The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-09-08
AN UNSUCCESSFUL SUIT.

AN UNSUCCESSFUL SUIT.
John loved Mary; but Mary was not
quite sure that she loved John. Their
parents being the nearest neighbors,
their farms Joined, they had grown up
together from childhood, had made
each other penny presents, and mutually
agreed to return them if they ever got
mad for good.
Thus Mary came in possession OF an
iron thimble, tin needle-box and
brass ring for various needlework per-
formed on Johnny's sleeves or the
knees of his trousers, which saved him
many taste of the parental rod.
To the credit of their childhood 1t
must be said that Mary never had to
return those gifts, there being few dis
agreements between them, and these
were quickly reconciled.
In their youth they had tramped
hand-in-hand to Sunday school, as they
now did to church. But no longer to
Mary's edification; being too much an
noyed at her companions appearance
to give due attention to the sermon.
The annoyance was in Johns inclina-
ton to dandyism. With the first ap-
pearance Of down on his upper lip he
had bought himself moustache wax,
and high hat crowned his perfumed
locks long before he was twenty.
Mary, practical, energetic girl, was
rather disguised than fascinated by
superficial elegance. Her person was
always decked with that simplicity
which became her manner-quiet, direct
and decided.
To have man beside her whom
everybody regarded as her lover dressed
in the height of fashion with no income
hut the product of his farm labor spoili
Mary's Sunday temper to such an ex.
tent that she resolved to let John know
her mind before another Sunday could
be spoilt.
Now John. blissfully ignorant of heI
feelings, was just then stroking his
moustache and persuading himself Of the
necessity of buying another suit for tht
occasion that should make Mary his
wife.
After church John told Mary that h
was going to town the next day to bu,
something for her, and q new suit TO
himself, in which he would appear som'
evening with very important question
He looked in vain for the rosy tint OF
Mary's face. She only said. with
faint sneer: .sDo put some sense in tn
next suit you get, John"
ssThen YOU don't think there is mucl
sense in the suit when I'm in it, eh?'
laughed John, with faint suspicion
that her indifference was owing to nj
not appearing sooner in some late
style.
He resolved that the next one shoul
surpass anything ne ever wore
Crafty girls vanity, and she
yours" he thought, without the slight
est suspicion that he was gratifying hi
own and thereby fast losing his hold o
the handsomest and most sensible gil
there was in the neighborhood of sixt
miles.
John, too, was considered no sma
catch. Many'a girls heart was Sc
fiuttering when she heard his stron
baritone voice lowered to confidentis
whisper. For John was not only
dandy but q hirt All his heart eve
dwelt on with constancy was Mary an
fashionable suits.
Every year he went to town for a me-
rig, from top to toe, of the latest Gu
He felt himself a foot taller when tn
salesman once told him that his fac
and figure would do credit to th
broadway style,
VI course John wouldn't show n
Ignorance OF city life by ascertainin
the particulars Of that style. He fe
satisfied that purchases made from Il
same salesman every year would secul
him the much-lauded style.
The new suit bought, John was 81
ing It its first airing by 3 visit to Mar
He had made up his mind to propo
formally and be formally accepts
The engagement ring was In his poke
and the wedding-suit should be the OF
ne mad on. de didn't believe in lor
engagements, and thought he mig