The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1902-04-18
THE blue DRESS.

sons dressmaking parlorB, where the
G large easy chair nearly developed her
wsmall, shrinking figure.
n She was not old. not more than thir-
: ty-fve, but already the bloom and
y beauty Of her youth had gone. There
were streaks Of gray Ia her brown
hair; fine lines revealed themselves
under the sad eyes The cheeks were
pal and a triae sunken, and the hands.
folded over a parcel Ia her lap, were
rough and callouseI 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-
ling-looking woman, clad ia rich black
idress.
The little woman rose timidly.
'Yes'm," she answered. Il want
you to make me a dress If you will
live 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. Bv-
cry year John has said to me. Well,
Lottie, / guess this fall we can afford
that blue dress"
She unrolled her package carefully
: and smoothed out the cloth it con-
tanned with a tender hand
Il was to have had this blue dress
the second year we we're married"
she explained. Il was young then
but somehow something always chap
pened. Often we'd have dry year.
then again we'd have to buy an extra
plow, or maybe a COW would lie, 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,
2 Now, Lottie, don't buy anything but
a blue dress, and just forget how long
you've waited for It.
I'm afraid, though, she added, with
y 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
I in the busy season"
Madam Jackson took the roll of
cloth in her hands. It was a 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. H'
Madam looked kindly at the pale
little woman. i'm afraid" she began,
you'll find this color a little trying.
A black or a gray, or perhaps dark
brown would be more becoming. You
understand"
The woman clasped her hands.
Don't say it," she cried. Eyes,
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 Eeedn't tell
me! ! know I'm faded and old, but,
oh, l do not want that bit of color
for my own! Il can't wear it, can
at least look at it.
A large tear shone in worldly Mad
am Jackson's eye-and she was not
much given to tears. VERY well" sac
a answered; and then followed a discus
sion of lining and thread.
The woman came again in few
days to have the dress fitted al one
hand she carried a basket of purple
grapes with the bloom still on them.
1--WE brought you these" she said
TO the iressmaller. Il picked them
myself early this morning"
Thank you so much!" was the
warm answer. 81 d5arly love grapes,
and those are especially fine"
In few minutes the blue dress went
on over the thin little figure. Some
how its bright hue seemed a mockery
II brought out so clearly the gray
hairs that would have been softened
BY a more sober color. The pale
.oheelta. too, looked whittier taan 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-BOmehoW
couldn't give it up. I've thought about
it 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 to have a beautiful
blue dress, and the hope Of 1t some
how kept me up.
II understand Madam Jackson