The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1877-02-28
A SLEIGH BELLE.

Harold Brown S sleigh dashed merrlly
up to Harold Browns door, and at that
moment (she was the soul of punctuaity)
out came Harold Browns only sister-a
little woman wrapped in shawls and
wells end worsted things from head to
e foot.
"Come along, SIS" he shouts; and
then. without waiting for her 8" to come
along, he jumps from the sleigh, reaches
the top of the stoop in three strides-he' IS
tall, broad shouldered, dark skinned,
blue eyed young fellow-catches her up
in his arms rs though she were only q
bundle, and in the twinking of an eye
she is snuSly slowed away among the
buffalo robes.
Crack goes the whip. "G'lang, Ned ~
cries Harold. "Sed tosses his head
and paws the ground al jnstant to get the
sleigh bells ringing properly, and eff they
60.
care you warm . asks Harold Of the
bundle at his side.
"Almost smothered," answers the
bundle, in On indistinct voice with slight
s:That's right, my darling" says the
brother, who adorcs his pretty young
sister-the only one left him OF four
81 should tear my hair in wild despair
if you carght cold. Mind you don't, for
If you but sneeze once, be it the tiniest
sneeze that ever was, home YOU g".'
"Nevcr fear, H;r," reioins the obedi-
ent small woman. g 1 promise, upon
my word and honor, not to sneeze. I'll
choke first. All here we are, she con-
tinues, as they turn into Fifth avenue
and take their place at the end of line
of sleighs, big and little, the larges. of
which stands unoccupiad before the hand
some and brilliantly lighted house of
Albert Lee, merchant and millionaire.
Yes, ard here are al the rest, " says
Harold, adding, with slight infection
of scorn, excepting the Lee people.
Of course it's the Princess Alberta who is
keeping us all waiting "-forgetting, in
the most manlke manner, that he had
only that moment arrived himself. "She
never was ready when she was little
girl, and I suppose she hasn't reformed
in that particular, now she's big one
"Big! !" repeats the voice from the
muffiers, "why, she isn't bit larger
than I am"
"Well, she's year older, anyhow,
and ought to know better" replies Har-
old; "but haven't the slightest doubt
she's stopping to firt with some one, or
two, or halt dozen of her numerous ad-
mirers, utterly regardless of the fact that
THAT is, you-to say nothing of forty
or fifty others, more or less intimate
friends, are freezing outside. Dan Van
Rensselaer, is buttoning on her gloves,
or Will West is fastening the straps of
her overshoes, or some confounded non
sense or other. Cora, it's my opinion
that girl fiirted in her cradle, made faces
at her old loves, and smiled on the new.
Alberta and she won't let any one
soften it to 'Berta,'" he went on, ap-
parently warming with his subject
"what ridiculous name for such mite
for mite she is, and mite she will con-
tinue to be. for all her scornful looks and
naughty ways"
ooh, Harold - exclaims the yelled
voice, with as much indignation as is
possible under the circumstances. "How
unjust you are She's not naughty
she's not scornful-she's lovely She
came to me herself yesterday afternoon
and I happen to know all the others
had written inritations-and begged We
would join hcr sleiShing party. Its to
be real old fashioned affair, she said,
'and I want my real old fashioned friends
to come"
Extremely condescending," interpo-
lates Harold. -
"And as forher name, she had nothing
to say about that, as you, if you have one
grain of common sense, must be aware
no more than you did about yours.
And she'd rather be called Bertie, a
great DEAL only her papa insists upon
Alberta, and consequently, like a good
daughter, she insists upon Alberta too.
He wanted boy when she was born, to
be called Albert that's his own name,
you know and when girl came instead,
he said no girl should interfere with his
plans, and he named her Alberta, which
is almost the same thing. And it's just
as well he did, for he never had another
child, girl or boy"
"Pity the boy hadn't come" grumbles
Harold.
"For shame, brother !" exclaims the
little woman, partly unfolding the veil
that hides her dimpled chin and rosy
mouth, that she may speak with greater
effect. "How can you wish that there
was great stupid young man instead of
that dear sweet girl? for she is dear
sweet girl, though you, I can't for the
life of me see why-neither can Fred
choose to be angry with her."
81 didn't wish for "a great stupid
young man i'll her place." explains Har-
old, with a short laugh: "That he
would necessarily have been great and
stupid only feminine logic can prove; its
beyond me. But if Albert had come
first, and Alberta, by some other name,
second, she wouldn't have been IN only
child, as she is now, petted and indulged