The Red Cloud chief., 1889-08-09


" seems - il we'd
~ ought to 20 to thu
~ ~ here charity ball. w
~ Van don't want to be stin'
~ with our money
AA& o rev got i.,and
NZ2 besides, I've got q
@ hankerlng to 60"
XS2& xrlMd sNathan Skinner;
MkX\E x3IMMMM be you in your
~kAHNW senses" asked his
S ~WFiL wife.
M w MANDY that's just
~0 vhereI be. What's
to henders"
swell. We re . pretty couple to think Of
eeing TO . ball How Odd was you your las
Birthday"
Mandy, you needn't be throwing it up "a
q Teller that he's getting on to b shady
eide Of life I'm willing to admit that
ain't quite 50 young As l wa once, but you
ANT % old as I BE. It's ON your account
90 thinking Of it"
sWelI, Nathan, don't think Of it any more.
IT'S foolish"
Nathan slept very poorly that night. BE
was thinking Of the ball. Poor, foolish Eel
low, he wanted Mandy to have one more
chance to shine. He said to himself: "Why,
shey couldn't noue Of the girlsGompare with
Aer. I'd like to know what's Q the
good Of our coming to town II we amt
1goin' to git inter sassiety. I've alters
v1nted to move In the bestcircles and when
here's . chance to git acquainted with the
Hallams and McDonalds and all the rest,
what must Mandy do but turn stubborn"
He had set his heart on going and he
ooud not bear to give it up.
At breakfast tho next morning while
Mandy baked griddles' full Of crisp, brown
cakes, and Nathan heroically devOured
them As they fioated in rich amber strip.
As spoke: MANDY, I've been thinking it's
our duty to 60"
TO 70 TO what. Nathan" said Mrs. Skin.
ner, absently. She was thinking she must
get something to tempt Nathan's appetite.
@1He never stopped Of with four griddles
fun when wo was up home. 1t must be the
air amt quite SO good here in the city" she
thought.
A"Why, the charity ball." said Nathan,
impatiently ~interrupting her reverie.
%, yes,' answered Mrs. Skinner, recall.
ing herself; "Iremember you did speak Of
it,"
stSpcak Of it, l say we must got he
that givcth to the poor lendeth to the Lord
you know. Our money may be took away
from US il we don't use it right"
.'We.l, I CAM help it. I'd like to helr
some Of them awful poor folks, but I can't
20 to that ball, and, Nathan, ! wouldn't
quote Bible to git me to 60"
you've got to. Mandy. I've set my boot
down that we'll 90, and I won't be dis
puted."
II were to tell you that Mandy never in
tended in the least to 60, you would won
der why she meekly answered: every
veil, Nathan, if you're 90 set on goin'. 1
suppose we'llgo."
Mandy was Q wise woman, and b .
10. lived with Nathan Skinner all these
years without learning to let him. have his
WI way, apparently.
GOOD. Now, MANDY, that sounds right.
Yen know you'll have to have q new dress
and some other fxin's."
Nathan Skinner, you're e~xtrayagant.
Such things is sinful Ishall just e my
hi1ck silk"
mo, you won't do no such thing. I ain't
been Q reading the papers lately for nothin'.
II you'd noticed you'd seen me studying
thlm new fashions. What vas I lookin'
1=r, q new gown fer my Mandy"
Nathan leaned back in his chair, shut his
eyes and said, meditstively: ~ see ye q
sfandin' on that ballroom floor . wavin'a
ostrich feather fan, yer back hair put up
On the top Of yer head, yer front hair cut
xuther short and wsxy like, and . dress
hats see, what'l yer dress bet / think
. purity red velvet, and you'll YEA gloves,
Mandy, long ones, to reach plum to yer
shoulder"
He opened his eyes and said, briskly: ''Iu
60 with you and help you git things; you
see 1 know yer taste 10 pretty sober and !
amt a1goin' to have you look glum. Wen
have to git at it to-day, Mandy. After you
gis the dishes done up wen 60 down and
SEQ what We can find"
That day they were seen to enter every
dry-goods store in the city. Nathan In.
varisbly took the lead.
'STrot down yer best velvet" he would
say, II don't care how much 1t o9sts."
The shade Of velvet which he wanted was
not to be found. He had m exaggerated
notion in his mind, CLEANED from some very
Easily novel, as to the wonderful richness
which velvet might possesA A disappointed
couple they started homo that night
"Let's give it up. Nathan"
''Well, I rather think I won't. They KEEP
more variety in them big stores down Ia
New York, don't they: I'm . Roin' to send
there"
He composed . letter beginning "Dear
<3irs," and then there was q long pause.
The letter when finished did not satisfy