The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-08-14
TONY'S CLOTHES.

grandmother, holding up a very sorry
looking pair of small trousers. You'll
have to put on your Sunday suit fer
every day now, Tony"
"Yes'm," answered Tony.
"And don't you slide down any more
trees with rough bark"
"No'm," replied Tony.
"And you'd better 90 down to Sarah
Jane Green's and see when she can
come and make your new suit
"Yes'm,' said Tony. "Ill go now,
fore l get my clothes dirty"
The only difference between Tony's
Sunday suit and his everyday suit lay
in the fact of the former being in good
order.
His suits were always made by one
pattern, owned by Sarah Jane Green.
Tony grew so fast that Sarah Jane al
ways had to cut her pattern larger, and
sometimes she forgot to enlarge every
thing, so that the suit had a curious
look, which, however never troubled
Tony at all.
The trousers were sure to be baggy,
aillu UllC dIutl SuOl IllC DdCh,
with sleeves so long-''to grow in"
grandmother said-that they were still
too long when worn out.
When the everyday suit was past all
mending, he took the Sunday one for
every day, and had new one for Sun
day.
Pm very sorry, Tony said Sarah
Jane, when Tony reached her house;
''but I've sprained my wrist, and don't
know when can come"
Tony looked dismayed.
1.-The picnic's to be in two weeks"
he said.
"Oh, I'm pretty sure to be well by
that time. I'll keep it in mind, and
you'll be pretty sure to see me-"
Tony lived on a sheep-ranch with his
father and his grandfather, and one or
two hired men. Until about year
ago, it had been twenty miles to post
office, and neighbors had been so scarce
that weeks would sometimes pass with
out their seeing one.
But now railroad came within four
miles of them, and little bit of vii
lage was springing up at the station,
so that Tony and his friends felt al
most like city folks, they sometimes
declared.
The picnic Tony spoke of was for
the Sunday-schoal at the station, which
Tony attended, thinking nothing of a
four-mile walk.
He had never heard of one before,
but grandmother knew all about pic
mes, and talked great deal concern
ing them, leaving his mind in an ex-
cited state looking forward to wonders
and delights to come, in which rail-
road ride and plenty of good things to
eat stood out from all the rest.
A week passed, and Sarah Jane did
not come. Tony took to giving peep
at the brown cloth, which lay ready
for his suit, and then climbing to the
top of the tallest hitching-post outside
the door, to watch anXiously for her
stout figure and jolly, round face.
One day he saw wagon in the far
distance, and his heart gave a great
bound, for there certainly was woman
in it. But, as it drew near, his Joy
turned to curiosity The face and
form of the stranger were not bit like
those of Sarah Jane. But who could
it be-
as this Tony?" she asked.
"Yes'm," said Tony.
81 anu your Aunt Eleanor" she
said. 81 have come long way to see
you"
Aunt Eleanor was his mothers sis
ter. Tony found it so pleasant to be
near her, that he spent several hours
in the house, almost forgetting his suit.
She told him all about her boys. and
asked all about what he had learned,
seeming surprised to hear that he had
read the :. Pilgrims Progress" the
/" Life of Washington, and half of
Jays Lectures" which were the only
books on the ranch.
''But | don't like Jays Lectures
very WELL" he admitted to her, at
which she laughed, and told him to 80
out and play
Then Tony climbed on the post again
and watched so long and anXiously for
Sarah Jane that Aunt Eleanor came out
and asked him about it. And Tony
found courage to tell her all his fears
about his new suit.
The days went by, and still no Sarah
Jane. Tony took again the long walk
to see her. and learned that she had
gone over to her sisters, long way
off, but had left word that she would
come to Tony's graadmother's the first
dav that she was able to sew.
Tony's heart sank lower every day,
but he remembered that Sarah Jane
could do wonders in the way of haste
with her needle, and so did not quite
despair,
But the day before the picnic came
and grandmother began baking al
sorts of nice things, Tony took a las
look at the brown cloth, and then wen
to her with a swelling heart.
"You couldn't do any thing with my
old clothes. could you, grandmother?'
he said, turning round and round be
fore her.
There were woeful spots on tn,
I - II