The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1889-12-19
SELECTED.
A CHRISTMAS DINNER.

You have inserted Joshua Prouty in the
classification, Miss Rogersa son of Gideon
Prouty, born 1902, married.
"Yes, Mr.. Prouty."
THANK you And you have entered the
testimony of Leonard Prouty, of Chicago,
concerning the design of the coat-of-armsp
Yes
THANK you, Miss Rogers. If you are at
eisure | have my introduction ready for
copying: The Prouty family in America
vas founded by Christopher Prouty, who,
,ailing from England in 1854, with his wife
| Priscilla, settled at Dorchester u
at is quite lesiblo, Mr.. Prouty."
The secretary spread the manuscript be-
| ore her, unscrewed the cover of an orna-
mental inkstand, pushed n wisp Of her fluffy
| blonde hair out of her blue eyes, and went
lemurely to work.
Mr. Prouty went back into his study,
which adjoned the room which his secretary
| occupied. As he sank into his deep, soft
padded easy chair, he bent forward, half un-
consciously, and turned the brass framed
mirror on his table i'll such position as to
reflect that corner of the next room i'll which
sat his secretary. He found it pleasant,
when, looking up from tho letters he was
fell upon the mirror, to note therein tho dim,
almost spiritual, vision of u fair head, bent
downward, the CLINT of a silver hairpin half
'ost in a soft coil and the outline of soft
.inted cheek and "A round chin pressed into a
urettv semblance of two by rim of white
collar; and Mr.. Prouty respectfully and in
nocently enjoyed that pleasure. From like
| puileless motive he was wont, in his mental
references to her, to call his secretary by her
! first name, which was Polly. He thought
Polly very pretty name.
He had begun to be family suspicious that
the requirement of a secretary was the one
| redeeming point in the compilation OF a
family history.
| He had undertaken it merely as a recrea-
| ton: at 45-but, with his muscular form, in
clining to stoutntSs, and his genial, fresh com
| plexioned face, looked ten years younger
| he was retired fl ?m an inherited mercantile
| business with Al, ample bank account and
| nothing to do lie intended the acceptance
of no pecuniary renuneration he expected to
nresent copy, gilt leaved and in gilt lettered
findings to every existing Pronty.
1t had gradually dawned upon him that the
task was an onerous one. The Prouty family
was alarmngly large and widely scattered.
| Mr.. Prouty, during the past seven months,
| had Travelled over large portion of the
| limited States; pored over deeds and wills and
marriage records in court houses innumera
| BILE: deciphered Inscriptions in scores oil GENE
teries. and written ,672 letters and received
lG72 in return, upon all OF which Mr.. Prouty
had paid the postage. And as yet the history
was. so TO speak, in stage OF red and puppy
infancy
The comparative feebleness and vanity OF
the effort also, had now and then forced ~
self upon his consciousness. 1t had occurred
to him that whether Jaoez Prouty had been
horn in 172O or 172l, and when Melancthon
Prouty had married Nancy Higginson; and
whether the tail of the lion which stood on
h,s roar lers in the center OF the coat Of arms
should properly curl and wave to the left, rs
was urged by Renwick Prouty, of New Or
loans. or bend to the right, uncurled, as was
insisted upon by Leonard Prouty, of Chicago
were not, perhaps, the most profound and
pressing problems of the day.
1t wanted three days till Christmas. Mr.
Prouty, looking through his window into
tbe street beneath-Twenty- eighth street
caurht n vibration Of tho coming festival In
the lux of shoppers from the houses opposite
the profusiou Of messenger boys and express
men. and the rafting rush Of dry goods de-
livery wagons. At the pre-ent moment MI
Prouty, CHANGING in either direction, discov-
cred two highly disimilar figures approach
ing: from the west, tall young man In a
peculiar garb of long black overcoat and
wide felt hat from the east, short young
man in short, pale tinted overcoat aud
silk hat. When the bell rang, therefore,
twice in quick succession, Mr.. Prouty evinced
no surprise. The callers were his nephews,
sslkirk Prouty, the son Of his deceased broth
or, and Benjamin Todd, commonly known
a. Bub Todd, his departed sisters son. For
some year, Mr. Prouty bad contributed. un.
murmuringly, the vastly greater share OF
their support.
n leht asp q oosoe ths ma!ds q his