Year: 1867

There was to be a grand party at
Squire Palmers mansiOn-only for the
little folks, yet real party, none the less,
Nearly all the girls and boys in the vii
hage We're invited, and among them, lii
tie Del Harmon. She had never al
tended an evening party, and when she
knew that She was really going, she was
ready 70 dance for JOY. Then too. she
was TO have a new blue dress TO wear.
and this made her still more happy, for
blue was her farorite color, partly be-
cause it was the hue of the sunny sky she
loved so much, and partly owing TO the
fact tbat her dolly's eyes were blue. She
had had blue dresses before, spotted, and
striped, and plaid, but this, as she told
one of her playmaies, was .'blue all over,
and pretty enough for i queen 10 wear


The dress-lnaker had come in the
morning and fittel the dress and promis-
ing surely to return If the next afternoon
in time for the party, had taken it home
with her TO finish. 30 little Dell WIS
very happy that day, and at school,
though she studied diligently, she could
not keep from sending glance through
the window now and then to the dress
makers shop on the opposite side Of the
street. and when she went 10 sleep that
night, every one ot whom she dreamed,
was dressed IN blue, and She thought her
father sold old Polnp and bought beau
iiful new pony with blue tail and
mane.


But suddenly, while Del and all the
other folks were dreaming happy dreams,
there came the cry of .-fire fire - and
the great bells changed their iron tongues,
and startled all the Town, but The alarm
had come too late, for already the hook
store and The dresSlnaker's shop adjoin-
ing ii. wore a mass OF flame, and the ef-
forts TO save them were utterly useless.


There was many valuable books lost,
and the bookseller took his loss very
much 70 heart, and the poor dressmaker,
when she saw her goods consuming In
the fire with lao power 10 rescue them,
wrung her hands ia dismay- But, for
the havoc of the flames there WIS not a
more sorry sufferer in the town than was
little Dell Harmon when she knew that
she would never see again her beautiful
blue dress She had expected TO have
such merry time but now her dress
was burned 10 ashes. and She must re-
main al home, for all her other dresses
were old, or faded, or out-grown. For
4 full hour she wept and refused 10 be
comfortel By degrees, however, she
grew quiet, and knowing that she was
making her mother sad 10y CRYING thus,
she wiped her eyes and tried 10 forget
her disappointment But try as she
would, she could not keep il quite ont OF
her mind, and presently bright thought
came 10 her there was her white mus
lin 1t would look almost as well rs
new if If were only nicely ironed and
away she ran TO ask her mother advice.


When evening came Del went to the
party in her neat white dress, and in all
the room there was no happier little
heart than hers. What would / have
done, mamma" she exclaimed a. she fin
i>lned recomting the pleasures of the eve
nirg, ..it ii had not been Tor INV white
dress 2





Then the mother lifted the child's face
lovingly between her hands, and looking
down into the sunny eyes, she said:


III Is the only dress about which my
little girl ever need be troubled Some
day there Will come message from the
great mansion where the good Father
has His home, bidding Us 20 up thither-
Then we may hegin TO ask what we
shall wear, and if we have no 'white
dress how sad II viii be, Only Christ
can give us this beautiful apparel, and
though the fire may consume, and the
moth and rust corrupt our every other
dress, If we have this left we need not be
afraid TO stand before him. ."-Sans}gy
School Teacher