The Penn's Grove record., 1884-08-16
IIEI; AUNT's PARAsoL.

you can advance as many argu-
ments as you choose, sister Charity,
toward the improperly of borrowing
aunt's parasol, but l, for one shall not
llsten-at least" correcting herself,
S'pay attention to them. When she
started for Schenectady, she told me |
might use it whenever l saw fit"
Nay, not 80, Bessie,n contradicted
the elder sister, a stout maiden of IN
certain age, with uncompromislng
ways and Ratchet face, ''she said
on a fair, sunshiny day, when
there was no danger of rain and
the wind did not rage. Why can't
sou be reasonable =? You have a pref
ty black one, which answers every pur-
pose, and aunt's is such a bizarre thing
that 1t would attract attention any
where. You will be as conspicuous as
if ysu had a Bird of Paradise flying
over your head. All of the colors of
the rainbow seem to run through it"
mot so bad as that, Charity /; you
exaggerate. 1t is superb with its rch
colors blending so beautifully /; and
even the most eursory observer would
know that it was no common thing and
first saw light in some foreign spot.
Don't try to dissuade me :; l shall be a
jackdaw on this occasion, and deck
myself in borrowed plumage. Aunt's
parasol is just the thing to shield my
brunette face from old Soi's fiery eye.
You old croaker |" pulling aside the
lace drapery at the window topeep out.
1.-THE day is still and warm, and
there is scarcely a bit OF wind stirring"
There will be sOon," exclaimed
Charity Hooper, who could prophesy
like another Vennor. ''Now mark my
word ! 1 have not studied the face of
the sky, and kept track of the changes
In the atmosphere for years, not to be
weather-wise and conscious of an ap-
preaching storm Of wind"
"Well," philosophtcally returned the
younger girl, ''let it come. 1t Is use
less to expostulate with the weather
gods, however unpropitious their
aspect, and l have no intention Of
relinguishing the qualification l shall
experience in carrying a parasol. III
run up to the room now and get it,"
She vanished, to return Immediately
with what she at least thought to be
the most beautiful parasol in the world.
1t certainly was unique; barbaric,
Charity termed it. Mrs. Taylor's hus-
band, had brought it five years before
from some unpronouncable foreign
part, and presented it to his wife, who
dotted on curlosities, and who treasured
1t up as a pearl of great price and never
used it save on some are occasion.
But once had Bessie had the pleas
ure of appearing with it on the street !;
and it was only when her aunt was
suddenly called away by telegram, to
the deatnbed of an old friend, that she
won from her a reluctant consent 10
WELD it some fine, bright day.
With delight she unfurled it now,
and held 1t by its glittering handle
aloft. Splendid %colors, in which gold
and crimson predominated, blended
together exquisitely, and the girls face
was like some beautiful picture, as she
half concealed it under the long gold
fringe depending therefrom. n lovely
brunette of eighteen was Bessie Hoop
er, with lustrous eyes in which there
was a spice of mischief, and a figure
that was as graceful as the white lilly
dropping on its stem in its bed of glossy
veined leaves in the jar of the window
sill. In her neutral-tinted garment,
unrelieved by a bit of color, the many
hued sunshade seemed to supply the
finishing touch to an otherwise too
somber toilet. Vexed at the pertinac-
ity Of her sister in adhering to her
original intention of carrying the para
sol, Charity again broke forth into de-
0unciation of the thing. sit is not