Year: 1860




join in tho festivties-her conscienc,
would not,,permit her to do so. 1t woult
wrong her parents


Mary Travor, her friend was also ;
teacher, and both of them boarded at tn.
house of James uncle, who was quite al
influential person. He was plain spo
ken, common sense man, aud thorough,
detested the vanities which were year af
ter year introduced into that place from
the city He had pressed Jane to 60 te
the ball with such dress as she had
1t was literally true, however, that a cal
leo dress was the best she had. .


Samuel Vincent, young clerk in the
village who had imbibed great many
extravagant city notions, had for some
months been pointedly attentive to her,
and apparently with her good will. He
had suddenly withdrawn from the list.
only few weeks before our story opens
and the reason assigned to his friends,
and the reason which was rumored
through the village, and which even
reached JAMES ears, was that he was
ashamed of her, she dressed SO shabby


She was content to let it 90 so, and
one of her sound sense could not afford
to waste many sighs over such lover.


Jane consulted her uncle in regard to
attending the ball in calico dress The
blunt spoken old fellow was delighted
with the idea, and promised his hearty
cooperation in carrying it out.


The long-expected day came at last,
and the village was stirred to the center
1t was leap year, and the ladies had got
up this ball in honor of young nabob of
the village who had just returned from
Europe. Besides being young, hand
some aud rich, he was unmarried All
the girls wanted him, for his handsome
face and swelling Golfers had not spoiled
him. In spite of all the circumstances
that conspired to make him fop aud
ninny, he was just the reverse He was
a good, sound, substantial, sensible fel-
low


OF course all the young ladies had set
their caps for him, and we don't much
blame them either, Whether the ball
was given to show of the attractions of
certain few, or to give ali an equal chance,
We shall no. here discuss
But Frank Huntington made up his
mind to disappoint them all. He regar.
ded the affair as an unmitigated 'man
I, trap, and he was fully resolved not to
se, his foot into it OF course his vanity
was not little ticklcd at the idea Of be-
ing lion of the occa> ion, and he went to
! the ball fully prepared to have a good
time, and 'roar' alike for all the ladies


The ball opened. The band played
the Introductory march for the jewellers
to promenade into the hall. James uu-
Gle had fortunately succeeded in finding a
young man who had the independence to
walk into the hall by the side of the cali
co dress, and the brave girl was duly
seated, engaged for tie first dance
By some strange management of the
machinery, Jane found herself in the
same set with the lion Of the evening
She was forced to confess that he was
glorious fellow-she had never seen him
beforehand just her ideal Of what man
! ought to be. 1t would have been easy to
love such man.


Miss Araminta Edmondson was his
partner In her own estimation she was
the most considerable belle in the vii
lage, besides being the heiress of hand
some fortune. Her friends had played
her cards adroitly, and she had thus far
won the chief distinction Of the evening.
She was morally certain of captivating
her partner before the dance was finish
! ed


She turned up her nose at the calico
dress, and even uttered some disparag-
ing remarks to Frank Huntington.


81 like her independence" said the
lion of the evening.


"She is very absurd girl" sneered
Araminta.


"But very pretty one"
"Do You think so?"


do, indeed +"


And Sam Vincent was close at hand,
too He had selected the most prodigi-
Gus heap Of petticoats, muslns and rib.
bons in the bevy of damsels, and spent
his joyous moments in making fun of the
noble girl whom he boasted of having
sacked"


The first dance was ended, and it be-
came question of momentous impor-
tance who should be Franks second
partner. The friends of various young
ladies kindly proposed to introduce him,
but the lion "played off"


Taking the arm of friend he saunter-
cd into the drawing room, where some of
the old ladies and gentlemen were play.
ing whist,


+" Mr. Oakes,' said Frank, touching
James uncle on the shoulder.


He looked up ......


!" am sorry to disturb you but
have set my heart upon dancing with
that handsome niece Of yours the next
time"


!" But, my dear fellow, she has nothing
on but calico Dress" said the old gen
tlcman bluntly, and with the most pro-
found astonishmcnt.


Frank understood him, though he did
not express precisely what he meant.


I" admire her independence.


"You are sensible fellow. Come
on"


Frank was duly introduced, and the
envious maidens were duly astonished by
the sight of the lion of the evening dan
cling with the calico dress.
Miss Arminta was in a rage, and de.
clared that the lion ought to bo ashamed
of himself.