Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-29

Of valley housewery she should have
been canning peaches for the family S
winter consumption but there arc conditions OF the
Iprit when does not care whethe- ones family
has peaches to eat or not, and Mr.. Mmm's FAM
ly--conssting OF one husband-had just treated her
In notably unieeng manner, she was suffering
from of those conditions.
The circumstances these: Mrs. Mimms
irdenty desired new dress for the Association,
and realizing the difficulties Of the situation, had,
like prudent general, planned her campaign with
the greatest care, and made her request after Mr..
Mirnms had just consumed dinner consisting OF all
The eatablcs he most liked. Bus even the most
famous generals are but slaves to small circum-
stances Unfortunately, in the interval after dinner,
In which Mrs Mimms washed the dishes while her
husband took forty winks in his chair the porch,
q wasp had assaulted Mr.. Mmms. He in the
act OF extracting the weapon OF the vicious but
short-sighted insect from his hand when she halt
ingly made her plea. AS result, she was not only
told very shortly that the money not to be
sparcd-that she had been prepared for-but also
that the dress not needed and. moreover, that
she getting too old and gray to care about such
tomfoolery. As her last dress dated back to the
meeting of the same Association four years before.
the injustice we'll the disparagng nature of this
remark had cut like a knife, and Mrs Mimms con-
trary to custom and to her previous intention, had
retired from the field without further ado.
Now she sat and thought it over, and the more
she thought the it became apparent to her
that Syram didn't love her any more or he would
never have spoken so cruelty. The disappointment
about the dress was swallowed Up in the pain of
that thought.
The sight of lilac sunbonnet coming along by the
fence, usually harbinger of pleasure, brought no
balm to her soul. She knew that it was Honey
Story bringing the last number OF the Female Fire
side Friend, to which they subscribed in common.
and OF which Honey, in her capacity of dressmaker,
had first glcanings. Mrs. Mimms had looked for
ward to saying to her, with open indifference, which
masked hidden pride, by the way, Honey I've
decided to buy that gray alpaca down to the store.
an l want you to come next week an make it
up for me for the Association" and to receiving
IIomeys envious congratulations therefor. Now this
pleasant prospect was ended
Honey up the steps, hopping her plump red
face with the strings of her lilac sunbonnet. She
was too hot and hurried to miss the usual enthus-
asm of her friends greeting.
Here's the Freside Friend" she said, breath
lessly 81 thought Ma goin' to be through
with it. It looks like the less holt her mind has of
things the she to cling to EN- She's
ben gon' that fashion plate for the best part of
three days, an III lay she couldn't tell thing that's
in it."
Mrs Mimms held out languid hand for the
paper. at don't make difference she said, dis
piritedly. II wasn't specially intrusted in it no
how"
Honey looked her surprise. Only one thing could
account for such tone such subject Bent
you agoin to get that gray alpaca for the Assoea-
sionl" she asked, with interest. The subject had
been under animated discussion between them some
dozen times before.
mo; I've decided that don't keer for it," said the
loyal Mrs. M;mms. "My blue nun swelling is plenty
good enough. People think heap too much about
clothes an sech trfes, anyhow, an don't want to
set no example Of fine dressn' to the young folks "
she added, virtuously.
Yes. your nuns-veiling is good enough of
COURSE" said Honey, with the transparent dip
ionacy of one too polite to dissent openly from a
proposition. well, must hurry back an fit
Picnic Stricken She'll be waitin when | get
there"
"How's she havin that dress made" queried Mrs
Mimins, with faint show of interest
Same = J tight way that makes her look Jest like
a minner. She's ben havin' her clothes made that
same way ever Jake Kite told her it was be-
comm TO her. when he a-waitin her, an she
was young an had some bust measure. He's ben
married fifteen years an got eight children but it
don't seem to make difference to her, Some wo-
men is sech fools bout men," she added, with the
compassionate OF hopeless maidcnhood
Honey hurried away to her waiting patron and
Mrs Milnms turned her attention slowly to the
Freside Friend It's first page was taken up almost
entirely with the picture OF pompadoured young
woman 4 low-neckcd gown, with Lady Teazle
curl over one shoulder, and piece Of black velvet
around her throat, engaged, apparently in nhaling
the perfume of a large chrysanthcmum and wearing
simperingly pleased expression Mrs Mmms
gloaed over this picture admringly for full min
ute 1t seemed to her to be the incarnation of all the
beauty and style that her soul longed for After she
had thoroughly stepped herself in it she proceeded to
go through the paper, taking cursory nip as it
were at each page-pausing appreciaby longer over
the page of wasp-waisted, berufed figures heralded
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