The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1886-05-25
HIS NEW COAT:

papa is to be invitedW
Fanny Leslie flung her little crochet
cap into the air, and caught it again
with the dexterity of a slight of hand
performer.
Max Lynfeld, who was sitting on the
low stone stile that separated the we'll
kept grounds of the Grange from the
weedy wilderness of the Leslie estate,
with a gun balanced on his shoulder,
and a game-bag slung over his back, nod
ded emphatically.
Gail the scientific lights of the convcn
ton are to be invited" said he. sSpec-
tacles and baldhcads will be at a premi-
UNI. Don't you wish you were q learned
old fudge-eh, Fan? Of course. your
governor is to be invited. Don't he
know the most about Egyptology, and
ancient Roman lctterings, of any old gen.
tleman IN the land2 Isn't Professor Toll
maine especially anxious to make his ac-
quaintance2 And isn't Doctor Lebrun
going to bring, in his waistcoat rocket.
a slab of stone Clipped off from the nose
OF some Assyrian statue or other for him
Ito 1dentify2 What arc you looking so
sober about2 Jealous because Won can't
make out the company, cha Pm sorry
tor you, Fanny; but you had no business
to be a woman"
"1t isn't that, " said Fanny, with ludi-
crous solemnity. "What day is the din
ner to be, Max2"
1.-The seventeenth. Just two weeks
from to-day. But I say, Fan, what are
you in such a hurry fora"
cts almost sundown," said Miss Les
lie, gathering her scarf about her should
ers in a hurried way. "And T have
wasted ever so much time here already.
Good-by, Maxi" . ~.e,-r~
eyes; but I say, Fanny"
The only response to his appeal was
the light, quick sound of the girls foot
steps, as she fitted away over the CARPET
OF autumn leaves that covered the path.
into the yellow mist of the October after
noon.
"What a pretty girl that is~ Max Lyn-
held to himself. ''Her eyes are
exactly the color of a hazelnut, and she has
got the sweetest little s%ugar-plum of a
mouth that | ever behcld! But I don't
sec why she need be in such a hurry"
And he disconsolately picked I'D the
game-bag which he had unbuckled from
his shoulder, and strobe away, whistlinr.
Meanwhile, Fanny Leslie had sped
to the dreary, old cushioned stone house.
blotched with mildcw and full of a spec-
trail silence, where old Mr.. Leslie sat,
specialized and absorbed, among his
books, and Alma, the eldest daughter,
was in the kitchen making a d amson pud-
ding for dinner.
She looked up as Fanny came flying in.
81 thought you never were cominp.
Fam" said she. "Did you bring the
powdered sugar"
"Herc it is" Fanny flung a little pa
per on the table. "But oh, Almal the
dinner-party at the Grange is to be on
the seventeenth, and papa Is to be one of
the invited gucstsW
Alma Leslie paused in her task of
sprlnkling snowy sugar over the crushed.
purple damsons in the plate.
ooh, Fannyw said she. "But of
course he can't go. He has no coat fit to
be seen at a dinner-party in Colonel Lyn-
fields house." II
"Alma, he mast go!"
"How can he, Fanny2"
ut will be such q treat for him. Alma.
to meet those scientific gentlemen, and
get a glimpse of the world he has so long
left behind him." pleaded Fanny. eve
must manage it somehow
Alma knitted her black brows together.
'How much money is there in the
drawer, FAM" she asked, abruptly.
"Idon't quite know-fftccn dollars. I
think"
Al this proves the impossibility of
our fine dinner-party, Fam" said Alma,
struggling her shoulders. "Fifteen dol
lars would just about purchase the cloth
for a new coat"
Fanny looked gravely at her sister.
"Well," said she, "that is all I want.
give me the cloth, and I'll make the
coat"
"What nonsense, Fannyl"
ut isn't nonsense at ALL"
"You make a broadcloth coatI'
"Why shouldn't II Didn't I make a
cloth ulster for myself, and make it nice,
<no1t -t5. & syr4 81 g ~