Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1903-02-21
CHAPTER VII.

OHe Ouy, dOOut tnree weeks uIter tue
commencement Of my school, was sur.
prissd by a call from Dell Thompson,
who, after converting awhile very famil.
oarly, astonished me with an invitation TO
visit her the next afternoon. "She was
going to have a few Of her friends from
the village" she said, doctor Clayton
with the rest"
She departed, leaving me In q perfect
state Of bewilderment. invited to Cap
tain Thompson's, with Dcll's fashionable
friends! What could II mean, and whnt
should I wcarf 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 deemed ut
for the occasion, save white dotted
muslin, which was now lying sOiled and
wFinkled at the bottom Of my trunk.
was that week boarding. offered to wash
and iron Il, l accepted the proRered kind.
ncss.
The next morning. when I passed Cap.
tain ThompsOn's, observed q great COM
motion In and around the house. The
blinds were thrown back. and through the
parlor windows caught sight Of brooms
and busters, while at 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 a short cut
across the fields, soon reached my board.
ing place, where found Mrs. Ross bend
Ing over the ironing table with face
flushed and Indicative Of sore anxiety.
II never see nothin' beat IT," she be.
gan, holding down her hot iron and there.
by making a slightly yellow spot In the
dress. II never see nOthin' beat It. how
this gown posters me. 1t must be poor
stuff, or sometime mebby it'll look better
pn you," she continued. as she gave It q
finishing touch, and then held It NJ to
view.
And. indeed. Il was sorry looking
enough; some places being wholly desti.
tute Of starch, while others were rough
and sti6 a. a piece Of buckram. I had
heard Doctor Clayton say that nothing
~ determined to wear II. 1t would look
the eagerness Of child commenced my
toilet, discovering to my great dismay
that had neither shoes nor stockings ut
previous had taken my best ones home,
where ! had purposely left them. not
thinking II possible for me 10 need them.
Here then was dilemma, out Of which
Mrs. Ross at last helped me by offering
to lend me the articles which ! lacked
an offer which l gladly accepted. Her
stockings were rather coarse, having been
knit by herself, but they possessed the
nf HAHN n
would have answered my purpose very
well had It not been for the slippsrs,
which were far too long for me, and
showed almost the whole Of my foot. BE.
tides that, ! found It rather difficult to
keep them on, until Mrs. Ross suggested
the propriety Of stufing the toes with
cotton. This done, dOnned the muslin
dress, which seemed to me much shorter
than when ! had last worn II, inasmuch
as l had the painful consciousness Of
being all feet, whenever glanced In that
direction.
but Mrs. Ross said II looked mighty
crank" at the same time fastening On
my low-necked waist her glass breast
pin. which she pronounced lust the
checker" "You orto have some gloves
to wear when you get there" said she. as
she saw me drawing on my brown ones.
land b'lieve I've got the very thing"
she continued, bringing from the depths
OF the bureau drawer a pair of white
cotton mitts fancifully embroidered on
the back with yellow aud blue. These
she bid me stuck In my bosom until ! got
there, and on no account to lose em,
az she had 'em before she was married"
Thus equipped, started for Captain
Ihompson's, reaching there just as the
clock was striking Ave, and finding. to
my surprise, that was not only the first
arrival, but that neither Mrs. Thompson
nor Dell had commenced dressing. Fenr-
ing ! had mistaken the day, ! questioned
the servant girl who answered my ring,
and who assured me that I was right,
while at the same time she conducted me
to the chamber above, where In the long
mirror l obtained a full-length view Of
myself, feet and all. My first impulse
was to laugh, my second to cry and to the
latter ! finally yielded. No one came
near me; heard no one, saw no one,
until In light flowing muslin. white silk
hose, and the tiniest Of all tiny French
slippers, Dell Thompson sailed into the
room, starting with well-feigned surprise
when she saw me, asking how long had
been there. and what was the matter.
Without considering what ! was do
1uG, ] told her unresoPvedly ahout tho