Connecticut western news., 1886-05-05
HIS NEW COAT:

'1s it really true, Max, that you are going to have diuner-party at the Grange7 Of learned gentlemena And papa is to be invited2"
 Fanny Leslie flung her little crochet cap into the air, and caught it again with the dexterity of slight-of-hand performer. -l5
 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 gun balanced on his shoulder, and game-bag slung over his back, nod ded emphatically.
 'All the scientific lights of the conven- ton are to be invited" said he. "Spec- tacles and baldheads will be at premi- um. Don't you wish you were learned old fudge-eh, Fana Of course, your governor is to be invited Don't he know the most about Egyptology, and ancient Roman letterings, of any old gen. tleman in the land2 Isn't Professor Tol- maine especially anxious to make his ac- quaintance2 And isn't Doctor Lebrun going to bring, in his waistcoat pocket, a slab of stone chipped off from the nose of some Assyrian statue or other for him to identify2 What are you looking so sober abouta Jealous because you can't make out the company, eh2 I'm sorry for you, Fanny; but you had no business to be woman."
 'It isn't that" said Fanny, with ludi- crous solemnity. ''What day is the din- ner to be, Maxi"
 ''The seventeenth. Just two weeks from to-day. But I say, Fan, what are you in such hurry for7"
 'It's almost sundown," said Miss Les lie, gathering her scarf about her should CTS in hurried way. "And have waisted ever so much time here already. Good-by, Maxi" 'Yes; but 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 pretty girl that isn Max Lyn- field murmured to himself ssHer eyes are exactly the color of hazelnut, and she has got the sweetest little sugar-plum of mouth that ever beheld But I don't see why she need be in such hurry"
 And he disconsolately picked up the game-bag which he had unbuckled from bis shoulder, and strode away, whistling. Meanwhile, Fanny Leslie had sped to the dreary, old-fashioned stone house, blotched with mildew and full of spec tral silence, where old Mir. Leslie sat, spectacled and absorbed, among his books, and Alma, the eldest daughter, was in the kitchen making damson pud- ding for dinner.
 She looked up as Fanny came flying in.
 q thought you never were coming, Fan," said she. '.Did you bring the powdered sugar."
 ''Here it is." Fanny flung little pa- per on the table. '.But oh, Alma the dinner-party at the Grange is to be on the seventeenth, and papa IS to be one of the invited guestsl"
 Alma Leslie paused in her task of sprinkling snowy sugar over the crushed, purple damsons in the plate.
 "Oh, Fannyp said she. 'sBut of course he can't go. He has no coat fit to be seen at dinner-party in Colonel Lyn- fields house."
 "Alma, he must gol'
 '.How can he, Fannya"
 'It will be such treat for him, Alma, to meet those scientific gentlemen, and get glimpse of the world he has so long left behind him, pleaded Fanny. "We must manage it somehow!"
 Alma knitted her black brows together.
 'sHow much money is there in the drawer, Fana" she asked, abruptly.
 ''Idon't quite know-ffteen dollars, I think.n
 "All this proves the impossibility of our fine dinner-party, Fan," said Alma, shrugging her shoulders. '.Fifteen dol lars would just about purchase the cloth for 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"
 "Nhat nonsense, Fanny!"
 'It isn't nonsense at all."
 "You make broadcloth coatr'
 'rNhy shouldn't I7 Didn't I make a cloth ulster for myself, and make it nice, too2'
 'But you are not tailorr'
 'Tll be tailoress, which is just as good"
 ''You have no pattern, Fan."
 'I can rip papa's old coat apart and get the pattern from that, Alma. Where is it2 Is he wearing it nowg'
 'sHe has got on that old dressing-gown II his, said AIma. - IT TT adssr-