The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-08-01
JULIA'S GOWN
BY CHARLOTTE T. SMITH.


BILE Julia King.
Fine gowns were not plentiful In
the King family. Possibly the fact
that Julia was the oldest Of eight chill
dren may explain why her clothing
had always been of inferior quality.
Often Mrs. King sat up late at night
finishing OF some garment; while the
best clothes were usually adorned with
touch Of embroidery done wonder
fully well by Julia herself.
On the juniors devolved the task of
decorating the town hall for the great
occasion.
Then, too, who but the juniors were
to be escort for the graduates And
this meant much talk of gowns. shoes,
ribbons and gloves.
julia knew very well there could be
no costly finery for her and sometimes
she went to sleep with wet handker-
chief under her pillow, after spend
ing the evening helping her mother
make the little pink gown of 15-cent
muslin.
1t was during one Of these evenings
when Julia had been telling her moth
er Of the wonderful gowns the seniors
were having made that she suddenly
asked wistfully:
do you suppose l can have silk
dress when / graduate, motherY
"Dearie," said Mrs. King sharply, as
though something had hurt her-in
fact, Julia thought she must have
pricked her flnger-"I only wish /
might promise 1t to you, but l can't"
Julia was silent. Her mother sewed
steadily for little while, then threw
her work aside and impulsively drew
the girls dark head to her shoulder.
"Do you think l don't realize how
much you want it7 Why, grille the
dream Of my foolish old head for years
has been to possess lustrous dark
blue taffeta. You didn't know your
mother was such goose. did you?
There, run along to bed"
A few days later she went into the
kitchen where Mrs. King. her tired
face flushed with heat, was busly
canning rhubarb. A sudden thought
popped into Julia's mind.
''Motherl' she exclaimed. you
know Aunt Bee said yesterday we
might have all the wild berries we
were willing to pick. There are straw
berries, blueberries and blackberrles
in those old pastures. Oh, mother
do you suppose you could spare me
part Of the time to go out there to
pick some to sell? Seems to me l
might get enough to buy-that Is, to
have-oh, l do want to have q nice
dress when graduate !"
Mrs. King snapped a cover onto an
other can. Spare you? Yes, ma'am,"
she said briefly. And Julia, I heard
Doctor Dustin's wife say yesterday
she would pay girl well to stay with
the children evenings, for she likes to
ride with the doctor"
That very afternoon Julia saw Mrs.
Dustin and made arrangements to be
her helper four evenings a week
through July and August
Then began a busy time for the
girl.
SO the months sped by until 1t was
really time to purchase the material
for the dreamed-0f gown.
II wish you were going to have n
new dress, marmee," said Julia I'm
pulsively one day, as Mrs. King was
mending a little rent In the well-worn
but spotless gray dress.
"Oh, we'll. dear" responded her
mother brightly, this old gown with
40 MI "
But to Julia's horror as she passed
her mothers door quietly half-houT
later, she saw Mrs. King hold the ole
gray dress at arms length for sec
ond then fling il on the bed and wipe
the running tears from her face.
Two hours later Julia bounced into
the house laden with several myster
GUS bundles and ran lightly up to hei
room.
Mother" she called In queer
voice. II wish you would come up 2
minute. I've Just bought my dres'
and / never was so happy over any
thing in my life"
rather displeased lady walked up
stairs at this bidding.
Julia" she demonstrated, "yo,
ought to have had an Older person
with you" but stopped suddenly wher
she saw the material Julia was unroll
ing.
Just q white wolfe, sheer and dain
ty. to be sure, but plain white wolfe.
Isn't it pretty" cooed Julia, hel
dark eyes bVaming with mischief.
II don't understand" began Mrs
King in a dazed way.
do you understand thisT yelle;
her daughter suddenly as she threw {
perfect swirl OF lustrous dark blue tai
feta round the slender figure before
her.
do you know. you marmee, tina
you are going to have commence
ment gown for your own sweet self
and that you are going to graduate
from sacrificing everything to selfisl
daughter? And here is lace to trim 1
with rocaI IN yack ipSelv "ppt