The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1909-08-20
The
Unlucky
Dress
By r1oRnNoR aADD1s PIPER.

WELL suppose / must wear that
white silk Of mine, and do hate
to-" said Janet Winton
Whats the matter with your
white silk? 4 think it's the prettiest
dress YOU have" spoke up Margaret.
Il know it's pretty enough" re-
piled Janet, but something unlucky
always happens sto me when / have
1t on. The very first thing. it didn't
come home in time to wear to your
dance, you know, Clara; then the first
time / did wear it that clumsy Dir.
Mailing whirled a cup of coffee in my
lap and none of US could think of the
right thing to remove coffee stains.
tried all the sure cures, but the
skirt had to be made over again. And
then only last week when Mr. Wells
called to take us to the Stein Club
concert | again put it on and in go
ing through the hallway from my room
to the stairs in the dark / dashed
against cupboard door that was
ajar and my poor pug nose was near
~ smashed fiat for minute or two
and then 1t became the size Of three
noses and had to stay home"
Janet Winton was relating her
troubles with a lugubrious counter
ance to some of the girls of the af-
ternoon sewing club. The members
were talking over dance at which
they were to be hostesses.
why don't you wear that pretty
dotted muslin?" suggested Margaret
Field
'Oh. because DR.. Mailing stepped
on the 1ounce of that and tore it:
besides, it's soiled and dingy now, as
are all my frocks," replied Janet.
"Dr. Mailing seems bent on mutilat-
ing all your dresses. Why do you
have him around if he is so destruc-
tipe?" asked one of the girls.
Janet blushed rosily as she an
swered, ST don't have him around. as
you put it, Nellie. It just happens
whenever ] see him he seems to be
all feet and hands,"
Sand heart, too," added Margaret.
The night of the dance arrived and
there could not have been a dalntier,
disastrous white silk. It was a pref.
prettier little maid than Janet in the
ty dress, all tucks and ruffles and
chiffon. A deep red rose tucked in
the belt gave the color it needed and
Janet tripped up and down the draw
ing room waiting for her mother.
Il wonder if DR.. Mailing will really
call and go with us. l don't care If
he doesn't-yes, do care" unused
Janet. Il know that he is awkward
and shy and is afraid to ask any OF
the girls to dance with him because
he steps on their toes more than the
floor, but, then. most clever men are
ungraceful. What was it Margaret
said about his heart? There's the
bell-maybe it's the DOCTOR" and ia
net stopped her pacing and sat decor
ously in low chair by the fireplace.
The ruddy glow of the burning wood
flashing brightly on her and then
dickering down, made very pretty
picture. So, thought Or Mailing. any,
how, as he entered the room.
Janet arose and held out a welcom-
ing hand. which the doctor took in
his timidly.
thought, MISS Janet, would stop
in on my way to the Leonard School.
where 1 address the class tonight"
said the doctor.
why. are you not going to Mrs.
Nelson's dancer" asked Janet
"No, but suppose you are." re-
piled the doctor. Wont you sit
where you were when came in +"
ne continued. Il don't want to dis
turb you" The fact was he wanted
the chance to further admire the cosey
pictune the girl made, though he didn't
think OF telling her so.
Janet turned towards the fire
again. Not for the world would she
let him see the tears that threatened
TO overflow, but the fire had partly
burned down by now and the light
was rather dull.