The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1882-04-20
flor the ADvANC1.l
APRlL ED(lZ

| (For the ADVANCED
APRIL FOOL. <zs5.4.
"Nellie. I bought that lovely sill
dress pattern, you so much admired at
Elliot's the otl'er day."
''Oh, you dear, good boy!" And Mrs.
Nellie jumped up from the dinner Ia
bic. and going around to her husband,
she put her plump arms around his
neck, giving him resounding smack,
which was promptly returned.
"When will the shop 10y bring it
up?" she asked eagerly.
Il brought it up along with me and
put it in tho parlor on the piano." he
said, aud with more manifestations Of
her gratitude, he left her to enjoy her
present. -
As seen 40 tho hall door WAS closed
behind him, Nellie peeped into the par
loE, aud there on the piano lay tho
white parcel. ''IIow good he is, the
dear boy" she said to herself, while
Harry muttered as he went down the
street, "Always the way. the state Of
woman's affections depends on the
condition Of her wardrobe" 49,
Nellie carried her parcel to her room.
that she might enjoy its lustrous folds
without interruption. She quickly cut
the string, and tearing off the wrapper,
discovered another one, of coarse
brown paper; tearing this off, another
one appeared, then another, and still
another, and she tore off wrapper after
wrapper, till at last she stood with the
contents of the parcel in her hand-a
small piece of note paper on which was
written III her husbands mastery
hand, april Fool.' Sure enough. it
was the first day OF April. She lad
quite forgotten it, and the tears Of dis
appointment aud modification gather
ed in her eyes, and woman like, SHE sat
down and INDUCED in a hearty cry.
'And to think I kissed lllm. and lie
laughing at me all the time, the brute,''
she exclaimed angrily, and when she
had her cry out. she gathered the pile
Of brown paper together, laid it away.
and washing all traces of tears from
her face, smoothed her rumpled hair.
then descended to the kitchen.
Jane, you may finish your work.
then you may have the rest Of the fiay
to yourself, if you wish to 20 and visit
your sister. / viii attend to the tea
and be sure you are back by nine this
evening, !" and without waiting to ac-
cept the astonished James profusion of
thanks, she went to the parlor, opened
the piano aud commenced her musical
practice.
AS tea time drew near. Harry Clark
closed his office door. with u little mis-
giving, and it was with evident relief
that he hailed his friend, Frank IL
and insisted on his company to tee,
which Frank graciously accepted. As
the two walked along Harry related
Che circumstances, amid series Of ha:f
laughs and half signs. On opening he
door. silence reigned supreme. The
par!or was IN proper order. the s',pper
table evidently waiting, but no signs Of
Nellie. Harry seated his friend il. the
dining room, while lie searched for his
wife. Up stairs and down he went:
into the kitchen, but no Nellie. Man.
while, Frank surveyed the table, wi u
y little spark Of envy toward his 1o,-
tunate friend. The tea service shown
with all the brilliancy of we'll polish. d
silver. A large cake, daintily frosted,
stood temptingly on tie stand, fruit
tastefully arranged in a shining basket
of silver, tlarry's favorite lemon pie,
rich looking je'lies, all arranged with
the daintiest care possible. All this
Frank noted, and as Harry returned
after q fruitless search. they seated
themselves at the table, prepared to do
justice to the tempting viands.
''Sbe cannot have been gone long"
said Harry as he poured out the tea,
which Frank tasted and quickly laid
down his spoon. Harry in turn tasted
his tea. and with an expression If dis
gust. turned to his friend. by Jove!
what's the matter with it? He'll. your.
self to meat, old fellow" taking 4 slice
himself and on attempting to eat it
found it tough as leather. Frank, hav-
ing tried in vain to eat his, examined
it more closely and broke Into Il ring
ing laugh. ''I1arry Clark, you're sold!
the meat is made Of brown paper"
Harry looked blank. Opening the urn
he stirred up the contents and found
1t Also made of brown paper, while his
FREUD laughed immediately.
Lets try this pie. lemon. Frank;
this must be genuine,'' and as he cut
through the favored fsosting, the knife
came to stop. Underneath the frost.
ing lay succession of layers OF brown
paper. TINS cake, ut least, is genu-
ine!'' he exclaimed in despar.tion; but
alas for human hopes; as he TAPPED it
with his knife it gave back "a hollow
sound. They turned it over and dis
covered pieces Of pap L, evidently neatly
fitted over a cake tin, then frosted. and
when dry, removed from the tin and
placed Oh the stand. an ingenious piece
of work, which was duly appreciated
by the visitor. much to Iiarry's cha
grin. He sieZed an orange, while
Frank was intent OIL taking wad Of
paper from a thin covering of rusk.
The fruit collapsed and he found an Or
ange peel carefully pasted over \ ball
Of brown paper. Apples were made in
the same way. The delicious looking
preserves were wads OF brown paper
cooked up in jelly, and us Harry looked
ut the ruins of their would be feast,
the ludicr0us aspect overcome his an.
ger and lle laughed with his friend and
acknowledged himself fairly beaten
with lis OWN weapons. Looking over
the table, he discovered that whlcl. had
hitherto escaped his notice, viz: Il piece
of paper. Selling it, he read on one
side in his own handwriting the words,
April Fool" On the other, "Gone to
mothers to show her my new silk.
Call for me at ten. NELLIE.:'
This was the cap sheaf, lnexpress-
IDLY hungry, Harry went into the pan
try. but not 4 mouthful of edib!es was
to he seen. well, we're in for it,
Frank, 50 we might as well accept the
situation with good grace. We will
have to go down town if we want any
thing to eat tonight" And they each
went out with unexpressed admiration
for the lady who had played them the
joke. When the hall door had once
more closed on Mr., Harry Clark a lit
tie figure suddenly appeared npon the
scene. with sweet face dimpled will,
mirth, and eyes sparkling with mis-
chief PrOmNtlV ar ton Iyorr,, ,.rocnnk