Aunt Caroline's Silk Dress Page #3

"Aunt Caroline's Silk Dress" is a poignant short story by Lucy Maud Montgomery, centered around a young girl named Laura who is deeply influenced by the memory of her beloved Aunt Caroline. The narrative explores themes of nostalgia, longing, and the impact of personal memory through the lens of Laura's admiration for her aunt's beautiful silk dress. As Laura grapples with her feelings of loss and the significance of the dress, the story reflects Montgomery's signature style of intertwining emotional depth with vivid, descriptive imagery, ultimately capturing the complexities of familial bonds and the passage of time.

• Short story

								

deed it to her nephew, Edward Curry, whom she had brought up. Poor
Aunt Caroline had lived to regret this step, for everyone in Enderby
knew that Edward Curry and his wife had repaid her with ingratitude
and greed.

Carry, who was named for her, was her favourite grandniece and often
went to see her, though such visits were coldly received by the
Currys, who always took especial care never to leave Aunt Caroline
alone with any of her relatives. On one occasion, when Carry was
there, Aunt Caroline had brought out this silk dress.

"I'm going to give this to you, Carry," she said timidly. "It's a good
silk, and not so very old. Mr. Greenley gave it to me for a birthday
present fifteen years ago. Maybe you can make it over for yourself."

Mrs. Edward, who was on duty at the time, sniffed disagreeably, but
she said nothing. The dress was of no value in her eyes, for the
pattern was so ugly and old-fashioned that none of her smart daughters
would have worn it. Had it been otherwise, Aunt Caroline would
probably not have been allowed to give it away.

Carry had thanked Aunt Caroline sincerely. If she did not care much
for the silk, she at least prized the kindly motive behind the gift.
Perhaps she and Patty laughed a little over it as they packed it away
in the garret. It was so very ugly, but Carry thought it was sweet of
Aunt Caroline to have given her something. Poor old Aunt Caroline had
died soon after, and Carry had not thought about the silk dress again.
She had too many other things to think of, this poor worried Carry.

After breakfast Carry began to rip the skirt breadths apart. Snip,
snip, went her scissors, while her thoughts roamed far afield--now
looking forward with renewed pleasure to Christine's wedding, now
dwelling dolefully on the mortgage. Patty, who was washing the dishes,
knew just what her thoughts were by the light and shadow on her
expressive face.

"Why!--what?" exclaimed Carry suddenly. Patty wheeled about to see
Carry staring at the silk dress like one bewitched. Between the silk
and the lining which she had just ripped apart was a twenty-dollar
bill, and beside it a sheet of letter paper covered with writing in a
cramped angular hand, both secured very carefully to the silk.

"Carry Lea!" gasped Patty.

With trembling fingers Carry snipped away the stitches that held the
letter, and read it aloud.

    "My dear Caroline," it ran, "I do not know when you will find
    this letter and this money, but when you do it belongs to you.
    I have a hundred dollars which I always meant to give you
    because you were named for me. But Edward and his wife do not
    know I have it, and I don't want them to find out. They would
    not let me give it to you if they knew, so I have thought of
    this way of getting it to you. I have sewed five twenty-dollar
    bills under the lining of this skirt, and they are all yours,
    with your Aunt Caroline's best love. You were always a good
    girl, Carry, and you've worked hard, and I've given Edward
    enough. Just take this money and use it as you like.

                                   "Aunt Caroline Greenley."

"Carry Lea, are we both dreaming?" gasped Patty.

With crimson cheeks Carry ripped the other breadths apart, and there
were the other four bills. Then she slipped down in a little heap on
the sofa cushions and began to cry--happy tears of relief and
gladness.

"We can pay the interest," said Patty, dancing around the room, "and
get yourself a nice new dress for the wedding."

"Indeed I won't," said Carry, sitting up and laughing through her
tears. "I'll make over this dress and wear it out of gratitude to the
memory of dear Aunt Caroline."
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