The English Orphans; Or, A Home in the New WorldHolmes, Mary Jane
General
The English Orphans; Or, A Home in the New World
Holmes, Mary Jane
Orphans -- Fiction
Mary made no remark whatever, but she secretly wondered if Ella wore
such a hat. Still her desire to see her sister and to visit her
mother's grave, prevailed over all other feelings, and on Sunday
morning it was a very happy child which at about nine o'clock bounded
down the stairway, tidily dressed in a ten cent black lawn and a pair
of clean white pantalets.
There was another circumstance, too, aside from the prospect of seeing
Ella, which made her eyes sparkle until they were almost black. The
night before, in looking over the articles of dress which she would
need, she discovered that there was not a decent pair of stockings in
her wardrobe. Mrs. Grundy, to whom she mentioned the fact, replied
with a violent shoulder jerk, "For the land's sake! ain't you big
enough to go to meetin' barefoot, or did you think we kept silk
stockin's for our quality to wear?"
Before the kitchen looking-glass, Sal was practising a courtesy which
she intended making to any one who chanced to notice her next day; but
after overhearing Miss Grundy's remark, she suddenly brought her
exercises to a close and left the kitchen. Arrived at her room, she
commenced tumbling over a basket containing her wearing apparel,
selecting from it a pair of fine cotton stockings which she had long
preserved, because they were the last thing Willie's father ever gave
her. "They are not much too large for her now," thought she, "but I
guess I'll take a small seam clear through them." This being done, she
waited until all around the house was still, and then creeping
stealthily to Mary's room, she pinned the stockings to the pantalets,
hanging the whole before the curtainless window, where the little girl
could see them the moment she opened her eyes! Mary well knew to whom
she was indebted for this unexpected pleasure, and in her accustomed
prayer that morning she remembered the poor old crazy woman, asking
that the light of reason might again dawn upon her darkened mind.
On descending to the kitchen, Mary found Sal waiting for her, and, as
she had expected, rigged out in a somewhat fantastic style. Her dress,
which was an old plum-colored silk, was altogether too short-waisted
and too narrow for the prevailing fashion. A gauze handkerchief was
thrown across her neck, and fastened to her belt in front by a large
yellow bow. Her bonnet, which was really a decent one, was almost
entirely covered by a thick green veil, and notwithstanding the sun
was shining brightly, she carried in her hand a large blue cotton
umbrella, for fear it would rain!
"Come, child," said she, the moment Mary appeared, "put on your
_tea-kettle_ (referring to the bonnet which Mary held in her hand),
and let us start."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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