Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-12-23

A HOMEMADE COAT.
BY HELEN FoREss GRAVES

Is Ie redtly true, MAX, mat you are
going to have dinner party at the
Grange? OF learned gentlemen? And
that papa is to be invited?"
Fannie Leslie flung her little crochet
cap into the AIR, and caught it again
with the dexterity of sleight-ofhani
performer.
Max I.ynfield, who was sitting on
the low stone stile that separated the
well kept grounds of the Grange from
the weedy wilderness oil the Leslie es-
tate with gun balanced on his shout
der. and a game bag slung over his
back, nodded emphatically.
All the scientific lights of the con-
yention are to be invited" said he.
"Spectacies and bald heads will be at
learned old fudge-eh, FAM OF
course yourgovernor is to be invited.
Doesn't he know tie most about
premium. Don't you wish you were
Egyptology and ancient Roman letter
ing, of any old gentleman in the land?
Isn't Prof. Tolmaine especially anx-
ious to make his acquaintance? And
isn't DIR. Lebrun going to bring, in his
waistcoat pocket, slab of stone
Clipped off from the nose of some
AssyrIan statue or other for him to
identity? What are you looking so
sober about? Jealous because You
can't join the company? I'm sorry
Tor you, Fanny; but you had no bust
ness to be q woman"
alt isn't that" said Fanny, with
ludicrous solemnity. What day Is
the dinner to be. Maxi"
1.-THE 18th. Just two weeks from
to-day. But / say, Fan, what are
you in such hurry for?"
"It's almost shutdown" said Miss
Leslie, gathering her scarf about her
shoulders in hurried way "And
have wasted ever so much time here
already: Good bye Maxi"
ayes, but ] say Fanny
The only responset to his appeal was
the light, quick sound OF the girl
footsteps as she fitted away over the
carpet of autumn leaves that covered
the path into the yellow mist OF the
October afternoon.
"What q pretty girl that isl" Max
Lynfield murmured to himself. "Her
eyes are exactly the color OF hazel
nut. But | don't see why she need be
in hurry"
And he disconsolately picked up the
game bag which he had untouched
from his shoulder and strobe away
whistling.
Meanwhile Fanny had sped to the
drearv, old-fashioned stone house,
blotched with mildew and full OF a
spectral silence, where old Mr.. Leslie
sat. spectacled and absorbed, among
his books, and Alma, his eldest daneh-
ter. was in the kitchen making dam
son pudding for dinner.
She looked up as Fanny came flying
in.
al thought you were never coming,
Fan" said She 'Did you bring the
powdered sugar."
"Here it is, and Fanny flung a little
paper on the table. But, oh, Alma!
the dinner party at the Grange is to
be on the 18th, and papa is to be one
OF the invited guests"
Alma Leslie paused in her task OF
shrinking snowy sugar over the crush
ed purple damson in the plate.
ooh. FANNY said she. "But OF
course he can't go. He has no coat
fit to be seen at 8 dinner party In Col.
Lynfield's house"
HAlma, he must go"
"How can he, Fanny"
sit will be such treat to him, Al
ma to meet those scientific gentle
men. and get glimpse ofthe world ne
las left behind him." pleaded Fanny.
ave must manage it. somehow.
Alma knit her black brows to-
gether, A.,
.sHow much money is there in the
drayyer FAM" she asked abruptly.
II don't know-fifteen dollars, l
think"
.aThat proves the impossibility Of
our fine dinner party, Fan" SAID
Alma, Struggling her shoulders. FIT
teen dollars would just about purchase
the cloth for new coat.
Fanny looked gravely at her sister.
"Weli. {" said she, ''that is all want;
Give me the cloth and I'll make the
coat" :,
"Vyhat nonsense, Fanny
ar isn't nonsense at all.
lyon make a broadcloth coat"
"Why shouldn't /? Didn't | make
a cloth ulster for myself, and make 1t
well. too?"
"But you are not tailor.
an be tailoress, which is Just as
good" !,
"You have no pattern, Fan"
II can rip pas old coat apart, ano
get the pattern from that. Where Is
Il? Ia he wearing it now?"
He has got on that ola dressing
gown of HIS" said Alma.
oThen get the coat-thats a dear
and rip it carefully apart" said Fan,
nv. "while ! go down TO the store ano
bnv the broadcloth. Wehaven'ta sec
ond to lose"
The next two days were days OF cut
ting stitching, pressing, calculating, IN
the big sunny south room which ths
eslie Girls called their boudoir.
Old Mr. Leslie sat among his dusty
tomes and ponderous dictionaries
with a pencil behind each ear and :
nen in his hand, making notes anc
scribbline of paragraphs, all uncon
scious of what was going on around
him.
aH I'm to be at that party oil say
ants. . he said TO Alma, II must set
Tie this question as to the authenticity
of the Eudic monographs.
.Certainly, papa" said Alma IN an
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