Show MS MRS 44 1 A vilon idie sa girls experience Exx orino sn in tho groot groat alt olty y people who expected things from mrs merton said aheras very dressy people expectantly un critical 1 l changed I 1 thi the adjective to one thing was waa 4 certain about abou lier her wardrobe it was waa I 1 large if not select 0 o marf 1 rd kerton merton herself would have told you that her heart w was a s much aarder larg c r in fact thit that she wm was in sort the special providence of needy women particularly if they could sew new gowns outright were of course to be in trusted only to a whose charges were frightful dut but the old ones whose name was legion changed their fashion so often hadner had na new fronts today to atoo day new ruffles tomorrow to morrow were turned inside out and upside down at such a rate that the good lady was a true kaleidoscope of styles generally the changing meant work for madams latest it came co be bd noted botel too that that person was a wondern wonderfully ully variable quantity ars said the dear things got on and left her to hunt up other unfortunates it was her peculiarity to lose interest in people when they began to be prosperous and ablo able to do with without outher aar until they were why there was nothing she would not do for ali them m that made mrs pauldin paulding g smile behind her handkerchief she had not been the mertens Mer tons next neighbor five years for nothing but she said nothing only looked her hostess critically over as the latter turned and twisted before her ber mirror craning her neck to get the best yiew of the new old gown that had come home while the two ladies were on a joint shopping tour presently she he said gaid a little anxiously do you think it fits perfectly ever so much better than it did when it came from bame mme lie le Gr grandest braudes audes 11 yes and only think of it she abe barged thirty dollars for making it when the cloth ramt coat only twenty five it i a shamel shame 1 well style costs yon know who did it over for you i 1 1 oh I 1 want to tell you I 1 about her waybe maybe you can give her some work too she needs needa it coor she is a country girl one I 1 met last summer nummer it beems there is trouble of some sort bori at home her mother died father married again brother forged and ran away and I 1 think hes ches got a lover they dont approve anyway she has come to the ity for work a and 11 d OU only 1 think 1 knows no soul boul here herb but me 01 of course coura she ehe canic came straight stia ight to the house and ana tasked asked if eie mighty might give aiple liple as a refer erce to liek heb landlady aa an olia my dear sho aho I 1 is s so brave said she knew it would be hard work but she afraid so yon gave her work yes mending rac riding at imbt abbt andr and really ally her darning is a work ot of art then she seemed so handy I 1 thought I 1 might risk this dress I 1 always did love it you know and I 1 had got a big grease spot right on the front breadth so samo isomo hul had to be bc doad witult with iti and now i you see sec there a trace of it I 1 isho she has and pressed the whole gov own n and it ih looks so well I 1 shall nv car it for second best all winter I 1 arri arn delighted with it most of all to think I 1 got her ado to do it out of charity are you sure the vest is just right it looks very cry well indeed if it pleases you it must be you have such taste slie she fixed it this way I 1 qt at first firs but blit I 1 thought it ought M to bo be deeper decal so I 1 lidd ha d lier her change it the then a thought mayb may be ethis this was best after all I 1 amso am 0 o glad floa you like it really I 1 hope you will let her make over something for you we women you know au ought 9 lit to help each other and the poor thing is just beginning 11 what are arc her prices any tiding you have have a mind to pay I 1 gave lier beruty he ruty fifty cents and her dinner the day she he worked for me ide here and she was so grateful she want to talie talce it because I 1 had ven been enough io let her use my name do you know I 1 really feel that making this gown has been to her a labor of love I 1 wish she had waited so you might have seen what hat a de dear ar girl irl she really is from what nv at you say of her family I 1 dat like to have her come about me oh she to blame for foe her family besides I 1 really dont remember what the is you know I 1 hear so baan T Fo romantic mantic stories it if ever you see aee her know she is honest as aa daylight she may be but I 1 dont like tho the f aroma of disreputable connections well dwelli there is something in that I 1 really ought to be mote more parti particular pular but you know how I 1 am my heart always gets eta the better of my head but never of your curad 11 mrs mm paulding thought but did not say bay as aa she he trotted off home five minutes later detky ijane bane walked up the mertens Mer tons steps pretty letty with the lithe straightness of her own mountain trees still in her young shoulders she held herself upright but her tread was far from springy and there was an almost hollow look in the honest gray eyes broken crackers and water is ia not good diet to work on eved evea when you have the salt of hope the sauce pi of pride for seasoning the girl came of good stock better indeed than her patr patroness there was no hint of shame in the trouble that had sent her into the working ranks she bhe bad said to mrs mm merton my f father ather has haa lost more than all his money his surety has pai paid ld for him five fire liun hun dred dollars and I 1 am not going home until I 1 have made it good but as a that lady said she hart had so many histories to recount it was no wonder she often mixed and heightened them beyond recognition what letty kept to herself was the fact that the surety 1 was her own devoted lover william harding esq ile ie should never know her purpose until it reached fruition that would not be long she had all the faith and courage of inexperience and she did not mean to make dresses always indeed only until she got a foothold in something more to her taste she was genuinely grateful to mrs mm merton the lady had bad greeted her warmly and leen been lavish of promises whose face value honest letty never dreamed af dun discounting ting that was why she had been willing to spend a full week wrestling with the dusty half balf worn gown all things considered I 1 the result was more than creditable but letty could not help grudging the time and effort 4 1 I could have mades made a now new dress with half the l work y oric and an anderer dever t ever so q much more stylish styli sll 1 she murmured as filie shook out the completed garment adding with a little laugh As I 1 am paid for it I 1 ought rot not to mind but I 1 do hate to waste my ay work I 1 will ivill never do it for anybody but dear mrs merton she hated worse to go back for her money but ut her berrent bent rent fell hue to io morrow and pho lad had just jurt three cents her biawas only five doi dollars lars mrs merion she was sure would double it if she did letty had bad made up her mind to buy as many apples as she could eat cat faw just this once after that slie she would live sparsely but never starve fier belf abc a aho iad done for foe three days past in fact she wondered it if she would evir be able to see crackers or dull green cloth arrain again without a little shiver of sick hick faintness 0 A warm warm nour bisbing odor met her inside the merton door dinner ans just coming to tho the table better stul mrs merton about to sit down to it in the gown of lettys labors she ran up to the girl eagerly crying you dear how did you mana manage manae 5 e it mrs paulding CP says say 6 it look ic a so iso well I 1 will not need another dress this winter 1 I am glad iso BO glad betty said a little huskily busk ily 1 11 I came 1 I wanted to see it on you and find out how you liked it iv why its perfect perfect I 1 do dont n see liow how you ever did it and of course you want your money t need iced it no doubt tell me how much 1 owe you lety letty handed her the bill the next minute it was torn lu in two and flung at her feet while her benefactress t half shrieked five dollar sl I 1 never heard of such imposition why the dress worth it I 1 can buy a beautiful new one ready made for less and to think of asking such a price for work given you out of pure char charity ityl its a shame an outrage I 1 dont see how you dare look me in the face for a minute letty blood dumb and white then she baid steadily 1 I told you at first mrs merton the dress was waa not worth my working over yet you declared it must bo be done you could not part with it I 1 have put a weeks hard work into it pray accept it as a slight recompense for forthe the e el you have given me and let me wish you good evening ill give you two dollers I 1 meant to from the first mrs merton said trying to thrust the money in the girls hand letty dropped the coins at her feet and walked out upon the street tt reet blind desperate despairing so blind indeed that even when she got to her own door she did not see a tall fellow who stood patiently awaiting she waa not deaf though and when william hardings voice said cletty letty darling I 1 have come to fetch my wife home tier her pallor gave way to sweet red blushed blua blu hea shea and she answered slowly 1 I 1 think im sure I 1 am very glad of it ML C williams in yankee blade |