The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-05-22
At least not until knew what Alice
would say about it.

(that she was saving to wear to my
wedding), and there was my pocket
book with big roll of bills, and ye'
couldn't give Alice a dress. But
that afternoon I took the interurbar
car to the city, and I walked through
the biggest department store there.
At last 1 saw just what 1 wanted.
1t was hanging up over counter. It
was soft, silky kind of stuff, the
palest blue, with a sort of silver lines
through it. told the girl to cut of
enough to make dress for a young
lady, and to be sure and give me
plenty. She was nice, obliging kind
of a girl, and I asked her if she
wouldn't get all the rest of the things
that would go to make the dress, and
she did.
That evening I got Alice to take a
walk with me, and we went through
the short cut over the pasture, and
there in the path lay bundle. Alice
sat down on a stump and opened it.
And how her eyes sparkled when she
saw the blue cloth and lace.
"Isn't that just Dream" she said,
and I felt pretty big to think I'd
picked out the right thing.
"Now who do you think could
have lost it," she went on.
Well, my heart dropped at that.
What an idiot I was not to think that
when you found package of course
someone had lost it.
1--WE must try to find out right
away" said Alice, because anyone
would feel deadful to lose dress like
that. I suppose it's someone that is
going to that ball. You ought to
know David, who in this neighbor-
hood might have lost it"
1 pretended to be thinking, and I
was thinking of some way out. But
I couldn't name anyone who might
have lost it.
eve must put an advertisement in
the paper" said Alice. "Will you
attend to it David, and right away,
for I know the girl that lost it will be
dreadfully anxious.
"I'll send it into town with the
postman in the morning, and it will
be in the evening paper" I answered.
1 remember some fairy stories that
my Irish grandmother used to tell me
when I was bit of a chap, and I said {:
"Maybe it's a fairy gift for you,
Alice. 1t looks as if it was meant
for you."
"Oh |" she said, II wish we could
believe in fairy gifts yet. I'm afraid
I'm envying the girl that owns it. !"
Well, there I was as bad off as
before. Alice wouldn't have the dress
because she thought it belonged to
someone else. thought of getting
another. and asking Miss Donaldson
to give it to her. But Miss Donald
son would have been sure to tell
sooner or later, and besides the ex-
plantations would have been quite en-
barrassing.
But the day of the ball someone
called me to the telephone, and I heard
Alice's voice.
Did I still intend to go to the ball,
and had l arranged to take someone
else? No, 1 had never thought of
such thing. Then if 1 wanted to
call for her she would 60 with me. /
was ready to shout for Joy, but I
managed to say I would call for her.
When Alice came down the stairs that
evening she looked as if she just
stepped out of a picture. She had
some kind Of a lowered rufaed
dress on.
"Do you like it !" she said laugh
ing.
'.Auntie has been so kind. She
gave me this lovely thing out of an
old chest In the attic. One of our
great grandmothers used to wear it.
The only trouble was that Auntie
wouldn't let me alter it in any way.
So 1 must go looking like my great
grandmother, that is, if you think l
will do"
l tried to be quite calm when l told
her that she would do. kept re-
minding myself that it lacked two
weeks of the six.
The ball was surely grand affair.
Ali the county seemed to be there.
Alice was so popular with the soldier
boys that 1 was afraid wasn't going
to get dance. But she saved two
for me. How pretty she was with
her shining eyes and pink cheeks.
None Of the men knew it if the dress
was queer, but some of the girls look
ed as if they knew it. After our sec
ond dance together Alice said she
wanted breath of air, so we went
out and walked up and down on the
long balcony. Just as we were turn
ing to come back toward the door
Lena Andrews came out with young
man.
"Did you see Alice Donaldson, .
Lena said. She has one of those
sharp voices, and we could hear her
clear to the other end of the balcony.
Doesn't she look too funny? I'd
have stayed at home before I'd have
come in such a thing as that. It's
ages old. Miss Donaldson's been try
ing to give it away every time we've
had an entertainment in the last five
wears, and no one would have it"
cit is queer" said the man, "but
it would be kind of nice if those things
came in style again. She looks right
nice in it,
pressed Alice's hand at that.
was SO mad at that cat of an Andrews
girl that 1 forgot what was doing.
ooh do you think so, )" said Lena,
shriller than ever.
When we passed window I saw
tears in Alice's eyes. And at that
something seemed to come right uE
in my throat and choke me.
"I hope you don't mind what the
jealous thing said," whispered.
"Oh no." she said but her voice
was trembly. How could / wher
you have been so kind?"
Then l just said to myself that the