The Prescott daily news., 1912-08-20
WI Wiicked Grandmother


 slowly down her plump cheeks.
 Harriet, dear," said Mrs. Martin. gently, but with marked firmness, T think you'd better go to your own room for a while.
 She's such a queer child" she went on after Harriet had disappeared with a gulp of despair. she simply determined that she won't wear her new dress to the party tomorrow. She wants to wear her old one!"
 Grandmother Hilton, to whom the remark was addressed, passed over this unnatural state of mind without comment. "Why doesn't she want to wear the new oneY" she asked.
 She says 1t makes her look funny" moaned Harriet's mother. she says it's not like the other girls dresses. Well, didn't want 1t to be like the other girls dresses. I tried so hard to make 1t have a little Individuality.
 "Oh." said Grandmother Hilton of course you're right, dear" she said, after moments reflection, but since 1t makes her so unhappy don't you think 1t would be better to let her wear the old one?"
 When she has a perfectly new one?" cried MT. Martin, desperately.
 At this moment Harriet's tear stain ed face appeared in the doorway.
 Then can l not go to the party, mother?" she hiccoughed.
 Harriet" said her mother, sternly, you will go to that party and you will wear the very pretty and unusual looking dress that got for you. Not another word, please"
 Harriet gave vent to her feelings in sudden loud howl. "Oh." she walled. How can you be so mean to me? I don't mind a bit staying at home if you will let me, but 1t will just kill me to wear that dress. There isn't another girl in the world that has one like 1t. I can't bear to wear It.
 Mrs Martin looked at her own ! mother Did you ever hear anything like 1t? It's ridiculous!- she exclaim- ed. forlornly,
 
 was fraught with gloom during the rest of the day. Harriet's swollen eyes and general air of desolation gave the place the effect of tomb. When Harriet's father-who went up on the general principle that Harriet should be allowed to do exactly as she pleased so long as it would do her no bodily injury-came home and learned the cause of his daughters deep de- pression, he laughed.
 "Well, for goodness sake, why don { you let the kid wear the old oneH" he | inquired.
 Then he observed the firm line made by his wife's lips and he knew | there was no use in discussing the matter further. A new silver dollar bestowed on Harriet helped to relieve | the tension, but the watery little smile which he received was far cry from | the Joyous peal of laughter that he had hoped for Consequently he, too, was depressed and silent.
 After Harriet had gone to school | t4It utAl llOl Hlilb hic. nloi lli, NlNh the air of a defiant culprit, took the | bone of contention into her mothers s room. "Now. isn't 1t pretty dress?" she asked. bel!igerently.
 Indeed 1t is." said Grandmother | Hilton with enthusiasm Its just as pretty as 1t can be. but 1t Is rather different from the way most of the girls dresses are made, isn't it?"
 'I wanted 1t to be different" said Mrs Martin. obstinately. 'It Is so much prettier than the way dresses are made now and want Harriet to have little independence"
 Grandmother Hilton smoothed out the soft folds gently There was no hint of guile in her tone, nor was there in her sweet face when she spoke again.
 Don't you think it needs pressing. Genevieve?" she asked Suppose you let me run down to the kitchen and smooth 1t out little"
 "Oh, will you, mother?" said Mrs. Martin gladly Tt does need pressing and I'm so rushed this morning that I don't see how I'll get time to do it." Grandmother Hilton's face was still as innocent as that of newborn babe when she began gently to run the iron over the delicate little frock. It was surely no fault of hers that she was suddenly the victim of an at tack of sneezing. It was not until she had sneezed three times rather de- liberately that she remembered she had left the hot iron resting on the