Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-01-02
A NEW YEARS SCHEME.

One OF the cheeTleSt scenes tnat greeted
the prying eyes of the sun early on the
first morning of January THAT one new
thing in all places and to all people,, as he
peered through the windows upon which
his inquisitive beams had been employed
for the last hour in depicting the delicate,
fantastic tracery so generously bestowed by
Jack Frost's artistic hand, was the cosy
little breakfast-room of the Randalls.
A bright fire was burning in the CRATE,
and the breakfast table, set for four per-
sons, with its dainty china and spotless
linen, looked very inviting. And so the
two occupants of the room seemed to
think; for Mrs Randalls eyes roamed
from the table to the door and back again,
while her husband, after few chances at
his morning paper, threw it down with the
impatient exclamation: "Surely, Mary,
those girls are not going to be late the
very first day of the yearr
Ruth has been up for some time,n be-
gan Mrs. Randall, but just then the door
| flew open and their youngest daughter,
Gertrude, entered with shout of New
Years gift, papa" that fairly made the
| dishes rattle.
She was followed more sedately by her
sister Ruth, the difference in their en-
trance being still further characterized by
her sweetly-spoken, if somewhat COM
monplace, Many happy wishes for the
New Year"
New Years gift, you hoyden About
three minutes more and you would not
have gotten even your breakfast" said
Mr.. Randall, as they seated themselves at
the table. However" he continued after
a minute or two, "Fll tell you what | am
going to do, owing TO mammals persuasions
| twhereupon mamma was made the re-
cipient of loving glance from the other
side of the table where Ruth sat-, have
concluded to commence now at the first OF
the year and give you each a regular
monthly allowance of spending money
Here he was interrupted by Gerrie, as
she was always called, jumping and spin
ing around the room on the tips of her
toes, crying: "Hurrah isn't that Just
too splendid 1 always did wish had
some money could cali my own and de-
pend on, but suddenly coming to a
standstill on one foot. ooh, papa, wish
you hadn't said that about beginning with
the New Year and the rest. 1t gives me a
sort of sinking feeling that you won't keen
it up. Ny New Years resolutions land
make no end of them every year, always
fizzle out in about two weeks. Oh, my
prophetic soul p and she sighed mourn
fully.
Sit down and listen to ME, you incor.
rigible tom boy, or you will not get a
cent" said her father playfully. "Well
to proceed, of course, you will not be ex,
pected to buy your dresses and such things
with this but ribbons, novels, chocolate
creams, ETC., must be confined to the
amount | see fit to give you, or you must
do without them. Will ten dollars be
sufficient, Ruth ?'
Plenty, thank you," and ooh, oceans y
from Gerrie
Mr.. Randall smiled, and taking out his
pocketbook with the remark that he hadn't
had his purse at their disposal for the last
seventeen years without learning a thing
or two, he deposited fifteen dollars at each
plate; and, warding off Gerrie's rapturous
and-begging her pardon for the compari-
son-bear-like caresses, hastily finished his
breakfast and took his departure.
After Gerrie had helped her papa on
with his overcoat and stood in the door
until he turned the corner where he al,
ways looked back to lift his hat in response
to farewell wave of her hand she danced
into the library where Ruth was busting
and astounded that young lady with the
remark: Actually, Ruth, think | have
| splintered the tenth commandment into
such millions of fragments that Pll neye,
be able to patch it together again."
swell, you have heard about the mis-,
chief that is always provided for idle
hands. What's the matter now ?" was the
amused reply.
Why, | was standing in the door
watching the pater out of sight, when Rot
Morris went into Efie's, and L heard him
say something about not letting this snow
go to waste, and just know they are get.
ting up sleighing party for tonight
Wouldn't you love to go? s'pose it's toe
late for us to get bid now."
Yes indeed, 1 should enjoy it very
much. l tell you, Gerrie, not many boys
are as good to their cousins rs Bob is to
Efie. Don't you wish l had been boy,
sister mine"
Well l must confess / always did feel
great deal of sympathy for the nuns in
the cloister, who sang to each other, For
SO many sisters is there not one brother p
but | don't believe | would care to ex-
change you in your present capacity for
the most deyoted-Oh there's the bell !
Keep up your spirits, Ruthie, while there's
life there is hope. Coming, coming" as
the bell pealed again.
She was gone some time and Ruth was
becoming quite impatient, when the street
door finally closed, and Immediately she
heard Gerrie running through the hall.
Well" throwing herself, out of breath,
on the first chair, ''just guess what it was
But, there; you'd never guess, and l
haven't the qualifications of Job, so I'll
tell you. 1t was that nice Mr.. Elliot we
met at Judge Greys party last week, and
would / gracefully condescend to deposit
myself on the left-hand side of the
front seat of his double sleigh, be-
hind his fiery, jet-black steeds and
lastly (ungrateful wretch that | ann beside
his noble, manly FORM But l say Ruthie,
why this forlorn and wall-hower look :?
What would you give for this? And she
held perftmed morsel of note paper JUS,
out of her sisters reach.
81 had almost forgotten to tell YOU that
he and his friend would be exceedingly
and everlastingly and overwhelmingly
obliged if l would deliver this. There
take it, and, Ruth, if you continue to
recklessly lavish your bushes on me in
this manner, by the time you are twenty
six your stock will be exhausted; and
can assure you if you are still in the
beatifie state of single blessedness which
you now enjoy, you will have far more
need for them than at present. What
does he sayY
oh, he says l may sit in the back
seat, if | will promise to have you bestow
yot2 conversation exclusively upon Mr..
Elliot, and,he also puts in word or two
for the aforesaid Mr.. Elliot, to the effect
that you are not to allow more than six
adiectives to a sentence and"
"Oh, thanks, thanks, l have had an
elegant sufiiciency. and more would be a
superhuous redundancy Having de-
liyered this profound and erudite speech
Gerrie whisked out of the room only to
be back again in few minutes with her
hat and coat on, evidently arrayed for the
street.
Where are you going my pretty maid?o
sang Ruth.