The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1906-12-15

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wedding. If all weddings were as
easy, wouldn't mind taking the risk.
I say, Kit, between ourselves-Nora
has spoken of me to you? She has
mentioned me, hasn't she?"
mora Willis won't have a penny,
Reginald. Her father will barely be
able to give the breakfast"
"That's something, Kit. We should.
mt starve on the first day."
"And as for clothes,' went on her
ladyship, thoroughly reused by now,
why, Nora is a perfect glutton for
; them! Not but what that kind of
gluttony is very excusable. Every
woman suffers from the pangs OF
clothes-hunger, until she gets DID,
| And what then, Kate?''
! Then it becomes an obsession-
with all right minded women,,' de-
clared Kitty, firmly. 'It's woman's
whole duty to be charming. You have
admitted the fact Ones own imme-
diate mankind would be the first to
meanly remark on it-were one badly
dressed! Clothes are a temptation to
which anybody might virtuously sue
cumb. I heard of a girl once, quite
a strict little Puritan, who But
aren't we nearly there?"
Never mind. Tell me about the
Puritan''
LAS it's a moral tale, will. Other
wise, you have behaved too disgrace-
fully to receive any consideration.
well, as a fashionable woman
must either chop and change her
clothes, or else absolutely give them
to her maid, a ladies' weekly paper
invented an Exchange column.
There one can advertise. ones
clothes, under absolute cover, for
few cents
| "How?"
"The editor thinks of number, and
all your. answers come addressed to
it."
II believe 1 see"
"Of course, it isn't an exchange in
the exact sense. But you can sell a
nice gown to somebody in search OF
a bargain-for reasonable sum. And
you can do it without anyone else
knowing-if you're careful. Well, this
friend of Morals was quite poor, and
she had last minute invitation to
a very nice dance at rich relatives.
She was about to -refnse====because.,-
her clothes; when suddenly she
thought of this exchange column. She
picked out an advertisement: '7428.
Lady wishes to dispose of her lovely
model lace gown. Hardly worn. Price
moderate' Then followed measure
ments, which you wouldn't under
stand, Reggie"
POSSIBLY not"
This girl had little money saved
up. She answered Mrs. 1923, at the
Office of the paper, and duly received
a reply. The price asked was rather
staggering, and the poor thing got
ready to write her refusal of Mrs.
742Ss offer, and the dance. Before
she had even stamped her letters, the
dress came through the post, on ap-
prevail 1t was very dream of a
dress, and it fitted perfectly. The lit
tie Puritan succumbed. She decided
to go to the dance, and to wear the
dress. She planned to take the great
est care of it; and plotted to pack it
all up when she got back home, very,
very carefully, and return it to Mrs.
1923, with a nice little note saying
that it was too expensive"
"Minx!"
"Not altogether. And she had her
punishment. When che reached the
! nj oh nj
ly received by the relation aforesaid.
They went into the drawing-room, and
the little Puritan had, at once, de-
lightfully perfect feeling within her
that she was, beyond doubt, the best
dressed woman present. Consequent
ly-"
"She enjoyed herself intensely?"
1T was an evening of evenings.
She danced every dance, and all went
we'll, until just before 12, when some.
! body clumsily trod on her dress! The
little Puritan heard a fatal rip-rip-
ping sound. She hastily contrived an
exit, and flew upstairs to get her cloak
and things-meaning to refuse the
offer of a bed-anything to get away
quickly and hide herself. Poor child,
her heart was pit-a-patting, if you
will. Nor were matters made any
easier, when, on entering the dressing
room, my little Puritan found herself
alone with small, inquisitive WON.
an, who she knew had been eyeing
her curiously all the evening. This
creature nodded to the little Puritani
who had gathered up her skirts so as
to hide. the tear, and malevolently re-
marked: I'm glad you're going tc
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