The free press. (Southern Pines, N.C.) 1898-19??, 1900-04-07
MOLLY'S DRESS.
BY MIRA COBBE.


Molly was determined to go to the
party, and yet She knew she would be
the worst dressed girl in the loom.
Her frocks 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 a
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 much bedrabb'ed
gray dress and looked at it sad y
When new the preceding summer it
had served as best gown, and III that
capacity did enough service to have
been placed upon the retired list, but
Molly was not as conslde ate as that.
With considerable ingenuity she hal
transformed the coat basque into q
low-cut evening waist, and The long
sleeves into pretty little pufIs. Around
the neck she had draped little cheap
chiffon, and above it her soft white
neck had emerged like 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 scantya
pnrsa. -.-~--z
ooh, DEAR" she sighed again, toss
ing the dress aside and sinking back
on the bed, eff L were girl in a story
book I'd have some convenient garnet
to 60 to and there I'd find handsome
piano Gov r, or q lamp mat on a bed
spread, or something equally useful,
out Of which Id rig UP dress that
would make all the other girls turn
green with envy. AS ! am just Molly
Pre- tss, q clerk on five dollars a week
can't have a new dress, oh, dear!
"a, dear!" and poor Molly buried
her pretty face i'll her hands and
sobbed bitterly. She was only 20, 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 courteous refusal to Frank
Gillman's invitation, although her
eyes were so blinded with tears that
she could scarcely write tue address.
Not waiting, for fear she would change
Ter mind, Molly caught up q shawl,
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 greatsocial event,
but to her it was Of vast Importance.
It 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 lite things she said and
did, but it was not until she had read
his note, which was awaiting her when
she reached home the preceding night,
that she realized that he regarded'her
with any special favor.
When she took up her position be-
hind the counter and tied her black