CHAPTER XXV.
THE PARTY.
"Bring me my new dress, Jenny; I want to see if the Honiton lace on the caps is as wide as Ida Selden's." "What do you mean ?" asked Jenny, turning quickly towards her sister, whose white, wasted face looked fitter for a shroud than a gay party dress.
"I mean what I say," returned Rose; "I'm not going to be cooped up here any longer.

I'm going to the party to-morrow night, if I never go again!" "Why, Rose Lincoln, are you crazy ?" asked Jenny.

"You haven't been in the street yet, and how do you expect to go to-morrow night?
Mother wouldn't let you, if she were here." "Well, thank fortune, she and father both are in Southbridge; and besides that, I'm a great deal better; so hand me my dress." Jenny complied, and reclining on pillows scarcely whiter than herself, Rose Lincoln examined and found fault with a thin gossamer fabric, none suited for any one to wear in a cold wintry night, and much less for her.
"There, I knew it wasn't as wide as Ida's into an eighth of an inch," said she, measuring with her finger the expensive lace.

"I'll have some new.

Come, Jenny, suppose you go down street and get it, for I'm bent upon going;" and the thoughtless girl sprang lightly upon the floor, and _chassed_ half way across the room to show how well and strong she was.
Jenny knew that further expostulation from her was useless, but she refused to go for the lace, and Sarah, the servant girl, was sent with a note from Rose saying she wanted a nice article, 8 or 10 dollars per yard.
"I don't believe father would like to have you make such a bill," said Jenny when Sarah was gone.