Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1919-10-16
IULIA'S GOWN
BY CHARLOTTE r. SMITH.

Wv bulid MIX.
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 AZ night
finishing on 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 hut 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 he
no costly finery for her and sometimes
she went to sleep with n wet handker.
chief under her pillow. after spend
ing the evening helping her mother
make the little pink gown OF l5-cent
muslin.
II was during one of these evenings
er of the wonderful gowns the seniors
were having made that she suddenly
asked wistfully:
do you suppose can have silk
dress when graduate, mothcr?"
"Dearie." said Mrs. King sharply. as
though something had hurt her--in
fact, Julia thought she must have
pricked her finger-''I only wish
might promise II to you, but l can't"
Julia was silent. Her mother scwed
steadily for little while then threw
her work aside and impulsively drew
the girls dark head to her shoulder.
"Do you think | don't realize how
much you want 1t? Why. grille the
dream Of my foolish old head for years
has been to possess a lustrous dark
blue taffeta. You didn't know your
mother was such goose. did you2
There. run along to bed"
A few days later she went into the
kitchen where Mrs. King. her tired
face flushed with heat. was busjly
canning rhubarb. A sudden thought
popped into Julias mind.
"MOther!" 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
Ill.
might get enough to buy--that Is. to
have--oh, ! do want to have nice
dress when graduate"
Mrs. King snapped 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 a 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 he
her helper four evenings a week
through July and August.
Then began a busy time for the
girl.
So the months sped by until It was
really time to purchase the material
for the dreamed-of gown.
II wish you were going to have
new dress, marmee," said Julia Inn
pulsively one day. az Mrs. King was
mending q little rent In the well-wOrn
but spotless gray dress.
"Oh. well. DEAR" responded her
mother brightly. 'this old gown with
fresh collar will do very nicely"
But to Julia's horror an she passed
her mothers door quietly q half.hour
later, she saw Mrs. King hold the old
gray dress at arms length for sec
ond. then ding II on the bed and wipe
the running tears from her face.
Two hours later Julia bounced into
the house laden with several mysteri-
Gus bundles and ran lightly up to her
room.
Mother" she called In q queer
voice. II wish you would come up =
minute. I've just bought my dress
and I never was 70 happy over any.
thing In my life!"
A rnther dspleased lady walked up
stairs at this bidding.
"JuIia," she demonstrated, you
ought to have had an older person
with you" but stopped suddenly when
she saw the material Julia was unrOll-
ing.
Just q white wolfe. sheer and dam
ty. to be sure, but plain white wolfe.
isn't II pretty" cooed Julia. her
dark eyes beaming with mischief.
~ don't understand" began Mrs.
King in q dazed way.
''Ds you understand thisr YELLED
her daughter suddenly as she threw q
perfect swirl Of lustrOus dark blue tat
feta round the slender figure before
her.
"Do you know, you marmee. that
yous are going to have commence
ment gown for your own sweet self.
and that you are going to graduate
from sacrificing everything to q selfish
daughter? And here Ia lace TO trim II
with" she raced on recklessiy. "and
sewing silk and hooks and eyes. and
white kid gloves. And my dress II to