The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1885-05-23
RUBY's VESIT.

Mr., Ennis. "Shell enjoy the blue
bells and the peach orchards, and the
white clover poisoning along the
roadside. 1t will be a great deal
cheaper than Newport and more sem
sible than Cape May"
"Oh, papa, do let me go" said Ruby,
clasping her pink fingers eostatically
together, aMamma says yes"
A year ago, MI and Mrs. Alden Ar
cher would have considered this sort
VI thing as nothing more nor less than
Punishment. The Misses Archer had
never been anywhere else than at Sar-
Ntoga, Long Branch and Atlantic City.
But times were altered now. The
Financial pressure," whatever that
might be, had acted very unpIeasantly
on the atmosphere of the Archer
household. Euphelia, the eldest
daughter, had just discovered that MI.
Fontenoy Favrier, to whom she had
engaged herself was not next heir to
IN English baronetcy, atall, but de-
faulting clerk from Threalneedlc
Street, with half dozen detectives at
ter him; and Alicia, the second bios
som OF the fanily-ree, had been mn
corimoniously deserted by Mr.. Dallas,
Of the Polo Club.
'If girl-aw-hasn't got money,
you knoW-aw," said Mr.. Dallas,
there's no use-aw-in keeping up
the thing. We amt like wavens now
adays, to be fed by-aw-the prophets,
We must-aw-=haye the cash"
"But, mammal pleaded Ruby,
"you said | was TO come out this win
ter"
hChild, don't be absurd" said Mrs.
Archer ~ said you should be intro
duced into society, if Euphy and Allie
were married, but they're not; and ]
can't go into bathrooms at the headof
q regiment Of daughters. Whatwould
people say?"
ut isn't my fault that they are not
married," pouted Ruby "and am Sc
tired OF the nursery. Mamma can't
go to Atlantic City with your
rCeitainly not!" said Mrs. Archer
"And mind, Rubina, if any one ask
you how old you are, you must sa!
sixteen"
"Why?p cried Ruby, with opel
brown eyes OF astonishment "But
was seventeen last birthday
There's no sense in your growing
pso fast" pronounced Mrs. Archol
irritably.
Glow can help it," said Ruby, a
most ready to cry. II cant putaston
on my head, can I?'
"There are the girls to consider,
said Mrs. Archer, soFrowfully.
aHow are they to be bettered by m
telling lies about my age?" retorte
Ruby N@ @a@ y
And then her mother told her t
hold her tongue and not speak agai
until she was spoken to.
So that old Uncle Ennis offer W.
truly welcome when it came, and me
~ little Ruby was like lamb let loo'
upon the hills that sloped down to IL
blue tides of the majestic Connccticl
River,
She tore her dimpled brown fnge
with blackberry-briers; she riff,
birds nests for additions to her collie
ton Of eggs she romped like a chill
whistled like a boy, until all of su
den she was recalled to the facts
real life.
She had come in from the blackbe
ry-felds all sunbrowned aud happ
her cherry lips stained with the purl
dyes Of the fruit, to find Uncle En-
porting intently oyer a couple Bof !,
ters.
swell, little one said he, "what
you think? Here are two surpris
for you"
1.-Two uncle?" she cried.
zone to picnic party at the Gre
Gorge"
ooh, can | go?p exclaimed Rul
jumping up from her bowl of bre
and milk, "Jerome Franklin tolk
that"
i'Hold on, lassie-hold on" said |
Gle Ennis. "The other is propo
Of marriage. Mr.. Dubarry wants !
sanction, and all that sort of thing
''Mr. Dubarry, indGed!" said Ri
turning very red. "A stuffy old p
lessor who don't know anything
cept about the ruins Of Pompeii a
Herrulaneum."
eYou don't like him, pet?"
"No, indeed, ! don't"
"Then," said Uncle Ennis, ind
gently, "there is an end to the VIII
thing, Only when my little girl
gins to receive offers Of marriage,
gives me a queer sort Of feeling"
Ruby ate her bowl of bread and y
silently.
al wish they wouldn't she said,
"Some day you'll wish they wou