The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-09-24
Marfa's Wedding
Gown
By MARTHA MACWILLlAMS.


against Homework. A vain piece she'
proud Of her soft hands with taper
fingers and flbert shaped nails. her
dream was to sit In airy fairy gar
ments in softly lighted spaces evoiv-
ing beauty from gay-colored WOODS ana
rich silks or turning lace and linen
into garments fine enough for prih-
cess. She loved rich and fine textures
and had an artists sensibility to col
or. Silk especially fascinated ner'
abe Rloated over her scant store OF II
with an approach to miser Joy. In
way that was lucky all around.
Her parents were Just people OF the
| old fashion, and somewhat narrow.
When she was done with school and
restless In too-abundant leisure. they
had settled her problem by offering
her wages to stay and help her MOTH
or. who was in vigorous middle age.
Neiehbors had laughed at first.
Maria had a soft snap. Mrs. Lane
would do all the hard things and her
daughter get a tidy sum for stand
ing nv. There they reckoned with
ont either mother or daughter. SmrK-
ing was impossible to them-Mar1a
did her full share. But not for love
Of those needing It: instead, for love
Of silk.
She mt BY her money to buy ner
I'll Of it, permitting her parents 10
clothe her in things At for working
girl. So the savings mounted steadily
albeit now and then Maria was
tempted by a scarf. length OF rare
weave fascinating in color and texture
a hit OF satin or brocade truly royal.
Nobody sought to hinder such speno'
tngs: an only daughter, even II rebel
lious against environment, Is 100
nrec,ous to be crossed needlessly. Be
sides the elders were sympathetic TO
ward Marfa's Iongings. She came by
them honestly. They themselves were
Main folk. but Grandma Marklen mao
been iust the same. She had craved
saved and boarded and at last q1ee
OF shock and grief when her trunk
fuls Of finery were burned uninsured
Cynthy. eldest daughter, sole inheritol
in her generation Of grandma's pas
sion. was thought by the two younger
girls to have borrowed several espe
cial1y gorgeous things just before tn
FIRE.
. Rut she denied having them-st
!; there the matter rested. The deFy
t ing had made GOODNESS between tn
/, sisters, but Cynthy. in her city home
D cared little for that b
4 She had married we'll; wfdowe
i twice her age. with an overgrown sol
S and a bad case Of crouch. Dying
), few years after. he had left her lif
t estate that assured her handsom
income. but nothing in fee-everythin
t reverted to the son, who had grow
). out Of his bulkiness but kept nj
$ resentment to Cynthy. So when 10
Lane went to work in the city, Cynth!
J. otherwise Mrs. Jabez Clifford, ha
G sought him out, made him free OF ne
= home, handsome apartment-and II
g troduced him to her friends.
He had done her much credit anon
them, being clean-minded. straigh
} tall and supple, fresh-colored an
easy in manner with the ease thf
comes from very kind heart. u
K she did not encourage him to speak
% home nor home affairs. Il want yo
all mine while you are with me-" 81
~ had said II the beginning. Hence n
y letters had not dwelt upon her kim
, ness. y
g He was glad they had not whe
q the trouble came-the home Peep
r. might feel that he could appeal to n
for help. That was, on the face
20 things, impossible; yet when she som
W how sensed his deep disquiet, al
:, cross-examined him cleverly, he endt
/. by showing her his fathers lette
u "Son, don't leopard your own future
It ran, ''but II you can, lend me
ba thousand dollars or so. What I'll
ru you have when you left us was
a. gift outright; am not asking PEN
os of It back. You know why, / thin
so the land might go free and Gle
es to your sister. She may love 1t n
4" better than you do, but 1t can't
no nor run away uAO SoN w o~ 49,
her as to make 1t certain she n
comfort. And It insures US old fe
a good living rs long as we have
i debts to pay.
snow there isn't the scratch OF
pen against me, but with the fruit
s killed, the garden-truck more tn
& half ruined and wheat 80 hurt by \
= weeks frost, the income in sight v
= barely pay taxes.i and insurance a
; no matter how you save, saving Is
r possible when You haven't any mon
Y "A thousand wiil tide us over be-
N tifu.ly-could get 1t on mortgage ca
a but want to die as I've lived, me
gage free. You will, / know, be g
no. to help me II you can with justice
MN yourself. That you must decide
10. you are likely to hurt yourself
70 pocket or standing with your ps
.Is ners, say so like the man I hope we
,an made you. I know you went tn
otv ought to use Marfa's money, she
saved a little more than the thous'
ho+ In her three years. work for us.
ods we know, mother and I, her heart
~ SET on spending 1t for silk, and
nc shall have the fun of doing 1t no n
+or ter what happens"