The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-05-06
The Pale Blue
Cashmere Gown
BY SARAH S. PRATT
DEv. JOHN LAWRENCE sat at his

his usually busy pen held idly between
his fingers. He gazed far over the plains
a trancelike expression in his thought
gu eyes; he believed that the time wa!
coming when those plains would be PEG
pied and, with the ~hopefulness which
made his missionary life beautiful, ht
seemed to see the church leading, in,
spring and ministering to these PEG,
pie Already he had visions of a schoo
wherein his own wife would be the rul
dng spirit; visions of a hospital, {
clubhouse and %clubrooms, where these
savages might grow less savage. Ever
the fact that thus far only one poor
little wooden church building was tC
be found in many miles did not in the
least interfere with his dreams.
How long he might nave dreamed, nc
one knows, but he was recalled by a de-
Aiclous voice calling TO him,
Il am % inches around the waist,
John, and my skirt length is 43. You
know you asked me yesterday"
Sure enough" he answered, with a
2ittle start, taking up the tapeline which
lay conspicuously on his desk. 81 must
S01t 'hhA VII lo-bo u L u bNt
Tter measure you myself. You probably
measured with a string. That's the
feminine way, | believe"
His wife came in, feather buster in
hand. and as he drew the line about her
waist. he dropped a kiss upon her fore
head.
Il hope they will SEND you something
pretty"
Mrs. Lawrence burst into laughter.
THE idea Of anything pretty in a mis-
s%ionary box, John! Who ever heard of
IT? It's against the nature of things.
Perhaps it's wicked, but | have
times thought that they made them as
ugly as possible. Do you remember the
snuff-coiored dressing jacket with the
black tringe?"
Wasn't that pretty?" he queried. ~
always thought 1t was very elegant, ex-
cept when the fringe dipped in the cof-
Zee"
"You dear dreamer! You don't know
what is pretty. You don't see anything
but our beloved Sunday school and
night classes and sick people. A rheu-
7matic old Indian woman is beautiful to
you if"
IF she is a Christian! Yes, I admit it."
he said, gently; "all of Gods creatures
are beautiful to me, and one of them
most beautiful" and again he gave her
q loving caress and resumed his work.
Sheets and pillow cases, street suit
for my wife, clerical suit for self, over
soat-I hate to ask for that, but it is a
E1prGCSItV in thjc hIoo1y 1onI T..
He read once again the friendly letter
In which he had been urged to make
known all his needs, assuring him that
they would be supplied, so far as posi-
Die, by a branch of the Women's aux
dliary.
In the meantime Mrs. Lawrence was
busting the sitting-room, and she had
come to a standstill before a little ivory
miniature of herself, the price of which
would almost have paid for everything
an thelT modest home. 1t was made ten
years before, when she had just finished
Schoo and was archly charming in that
dainty gown. How becoming it was.
and how much he had admired her in it.
Alice, is there anything else you
want? We are to mention everything
we need, and they will supply us as far
as possible
Yes she called, q little sareasticaiiy
please tell them | need very much .
pale blue cashmere gown and then
s1e smiled at the absurdity of such a re-.
quest from a m~issionary's wife. 'Imag-
me the CONSERVATION that would Gre
ate she thought, "if he really would
ask for such a thingi"
She replaced the miniature with a sieb
WAS 1t a crime to love pretty thingsp
And would she ever have n AGAIN.
aier trousseau was long ago exhausted
and now she lived and moved and bad
ner being in black things and brown
ahings. and all things that wouldn't show
Dirt. Oh, dear, but-blessed after
thought!-Wouldn't she rather be the
vile OF John Lawrence, in black bril-
and brown surges, than any,
else in the world?
Ihe president of st. Mary's auxiliarv
was rapping loudly for order. h was
Ieaalng a letter saying that Rev. John
Lawrence would be deeply grateful for
= suit. an oyercoat. etc. 1T was when
she came to the overcoat that the conf
fusion arose; for one lady had a prac-
ticaliy new oyercoat which her present
coachnan, being stout, could not wear
~ was exactly Rev. L~awrence's size. hut
peing q s%urtout, she questioned whether
- "ouiu De the correct thing for clerical
wear. The entire auxiliary set itself "a
argue this point, when the president
stopped them.
LADIES, we can discuss this matter
aa1er Let me finish reading this letter.
where was I2 Sheets, pillow cases
table linen, and'-what is this? "A nals
Dine cashmere goWni'a
pale blue cashmere gown! Had she
asked FOR az automobile coat the request
could pot have produced more surprise.
There was q deep silence. Even the pres.
laent found ncthing to say Tor some
time. ons
Neli. nev had a pale blue cash
mere gown In my life.s gasned snma.
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