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APairofSilkStockingsbyKateChopinLittleMrs.Sommersonedayfoundherselftheunexpectedpossessoroffifteendollars.Itseemedtoheraverylargeamountofmoney,andthewayinwhichitstuffedandbulgedherwornoldporte-monnaiegaveherafeelingofimportancesuchasshehadnotenjoyedforyears.Thequestionofinvestmentwasonethatoccupiedhergreatly.Foradayortwoshewalkedaboutapparentlyinadreamystate,butreallyabsorbedinspeculationandcalculation.Shedidnotwishtoacthastily,todoanythingshemightafterwardregret.Butitwasduringthestillhoursofthenightwhenshelayawakerevolvingplansinhermindthatsheseemedtoseeherwayclearlytowardaproperandjudicioususeofthemoney.AdollarortwoshouldbeaddedtothepriceusuallypaidforJanie'sshoes,whichwouldinsuretheirlastinganappreciabletimelongerthantheyusuallydid.ShewouldbuysoandsomanyyardsofpercalefornewshirtwaistsfortheboysandJanieandMag.Shehadintendedtomaketheoldonesdobyskilfulpatching.Magshouldhaveanothergown.Shehadseensomebeautifulpatterns,veritablebargainsintheshopwindows.Andstilltherewouldbeleftenoughfornewstockings--twopairsapiece--andwhatdarningthatwouldsaveforawhile!Shewouldgetcapsfortheboysandsailor-hatsforthegirls.Thevisionofherlittlebroodlookingfreshanddaintyandnewforonceintheirlivesexcitedherandmadeherrestlessandwakefulwithanticipation.TheneighborssometimestalkedofcertainbetterdaysthatlittleMrs.SommershadknownbeforeshehadeverthoughtofbeingMrs.Sommers.Sheherselfindulgedinnosuchmorbidretrospection.Shehadnotime--nosecondoftimetodevotetothepast.Theneedsofthepresentabsorbedhereveryfaculty.Avisionofthefuturelikesomedim,gauntmonstersometimesappalledher,butluckilytomorrownevercomes.Mrs.Sommerswasonewhoknewthevalueofbargains;whocouldstandforhoursmakingherwayinchbyinchtowardthedesiredobjectthatwassellingbelowcost.Shecouldelbowherwayifneedbe;shehadlearnedtoclutchapieceofgoodsandholditandsticktoitwithpersistenceanddeterminationtillherturncametobeserved,nomatterwhenitcame.Butthatdayshewasalittlefaintandtired.Shehadswallowedalightluncheon--no!whenshecametothinkofit,betweengettingthechildrenfedandtheplacerighted,andpreparingherselffortheshoppingbout,shehadactuallyforgottentoeatanyluncheonatall!Shesatherselfuponarevolvingstoolbeforeacounterthatwascomparativelydeserted,tryingtogatherstrengthandcouragetochargethroughaneagermultitudethatwasbesiegingbreastworksofshirtingandfiguredlawn.Anall-gonelimpfeelinghadcomeoverherandsherestedherhandaimlesslyuponthecounter.Sheworenogloves.Bydegreesshegrewawarethatherhandhadencounteredsomethingverysoothing,verypleasanttotouch.Shelookeddowntoseethatherhandlayuponapileofsilkstockings.Aplacardnearbyannouncedthattheyhadbeenreducedinpricefromtwodollarsandfiftycentstoonedollarandninety-eightcents;andayounggirlwhostoodbehindthecounteraskedherifshewishedtoexaminetheirlineofsilkhosiery.Shesmiled,justasifshehadbeenaskedtoinspectatiaraofdiamondswiththeultimateviewofpurchasingit.Butshewentonfeelingthesoft,sheenyluxuriousthings--withbothhandsnow,holdingthemuptoseethemglisten,andtofeelthemglideserpent-likethroughherfingers.Twohecticblotchescamesuddenlyintoherpalecheeks.Shelookedupatthegirl.Doyouthinkthereareanyeights-and-a-halfamongthese?Therewereanynumberofeights-and-a-half.Infact,thereweremoreofthatsizethananyother.Herewasalight-bluepair;thereweresomelavender,someallblackandvariousshadesoftanandgray.Mrs.Sommersselectedablackpairandlookedatthemverylongandclosely.Shepretendedtobeexaminingtheirtexture,whichtheclerkassuredherwasexcellent.Adollarandninety-eightcents,shemusedaloud.Well,I'lltakethispair.Shehandedthegirlafive-dollarbillandwaitedforherchangeandforherparcel.Whataverysmallparcelitwas!Itseemedlostinthedepthsofhershabbyoldshopping-bag.Mrs.Sommersafterthatdidnotmoveinthedirectionofthebargaincounter.Shetooktheelevator,whichcarriedhertoanupperfloorintotheregionoftheladies'waiting-rooms.Here,inaretiredcorner,sheexchangedhercottonstockingsforthenewsilkoneswhichshehadjustbought.Shewasnotgoingthroughanyacutementalprocessorreasoningwithherself,norwasshestrivingtoexplaintohersatisfactionthemotiveofheraction.Shewasnotthinkingatall.Sheseemedforthetimetobetakingarestfromthatlaboriousandfatiguingfunctionandtohaveabandonedherselftosomemechanicalimpulsethatdirectedheractionsandfreedherofresponsibility.Howgoodwasthetouchoftherawsilktoherflesh!Shefeltlikelyingbackinthecushionedchairandrevellingforawhileintheluxuryofit.Shedidforalittlewhile.Thenshereplacedhershoes,rolledthecottonstockingstogetherandthrustthemintoherbag.Afterdoingthisshecrossedstraightovertotheshoedepartmentandtookherseattobefitted.Shewasfastidious.Theclerkcouldnotmakeherout;hecouldnotreconcilehershoeswithherstockings,andshewasnottooeasilypleased.Sheheldbackherskirtsandturnedherfeetonewayandherheadanotherwayassheglanceddownatthepolished,pointed-tippedboots.Herfootandanklelookedverypretty.Shecouldnotrealizethattheybelongedtoherandwereapartofherself.Shewantedanexcellentandstylishfit,shetoldtheyoungfellowwhoservedher,andshedidnotmindthedifferenceofadollarortwomoreinthepricesolongasshegotwhatshedesired.ItwasalongtimesinceMrs.Sommershadbeenfittedwithgloves.Onrareoccasi