Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1906-02-09
ONLY A DRESS.
1NaNNNNNNNN.aI oGN NNNNNNNNNNN
DY WINIFRED KIRKLAND.


enough. We can let out that tuck
and loosen the gathers, and it will be
just right"
Yes, just right" chimed Louise.
And May hasn't a thing. If only
she took the care OF her clothes that
you do, Louise! But she goes through
everything, and she grows so that
can't keep her knees covered up"
May" gasped Louise. why,
mother, have to have it for last day."
Her mother turned upon her a face
in which at first was nothing but sur
prise. Its Mays turn" she said.
Had they not taken turns at having
the prettiest thing in the surprise ever
since they were babies? Il thought
we could fix over your dotted Swiss;
and then, it's Mays turn she re-
peated, DULY. Her face had grown
very strange.
Louise was pale. II will have it,"
she said, and she gathered the dress
into her arms and walked into her
room.
There was great clatter on the
stairs, and the other four stormed up.
The mother was standing very still,
alone in the blue room, as they fell
upon her and kissed her. With an eff
fort she summoned the smiles back, as
they turned to the surprise with shrill
little cries of delight In her room
Louise heard Mays ringing voice.
This coat just fits Bee, Isn't Nina
grand in that hat! Come, Joy. put this
on over your dress Oh, you're a darl-
ing in it,"
Then at last rueful Mother, what's
for Lou and me? Don't girls grow in
New York? But mummie, dear, what
makes you look like that? | don't
care. Never mind; I'll try not to grow
any more. Where's our Lou? We've
all got to congratulate her.
That night Louise and her mother
seemed miles apart as they kissed each
other. Louise said only, But mother,
May doesn't care anything about
clothes"
Does that make any difference,
Louise?'
It was a week later when May, as
she and Louise were alone at bedtime,
gave such a tug at the top bureau
drawer that she tumbled over back
wards on the floor. What do you
keep the old thing locked for, any
way, Lou? I'm sure my tan stockings
are in there"
There isn't anything of yours in
that drawer" answered Louise. Then
she felt her cheeks burn.
All right, I'll take your word for
it. say, Lou, have you noticed how
mother looks lately? | think she's
sewing too much. She sits up till all
hours, | believe. Did you ever hear
her go to bed? l never did"
I've heard her sometimes lately"
Il hope to goodness she isn't going
to be sick. Il suppose if there were
father he'd know what to do about it"
That night Louise heard her mother
come up to bed. 1t was very late when
she came, but even then Louise did
not sleep. She was such slight little
thing, her mother, yet Louise did not
remember that she had ever been sick.
If there were father, if there were
a father The words ran through
Louise's waking hours and through her
troubled dreams.
'Sceyesne: ?hta Observation-Disclosures
1t was a strange month that passed
between the coming of Cousin Ethel's
box and last day. Both Louise and
her mother tried to appear as usual
before the other children, but they
were both afraid to be left alone.
Louise was detained every afternoon
at school; toward the end of the month
there was constant rehearsing. Never
had SO much f1attery been poured into
Louise's ears
Louise, you'll be perfect dream,
the prettiest marshal we've ever had.
What are you going to wear?"
White. Uncle Stephen is going to
give me my pink roses"
Then she would go home to such a
still, strange little mother. There
were times when Louise lOnged to
throw herself upon her lap and sob
for hours. There were times when
she hated the dress, but give it up?
Did mother know how hard it was to
give up a dress? Then thought shot
through Louise's whole being, illumi-
mating all. There were never any
dresses for mother in Cousin Ethel's
boxes. Dainty, but patched and darn
was that always. Yet
mother, too, was pretty How many
dresses had mother given up?
It was the. evening before the last
day, and they were at supper. Miss
Black just made me tell her why |
can't come to last day and be in the
said May
Why, aren't you going?" cried
Louise She had been so busy she had
not known all that was going on in
the family "Why?"
WHY? You know why, Louise. and
Miss Black might have guessed.
told her it was because Cousin Ethers
girls didn't grow fast enough. The
only thing is, | did want to see you.
Louise, leading the garden march"
The midnight lamp still burned
Bees rufTles were nearly done.
Emily bowed her head on her hands,
her elbows resting on the sewing ma
chine. I'm silly, silly she said, ito
mind so much. She's only child and
It's natural she should want pretty
things. It's only dress. but. oh. it
seems as if 1t meant SO much,"
The door was pushed open softly.
Louise stood there in her nightgown,
holding in her arms mass of foam
Ing white
I've been sewing after May went to
sleep. I've let down the tucks and
oosed the gathers. Will it do?"
Yes, ! think SO, Louise her moth
3r answered. DULY.
4 measured by Mays blue, only the
skirt is longer
Nays" Her mother turned with
lace alive.
aYas Nav she nuet have Il =,