A young woman, perhaps a teenager, poses for her portrait at the Daylight Studio in Topeka, Kansas. She appears quite solemn and is wearing a black dress with black satin sashes and bows. Perhaps she is in mourning. The young lady is wearing a collar pin and a ring. She is beautifully dressed and is pretty despite her apparent discomfort at being photographed. (SOLD)
THE CABINET CARD GALLERY 
I believe you are correct that this young woman is in mourning. This is a good example of a mourning gown worn during the Victorian Age. Widows were expected to wear a veil when they left the home, and the proprieties also required that the average period of mourning should last for 21/2 years. – I see that the young widow here is appropriately solemn and gracefully dignified, She appears calm and self-possessed, and I fail to detect any signs of “discomfort”. Thanks CC, for another special portrait.
If that indeed is an urn in front of her, it’s quite small and possibly indicates that she is morning the loss of a very young baby.
mourning !!!