Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1903-06-04
CHAPTER VII.

One day, about three weeks after the
commencement of my school, | was sur
prised by call from Dell Thompson,
who, after conversing awhile very famil-
iarly, astonished me with an invitation to
visit her the next afternoon. "She was
going to have few of her friends from
the village" she said, Doctor Clayton
with the rest"
She departed, leaving me In a perfect
state Of bewilderment. invited to Cap
tain Thompson's, with Delrs fashionable
friends! What could 1t mean, and what
should wear2 This last was by far the
more important question, for knew that
the people of the village were noted for
their fine dress. / mentally enumerated
the articles of my scanty wardrobe, find
ing therein nothing which l deemed 1T
for the occasion, save a white dotted
muslin, which was now lying soiled and
wrnkled at the bottom of my srunk
And so, when Mrs. Ross, with whom
was that week boarding, offered to wash
and iron it, accepted the proffered kind
ness.
The next morning, when | passed Cap
tain Thompson's, l observed great com
motion In and around the house. The
blinds were thrown back and through the
parlor windows l caught sight of brooms
and busters, while'a intervals during the
day the scholars brought me tidings of
cake, jellies and ice cream, said to be in
progress. At precisely four O'Clock
dismissed school, and taking short cut
across the fields, soon reached my board
ing place, where found Mrs. Ross bend
ing over the ironing table with a face
flushed and indicatjye Of sore anxiety.
II never see nothin' beat It," she be-
gan, holding down her hot iron and there
by making slightly yellow spot in the
dress. 81 never see nothin' beat it, how
this gown posters me. 1t must be poor
stuff, or somethin'; mebby it'll look better
on you," she continued as she gave 1t u
finishing touch, and then held 1t up to
view.
And, indeed, 1t was sorry-lookine
enough; some places being wholly desti
tute of starch, while others We're rough
and stiff as piece Of buckram. l hat
heard Doctor Clayton say that nothing
became young girl so well as white, anC
SO determined to wear it. 1t would lool
better on me, / thought, and with al
the eagerness of child commenced IN!
toilet, discovering TO my great disna.
that | had neither shoes nor stockings fl
TO wear with muslin dress. The weel
previous had taken my best ones home
where ! had purposely left them, no
thinking it possible for me to need them
Here then was n dilemma, out of whic
Mrs Ross at last helped me 10y fferin
to lend me the articles which ! lacked
an offer which l gladly accepted. lie
stockings were rather coarse, having bee
knit by herself, but they possessed tn
virtue of being white and clean, an
would have answered my purpose yer
well had it not been for the slipper
which were far too long for me, an
showed almost the whole of my foot. B.
sides that, ! found it rather difficult
keep them on, until Mrs Ress suggeste
the proprety of stufiing the toes wit
cotton. This done, / donned the musl
dress which seemed to me much short
than when | had last worn it, inasmuC
as | hAd the painful consciousness
being all feet, whenever l glanced in tn
direction.
But Mrs. Ross said ~ looked nigh
crank" at the same time fastening
NY low-neckcd waist her glass breas
pin, which she pronounced lust Il
checker" You orto have some glov
io wear when YOU get there" said she,
she saw me drawing on my brown one
and ! b'lieve I've got the very thing
she continued, bringing from the dept
of the bureau drawer a pair of viii
cotton mitts fancifuily embroidered
the back with yellow and blue. The
she bid me tuck in my bosom until 6
there, and on no account to lose e
ms she had em before she was married
Thus equipped, | started for Capts
Thompson's, reaching there just as I
clock was striking FIVE, and finding,
my surprise, that | was not only the a
arrival. but that neither Mrs. Thomps
nor Dell had commenced dressing. Fe
Ing had mistaken the day, questioF
tie servant girl who answered my Ri