Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1902-04-10
THE BLUE DRESS.
BY SUSAN HUBBARD MARTIN.


sons dressmaking parlors, where the
large easy chair nearly enveloped heI
small, shrinking figure.
She was not old, not more than thir-
ty-five, but already the bloom and
beauty OF her youth had gone. There
were streaEs of gray in her brown
hair; fine lines revealed themselves
under the sad eyes. The cheeks were
pal and a trifie sunken, and the hands,
folded over parcel in her lap, were
rough and calloused. Whoever she
was, life had gone hard with her.
Madam Jackson came in. You
wished to see me?" she asked.
Madam Jackson was large, impos-
ing-looking woman, clad in rich black
dress.
The little woman rose timidly.
"Yes'm," she answered Il want
you to make me a dress If you will.
I've made all my own clothes ever
since John and | were married. They
haven't been very many, either" she
added. But this is something differ
ent. We live on farm, and we raise
fruit and vegetables for market Ev-
Lottie, l guess this fall we can afford
that blue dress.
She unrolled her package carefully
and smoothed out the cloth it con-
tained with a tender hand.
81 was to have had this blue dress
the second year we were married"
she explained. Il was young then
but somehow something always hap
pened. Often we'd have a dry year,
then again we'd have to buy an extra
plow, or maybe cow would die, or
something else would come up, so |
never was able to get the dress until
now, and we've been married sixteen
years. The last thing John said to me
when he gave me the money was,
Now, Lottie, don't buy anything but
blue dress, and just forget how long
you've waited for It.
I'm afraid, though" she added, with
a wistful little sigh, 'it's too late to
look we'll on me. You see getting up
at half past two in the morning to be
ready for market will make any one
old, and I've worked hard. Sometimes
we have six men to cook for; that is IN
in the busy season.
Madam Jackson took the roll of
cloth in her hands. 1t was SOFT
beautiful blue, fine and rich in texture,
but it could make a dress suitable
only for young girl; some one with
rosy cheeks and golden hair and dim
pies. 1t was SO far from being appro-
pirate for the little, STOPPING figure
opposite.
Madam looked kindly at the pale
li-tle woman I'm afraid" she began
you'll find this color little trying
A black or q gray, or perhaps a dark
brown would be more becoming. You
understand"
The woman clasped her hands.
Don't say it," she cried. "Yes,
understand. but if you only knew how
all these years I've wanted that blue
dress. Something different from any
thing I've had. All, you needn't tell
me. | know I'm faded and old, but
oh, do not want that bit of color
for my own! If can't wear it, l can
at least look "a It,"
A large tear slone in worldly Mad
am Jackson's eye--and she was not
much given to tears. Very well" she
answered.; and then followed a discus
sion of lining and thread
The woman came again in a few
days to have the dress fitted. Ill one
hand she carried basket of purple
grapes with the bloom still on them
GIVE brought you these" she said
to the dressmaker. 81 picked them
p,vcnlf oorIy tbic rnnrpipu
Thank you so much!" was the
warm answer. 81 dearly love grapes,
and those are especially fine"
In few minutes the blue dress went
on over the thin little figure. Some
how it's bright hue seemed mockery
1t brought out so clearly the gray
hairs that would have been softened
by more sober color. The pale
cheeks, too, looked winter tnan be-
fore.
The little woman saw her reflection
in the tall mirror opposite, and sighed
"You were quite right" she said,
slowly; "a darker color would have
been BEST and yet-somehow
couldn't give it up. I've thought about
1t so much all these years. Why, Of
ten when the work was hardest and
the days longest, I've said to myself,
Never mind, Charlotte, some of these
days you're going 10 have a beautiful
blue Dress and the hope of it some,
how kept me up"
Il understand" Madam Jackson
said, gently.
In a few days the dress was done.
The customer came for it one morn
ing, in wagon driven by tall, broad
shouldered man with a rugged, wealth
er-beaten face.
Her husband" thought Madam
Jackson, looking out of the window
The pale little woman came hurried
iy in. John came with me today
she said, smiling, "and the dress-on,
isn't it beautiful"
lou