Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-04-28

them if they were bought.
"Papa," said Fanny, the evening be-
fore the cvcntful day, 1--WE want you to
try on your coat tonight"
"To try on my coatw vaguely repeat
cd the philosopher. "Whot coatl what
forl"
Oh, just to see if it's all right" said
Fanny, not without little qualm of ter
ror lest her father should discover the
pious fraud and object to wear home
made garments.
Abscntly, Mr.. Leslie rose up, divested
himself of his faded dressing gown, and
put OH the new coat.
Alma and Fanny viewed him with crit
ical eyes, and exchanged glonccs of salts
faction at each other.
"Docs it feel quite comfortable, papa1'
said Alma.
every nice, my dcar-vcry NICE" said
the philosopher. Greatly | didn't knoS
that old coat looked so nice. Take it
away, daughter, and brush it thoroughly,
and have it ready for me tomorrow,
with fresh nccktic and a clean pocket
handkerchief"
And once more he plunged into the
depths of the Eudcic monograph qucs-
ton.
"Fanny," sad Alma, in low voice,
cts a success"
"Alma," responded Fanny, in the
same tone, 81 hac,o that it would bel"
Mr.. Leslie went to the dinncr-party at
Lynfcld Grange, and astonishcd several
dozen other old gentlemen by the depth
of his wisdom and the profundity of his
learning, and nobody discovered that the
homemade coat was not the chiy Nengre
of a New York clothicr.
But Fanny Leslie was not destined to
hear the last of the coat. Miss Helena
st. Joaquin, who had chanccd to surprise
them in the task, whispered itmystcrious-
" to her dearest friend Mrs. Emerson
Fielding. And every one knew, pres
emily, that the Leslie girls had turned
tailorcsscs and taken in work by the day.
at was Fanny" sad Mss st. Joaquin.
81 saw her myself, pressing out the seams
of coat with prodigious smoothing
iron-a mans coat! They tried to shuf-
file it out of sight as soon as possible, but
they weren't quick enough for me.'
"Wcll," said Max Lynticld carclcssly,
"why shouldn't they sew mems coats as
well as womanS worstcd worki"
Mrs. Emerson Fielding elevated her
pretty little nose.
"I'm afraid" said she, 1--WE shall have
to leave the Leslie girls off our list for the
charadc- parties next winter"
Max Lynfcd rose up in exceeding
great wrath.
"Then you may leave NJ off, toor'
said he, and stalked out of the room.
He went straight to the old stone
house. Fanny was in the garden, gath
cring chrysanthcums - great white
fringed beauties, and buds that were like
balls of gold, and little brick-red bios
SONS full of strange aromotic fragrance
like Eastern spices,
"Fan," said he, ''if you had wanted
money, you ought have come to nc.
Haven't we been friends long enough tc
induce you to put any confidence in mei
Fanny looked at him in serene surprise.
"But, Max" said she, eve don't want
money-no more than usual that is tc
say. Everybody wants money, | sup.
pose
And she clipped off stem of rich ma
room flowers, and laid it lovingly among
the rest of her floral trophies,
Honest Max, who had no idea of di
plomacy, plunged hcudIong into the SUBJ
jcct.
"Thcn," said he, "whot's all this story
about your taking in taiIorwork"
"About my taking in tai or-worNp
eyes. Miss st. Joaquin saw yo,
working at it.'
"Dd she" FanHy's checks famed
scarlet. Mss St. Joaquin had bette
have been attending to her own business
But since she has told you half story
Imay as well supply the other half
am sure it is no secret
And she told Max Lynfcd the whole
of tn" simple tale
"Fan, you're Il trump" said he. "An(
you really made that coat yomScJ"
IL really made that coat mysclf-witl
a little help from Alma!" proudly spok,
Fanny.
81 should like daughter like you-
that is to say, when develop into an ole
gentleman of scientific tastes" said Max
"Oh, you'll never develop into scien
tiSt," said Fanny. "You are deal too
active and widCawakC. You re not hal
wise enough"
At this MaX's honest countenance fell
81 knew it," said he sorrowlully
"you dcspiso me. You think | am
Ounce"
Fanny dropped all her flowers, in hel
CONSERVATION.
"Oh, Maxi she cried, 81 don't de
Spisc you Mt NIL. | like youm
t'rInt ;.n't fin ,u,ution y cnil Max