St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-12-09
The TaIedunian,
A HOMEMADE COAT.

amy LeSlio uuHS nci ilbliO OtOOuOe
cap into the air, and caught it again
with the dexterity of sleight- of-hand
performer.
Max Lynfield, who was sitting or
the low stone stile that separated the
well kept grounds of the Grange from
the weedy wilderness of the Leslie es
tate with a gun balanced on his shOul-
der. and a game-bag slung over his
back, nodded emphatically.
''AII the scientific lights of the con-
ventiOn are to be invited" said he
''Spectacles and bald heads will be a
a premium. Don't you wish you were
a learned old fudge-eh, FAM o.
course your governor is to be invited
Dosen't he know the most about Egyp-
tOlOgy and ancient Roman lettering, Of
any cid gentleman in the land Ism
Prof. Tolmaine especially anxious tC
make his acquaintance 2 And ISM
DIR. Lebrun going to bring, in his
waistcOat pocket, slab of stone chip
ped off from the nose of some Assyrian
statue or other for him to identify
What are you looking SO sober about
Jealous because you can't join the
company Pm sorry for you, Fanny
but you had no business to be a wO-
man,
at isn't that" said Fanny, with lu.
dicrOus sOlemnity. "What day is the
dinner to be, Max ?"
"The 18th. just two weeks from
to-day. But | say, Fan, what are you
in such hurry for p
at is almost sundOwn," said Miss
Leslie, gathering her scarf about hel
shoulders in hurried way. "And
have wasted ever so much time here
already. Goodbye, Max~
Eyes; but l say, Fanny"
The only response to his appeal was
the light, quick sound of the girls
footsteps as she fitted away over the
carpet of autumn leaves that covered
the path into the yellow mist of the
October afternoon.
"What a pretty girl that is J" Max
Lynfield murmured to himself. "HeI
nut. But | don't see why she need be
in such hurry"
And he discOnsOlately picked up the
from his shoulder and strobe away
whistling.
Meanwhile Fanny had sped to the
dreary, old fashioned stone house,
blOtched with mildew and full of a
spectral silence, where old Mr.. Leslie
sat, specialized and absorbed among
his books, and Alma, the eldest daugh
ter, was in the kitchen making a dam
son pudding for dinner.
She looked up as Fanny came flying
in.
81 thought you were never coming,
Il IL.
powdered sugar ?"
"Here it is" and Fanny flung "a lit
tie paper on the table. "But, oh,
Alma the dinner party at the Grange
is to be Oh the 18th, and papa is to be
one of the invited guests !"
Alma Leslie paused in her task of
sprinkling snowy sugar over the crush
ed purple damsOns in the plate.
ooh, Fanny!' said she. "But of
course he can't go. He has no coat fit
to be seen at a dinner party in Col.
Lynfield's house."
"Alma, he must gOr'
elbow can he, Fanny ?"
cit will be such a treat for him, AL
ma, to meet those scientific gentlemen,
and get glimpse of the world he has
left behind him." pleaded Fanny. eve
must manage it, somehow"
Alma knitted her black brOws to-
gether.
GLOW much money is there in the
drawer, Fan ?" she asked abruptly.
81 don't knOw-ffteen dollars, l
think"
"That proves the impOssibility of
our fine dinner party, FAM" said AL
ma, Struggling her shoulders. eff
teen dollars would just about pur-
chase the cloth for new coat"
Fanny looked gravely at her sister.
"Well," said she, "that is all want;
give me the cloth and I'll make the
coat"
"What nonsense, Fanny"
at isn't nonsense at ALL"
"YOu make broadclOth coat |"
"Why shouldn't II Didn't | make
a cloth ulster for myself, and make it
well, tool"
"But you are not tailor"
"T'll be a tailOress, which is just as
good"
"YOu have no pattern, Fan"
al can rip papa's old coat apart, and
get the pattern from that. Where is
itq Is he wearing it now 2"
ale has got on that old dressing
gown of his" said Alma.
"Then get the coat-that's dear
and rip it carefully apart" said Fanny,
"while l go down to the store and buy
the brOadclOth. We haven't second
to lose"
The next two days were days of cut
ting, stitching, pressing, calculating,
in the big, sunny south room which
the Leslie girls called their bOudOir.
Old Mr.. Leslie sat among his dusty
tones and ponderous dictionaries,
with a pencil behind each ear and a
pen in his hand, making notes and
off paragraphs, all uncOn-
sciOus of what was going on around
him.
eff Pm to be at that party of saw
ants" he said to Alma, 81 must settle
this question as to the authenticity of
the Eudic monographs"
Certainly, papa" said Alma in an
distracted way, as she hemmed new
silk cravat, and pOndered as to the
practicability of new gloves, and
her father would wear them
if they were bought.
"Papa," said Fanny, the evening be-
fore the eventful day, ''we want you
to try on your coat tonight"
"TO try on my coat! !" vaguely re-
peated the philosopher. "What coat 2
What for 2"
"Ob, just to see if it's all right" said
not without a qualm of terror
lest her father should discover the
piOus fraud and object to wear home
made garments.
Absently, Mr.. Leslie rose up, divest-
ed himself of his faded dressing gown,
and put on the new coat. Alma and
Ranny viewed him with critical eyes,
and exchanged glances of satisfaction.
"DOes it feel quite comfortable, pa
pa ~ said Alma.