Vashti's Fate — page 127: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

it SAAS OR oS re SSRI PL 6S Sig oa as cle 9h Stag A : + a, oe OP Ore 7 FS = so . * . . Ae An *. ° . : > A eS Ss .% = e; " 7 — . ~~ oi ae . . “ » @ .’ > « a Lie CLT SE * r™ fp - “ aad z oat . SS 3. ae A, ¢ ‘ at. io - ° o* - “ a eg . = ~ 122 A NEW WARDROBE. ‘*A very singular child, indeed.” , Kc of * * 7 * A letter for Vashti. There it lay on her stand; some one had put it there during her absence from the room. A letter—and from Aunt Margery Gresham! It was short, but like Margery’s verbal communications, to the point, It ran thus: ‘“VasHTI :—It seems that you are the butt of ridicule where you are, owing to the style of your dress. You may lay the fault of that to your adorable Miss Dale. She min- gles with the world, and knows what people wear in it. I shall send you money, and you can furnish yourself with a suitable wardrobe from the country town—Martineau, I believe they call it. All well. MarGrEry GRESHAM. ” ‘<'That is just like Aunt Margery,” soliloquized Vashti ; ‘never a word about mamma or Nora. I don’t suppose she ever told them she was writing to me.” A low knock at Vashti’s door was followed by the en- trance of Mrs. Gordon. She saluted her pupil with a graceful kiss, saying : ‘Are you glad, my child ?” ‘‘For what—this letter? How did it.come?” ‘““Tnclosed in one to me ; and your aunt sent me money enough to dress you up beautifully. ” ‘‘Did you write Aunt Margery about me—did you tell her I was the butt of ridicule here?” cried Vashti, in a grieved tone. | | ‘You must not raise your voice, or speak to me in that manner, dear,” said Mrs. Gordon, with a quiet smile. ‘I believe I said something of the kind; not exactly in hose words, however. I said you were not dressed