The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-24
FOR FEMININE READERS
MRS. JONES u IN A HARD DAY
BUYING A WEDDING GARMENT.
Made in Germany i'm Higher
Iy Recipes-Odds and Ends.

Mr.. Jones was obliged TO repeat the ques-
ton when he asked her il she would have a
little of the gravy with her steak and
potatoes.
mo, Henry" she finally said, with an air
or being drawn back from more important
considerations. "No, and you needn't give
me any steak this ~morning-or. yes. l will
have a little. on second thought. 1 have no
appetite this morning, but l expect to have
a hard day of it. and L ought TO keep my
strength up, l suppose"
Whats up? Is this the day your Euchre
Club meets or is your Aunt Maria coming
over for the day."
Ordinarily Mrs. Jones would have re-
| scented his reflection upon the entertaining
| qualities of her Aunt Maria. She was not
| especiall, fond of the lady herself, but be-
ing her own relative preferred to do the
criticising when any was done. This time
she ignored all but the first question.
"I simply can't put off buying my new
gown another single day. If I'm TO have
one for the wedding, which is only three
weeks off, / absolutely must get the goods
this very day and put it into the dress
| makers hands. Willie, If l see you reach
! across the table like that again I'll send
you out of the room. Yes, Henry, 1 know
you gave me the money, and might have
got it before. but / have been waiting to
decide just what TO have. You know don't
get so very many dresses, and it is
important to make no mistakes. 1 expect
this one TO be my best gown for the next
year. 1t isn't just the wedding j have in
mind, though, OF course, l do want 10 do
you credit when we go back to the old
place. Do you know, Henry. i think it's
the queerest tning-I just can't account for
it-that George Morgan is marrying your
sister Lizzie. oh, l know she's a dear,
sweet girl-that is, 1 don't know that you
can exactly call her a girl; she's thirty
one and past, you know-and I'm fond Of
her, but she's not a bit like me. and il ever
a man was heels over head in love Ii was
when he wanted to marry me.
"a good while ago? It's less than ten
years ago, Henry, and you'd suppose that
even a mans ideas wouldn't change so en-
tirely in ten years. Not that I'd have him
pining or signing for me all that time
mercy, no.-but it is queer the way he's
veered about. Do you remember how jeal-
GUS you used TO be of him?
mot so very?' Why. Henry Davenport
Jones. You were fairly wild! 1 remember
if you don't. But what l was going to say
is that L particularly want to look nice at
the wedding, so that he and his folks will
see that l did just as well as if I'd taken
him; that L have no regrets.
mo, l don't want him TO have any re-
grets. either; of course not. Henry, some
times you say things that are not at all
nice, and if-Wil-lee Jones! How many
times must l tell you not to spear bread
with your fork? Ask for what you want.
Il want to tell you about my gown and
ask your opinion. I've fully decided to get
~black-either crepe de chine or liberty
satin. l know they're rather old for ME,
but they're serviceable. L did think once
I'd have pink silk-pink's my color and I'm
sure I'm young enough yet to wear it, but
il wouldn't be so useful later. It'll be a
gay evening wedding. and perhaps a color
would be more suitable than black, but
blacks distinguished. and / can't help it
If Lizzie doesn't like it. l have other
things to consider. Don't you think black
will be best? Henry Jones, I don't believe
you're hearing a word l say. l might as
well talk to the wall as to you when you
get your nose buried in the morning paper.
We'll. anyway, I've absolutely settled
upon a black gown, and now the trouble
is TO select the material and see about the
making. No, you can't go down town,
Willie; l don't want you 10 go out of sight
of the house while I'm gone.
II think sometimes. Henry. that / ought
not to buy the gown at alias a matter of
economy. Table expenses are so high now,
and going to be higher right along, and
you know you will have the best. But If l
let you go to the wedding alone and stay
at home. Lizzie won't Ike 1t. even If l do
send her a dozen dinner forks, and 1 sup
pose 1t really wouldn't be the right thing.
Whats the right thing? Henry Jones.
you are the most eXasperating man TO talk
TO when you get a paper in your hand.
I've a mind sometimes to hide the paper
until after breakfast, but suppose you'd
be lost without it in one hand when you
took your fork in the other. 1 should like
to hear your opinion about my dress. for /
don't want you to be criticising it after
I've got it.
mo, don't know really that you ever
did find fault with my clothes. and it's nice
of you TO say that 1 look we'll in anything,
but it isn't discriminating, for there are
truly some things that are more becoming
TO me than others. Norah, you need not
expect me home at lunch time. Just get
something for Willie. If feel hungry I'll
get a cup of tea and a bit OF cake or some
thing downtown; though, to be sure. they
have the most awful tea at the hotels and
restaurants"
Soon after breakfast Mrs. Jones. with a
brisk and business-like air and a look Of de-
termination on her face, took her way down
street. At the corner she met Mrs. Robin
son, and as they stopped TO chat for a mo-
ment she casually mentioned her errand.
Eyes, L think you are wise said Mrs.
Robinson. BLACKS always respectable and
safe, and where one has 10 wear the same
gown a great deal it's inconspicuous; that
is, unless you trim IL in a snowy way, guam
titles OF lace and jet. and so on, which, OF
course, you wouldn't. I've been looking a,
the loveliest piece of light blue-a thin
creepy stuff, with some new-fangled name
that 1 have a mind to get for evening wear
It's just my shade, and so becoming. Good.
bye. / hope you'll find what you want
just as Mrs. Jones was entering her IA.
vorite shop. after an hour or two spent in
lust looking at the goods i'm the others
she met her most intimate friend, Mrs
G~riggsby.
"Ye-es." said Mrs. Griggsby, slowly and
thoughtfully; wees, a nice black gown II
elegant and always nice TO have, but DON
you think. Emily. that blacks a little old
especially in the dull goods like crepe d,
chine? Why not look at those embroidered