The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-02-03
BETH'S TASTES
BY. JEAN X. HARD.

Beth came in after the other girls
had assembled for their sewing cir
Gle, as trim as a dime and az dainty
as a flower in her new tailored gown
and new hat. Naturally remarks few
from one to another as h entered.
She took her place near Alice. open
cd her work bag. and took out her
SCISSORS, thimbie and q piece or linen
into which h was putting some fam
cy stitches. You have such a pretty
new dress" said Alice. Only those
near heard, for she spoke low. Beth
glanced Town upon her skirt with an
expression of complaeency.
II like 1t. What do you think /
paid for tit"
Alice hesitated and then said, Il do
not know. I'm sure ! should come far
from guessing"
Fifty dollars. 1t is quite a plain
suit, too" She continued to explain
how she disliked cheap dresses. and
that she would rather yea an old
one OF good material than a lev one
OF cheap material. She talked for at
least ten minutes on this one subject.
She told how much she had paid for
her shoes and her hat. The sums were
beyond the reach Of most 0f aus wha
were present. noticed that Rena,
III WdS WHALING very lAShR 6hlA =
and waist, grew silent. / was pro-
voked at her for this, yet I under
stood her se~nsitiveness, and knew that
she owed beautiful things, quite as
we'll as Beth did. Ten minutes talk
about something that was not worth
whI1e and that had made-at least
one in the little company feel con-
Lsciauss. ss7e .+e,~-e~e~ ~ - = -
When the needles we're busy, Thel-
ma crossed the room to where Beth
and Alice sat. She was one OF the
younger girls who. were just learning
embroidery stitches and Alice had
promised to teach her to make French
knots. She was working on q piece
of heavy and rather coarse liner She
looked with admiration upon Beth's
beautiful piece OF goods, which was
as sheer and fine as 4 cobweb. The
stitches Beth was taking were quite
in harmony with the goods. isn't It
lovely!s exclaimed Thelma- Its a
waist. isn't it? Your stitches, are SO
dainty and your goods 30 fine. 1t must
be difficult to work on such mate
rial"
1T is" answered Beth In q decided
manner. 1T takes much longer, for
IL must work slowly 40 that the
stitches will not draw; but I'd rather
work a year at a piece and have some
thing worth while when I'm done. !
despise coarse material. I'll do with
out before I'll wear coars linen shirt
waists. What do you think ] paid q
yard for this?~
No one could tell her. She named
"a price that set our ears tingling.
Thelma did not sit beside he to re-
ceive her instructions from Alice. but
bundled her piece OF coarse liner to-
,gether and slipped II In her bag.
why nave you put away your
work, Theima?" some one asked. 1T
isn't near time to quit
II think I've done all ] are to
to-day" IN said. I'm tired Of work.
iing."
She sat idle for an hour, although I
knew her fingers we're twitching 70 get
TO work. She needed the shirtwaist
and had been anxious TO finish II. i
could have boxed her ears for being
% foolish, but she waS only a young
Girl. She had not learned TO laugh
~ such remarks az those Beth made.
md then go on her~oMnA appointed
way without being Influenced.
] wa more provoked At Beth. who
was q half dozen yearh older. She
knew better than to do what she war
doing, but. she hadak41len into the
nAbN unconsciousiy. IA think she did
not realize how selfish and marrow
her conversation had becoTaS. Per-
sonallys ! laughed At her remarks on
prices and costs and vaInea. r had
my standard. ana wMs Wholly In
diMerent whether my heak vvaist suitsd
hetn g nor. psrhAps would nays
ma had 4 been their
Eynry subject disc&tU16d f1lAt+ after
ncbn that could ccuco1Nah1y have q
price 1t0t attached - k0116 this fate