Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1904-09-08
HER NEW DRESS.

Paris. Townsend has learned moth
ing new about clothes since the Gays
of his early youth and then 1t was the
way Of travelling gentlemen to bring
back to their wives what was known
to their simple souls as a "dress pat
tern"-that is, enough yards Of cloth
or silk to make gown.
When Mr.. Townsend opened his
:; Gamer trunk and displayed the gift
his wife's heart sank yet lower, for 1t
was Of a wondrous ugliness. On a
ground, Of sullen green-the color OF
toiled !spinach-was spread brocade
Of purple flowers. Not flowers of soft
violet shades, but livid hue which
was In vogue about forty years ago,
according to the tales of truthful
grandmothers.
There's about twenty-five yards IN
the piece" Townsend said proudly. II
made that French iclerk understand
that wanted a good full pattern.
That's plenty for skirt and polonaise
isn't it?'
Mrs. Townsend smiled family. my
dear, they don't wear polonaises now"
she replied mildly.
"Well, Ia basque, them" he said.
Mrs. Townsend did not reply that
bssques. too, were archaic, but, like
loyal wife, replied that 1t was good of
him to remember her with present.
T ownsend beamed. you must have
It made up right away. I want to see
You enjoying It," he declared.
Within the week Mrs. Townsend
took the silk to her dressmaker. That
worthy held up her hands In honest
horror. Cant I have a fire and let y
get burned up before you nave ic
made" she asked.
Mrs. Townsend shook her head.
mo, the poor fellow must see 1t on me.
He meant to bring me lovely pres
ent. Butt please cut 1t very eXtrava'
gantly-I would rather he never knew
that withreconomy we might get two
dresses out Of the pattern"
The dressmalier laughed. "Ill DO
my worst" she promised.
When the gown was sent horne IL
was truly awful, although every de-
vice of lace and ornament bad been
used in the effort to subdue iIs tint5
But those purple flowers refused 10 he
cajoled into obscurlty and the green
ground was as sullen as before its
treatment by the dressmaker
Mrs. Townsend showed the gown to
her husband at once but managed 10
evade wearing 1t for some time. Last
week, however, Townsend asked her
to go down town to dinner, the two
going to a play afterward to fill out
the evening.
"You must wear that new dress too"
he said, 4 know you are saving It foT
some grand occasion, but want to
see you in 1t tonight"
The dinner and play were long
agonles to Mrs. Townsend. She saw
he half hidden smiles Of the women
and heard one man say, THAT woman
looks as II she'd ripped the covers Oft
her parlor furniture and made herself
q dress"
When they left the theater Town
send wanted to take a cab home. I'm
afraid you'll muss your nice dress in
street car" he said solIcitously. The
cabs, however, were all engaged AMI
they were obliged to use the cablo
line
They lived four blocks from the
car line, and they had Just alighted
when a sudden shower descended. In
a moment they were sodden ami drip.
ping,
"Shan't we stop at some Of these
houses" Townsend asked.
I'm soaked now-it wouldn't do
any good" Mrs. Townsend said. "We
had better hurry on home"
When they reached their own homo
and turned on the hall light the green
and purple dress was a verlegated
wreck. The colors had run until It
looked like the map OF an unknown
archipelago.
what a shame!" Townsend cried.
"Your dress is rulned!"
Mrs. Townsend felt a sudden exul.
tation. Then she tried to throw little
real regret into her remarks.
"T'll send to Paris and get you an
other dress pattern of the same piece"
Townsend declared.
~0h, no." she said. "I'd rather re-
member the dress just as II was and
not try to duplicate II. Second edl-
lens Of dresses are not usually su,.
,essfnl. and can get something here