study trying to read the woman's
page in the Boston World, 'but it does
seem as if couldn't bear it it way
wasn't opened for me to have new
gown for that reunion"
Just then something in the fashion
notes caught her attention and set her
to reading in earnest.
"Revival of Taffeta Silks. - Among
the most attractive gowns now In
course of making for winter festivities
are taffeta silks figured in tiny flowers,
like those worn by our grandmothers.
Indeed, it is said that many such
gowns are being resurrected from old
trunks and chests by the lucky owners
of such ancestral finery, and with only
slight alterations will grace many OF
the seasons teas and receptions"
"Taffeta silk - ancestral finery,
dropped disjointedly from Mrs. Vim.
ing's lips as she laid down the paper
'Why, there is Aunt Tabitha's wed
ding gown"
That wedding gown! If ever there
was polite illustration of the proverb:
Every dog has his day." it was that
ancient garment. A dozen times every
year for 20 years it had been dug out
from the ponderous Noah's Ark OF q
trunk for examination and final rejec
ton.
It had been suggested as ball-dress
as a tea-gown, as lining for an opers
wrap, as almost every article of femi
nine appazel. It had been handled, lit
orally and figuratively, until 1t was 8
wonder that rag of the original fab
ric remained. In fact, II suppose
must get along with Aunt Tabitha''
wedding gown" had come to be thu
Vining family expression for Il must
give up getting anything new" while
that heirloom itself was regarded as I
| symbol of remuneration.
Yes, the girls certainly would laugh
when they heard that at last the de
spised gown was in style and that theil
mother was to wear it at the Avery re
union! At least that was what Mrs
Vining had thought as she folded hel
paper and started upstairs.
| It was not until she had been kneel
ing some ten minutes beside the Noah
| Ark trunk in the attic storeroom tina
the guilty fear already referred t.
seized her. Suppose the girls shoult
want the taffeta themselves? To b.
sure she had only the day before give1
them money for a gown apiece; bu
those were to be evening affairs o
filmy chiffon and lace. Wouldn't Ell
len, the eldest, ask for the taffeta whe1
she knew that taffetas were "in?"
At the thought Mrs. Vining suddenl,
rose with the precious silk pressed t
her breast, her pink cheeks pinker an
her bright eyes brighter than even wa
their wont. Its mine-mine!" sh
whispered. 81 can't give it up. I d
so want gown that's pretty and Il
style just this once!" Then, hearin
sound of girlish laughter below, sh
thrust the rustling folds into the Re
hottest corner of the big trunk, 1owere
the lid, and crept downstairs as cat
tiously as if she had been q house
breaker.
It'll take it to my room and begin O
it this very afternoon" she thought.
But that afternoon proved an III
usually busy one, even for this bus
woman. First, neighbor called
moment for fancy-work pattern, an
stayed an hour. Then the girls brough
in mounds of samples from whic
mother must help them select the
: new gowns, and later in the day a
important committee meeting of he
sewing society drew Mrs. vining ava
to the church vestry, there to discus
ways and means of providing IL
. heather with the garb of civilization.
All the time that gray taffeta sill
with the pink rosebuds existed as a
unchanging background against whic
were outlined all the events of the da,
Even the girls gowns aroused only
half-hearted attention. At the cor
mittee meeting she barely escaped TO
ever losing caste with her fellow-con
mittee women by voting that SO man
yards of taffeta silk with pink figur'
be bought for garments for the heathe
!. instead of the unbleached muslin con
,, monty appropriated for that purpose.
And at the neighborhood sociab
that evening Mrs. Vining was prese1
in body only. Even when talking vii
the rector, or looking over pilot
graph album with the Doctors viii
!, she was, in fancy, walking up and dow
the old entrance hall of the Ave-