Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 310, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 December 1910 — Truthfulness of Grace [ARTICLE]

Truthfulness of Grace

The financial difficulties which a few years ago reduced Mrs. Carewe and her daughter Grace to the slenderest of incomes have but served to bring out their gifts and graces—so say all of their friends. Mrs. Carewe has developed a perfect genius for “making over” dresses, and Grace —well, perhaps her real fiber shows Itself in the sweetness with which she wears the made-over things. For it might be rather difficult for a pretty young girl to wear the same dresses, year after year, in a circle of girl friends not obliged to economize—and to do it gracefully. Last summer the Carewes were with some friends in one of those summer camps where you “go back to nature,” says the Youth’s Companion. Nobody thinks about dress there, and the “functions” are all Impromptu and make small demands on the wardrobe. A group of the campers was chatting in Mrs. Carewe’s tent one morning, when a new arrival joined them. She had come only two days before, and was already enthusiastic over the camp. “And it’s such a good place,” she said, finally, completing the list of virtues, "to wear out one’s last year’s things.”

“Yes, indeed,” assented Grace Carewe. “I’m just reveling in my old clothes here.” After the newcomer had gone, Mrs. Carewe began to look worried, so much so that her daughter solicitously asked what the trouble could be. "My dear, I didn’t quite like what you said to Mrs. Bannock. Of course you didn’t say that you had a trunkful of new dresses, as she has, but didn’t you really leave the impression—” “Mother,” asked Grace, with dignity, “what did I say to Mrs. Bannock?” “You said, my child, that you were ‘just reveling’ in your old things, as if there were any difference between here and ” “But, mother, dear, there is a difference. Did you ever know me to revel In them in town?” Then Mrs. Carewe, who, better than any other, knows Grace’s girlish love of pretty things and the species of miniature heroism that she exercises in being the sunniest as well as the shabbiest girl in her set, considered a moment. And having a sense of humor as well as a passion for perfect truthfulness, she laughed. “I don’t say another word, my dear.” she said.