The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-03-01
A WEDDING PRESENT.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

'.No, brussels! The cheapest thing
you have in brussels tina. is any way de.
cent"
Mrs. Cacklc sat up on the eighth floor
of Meddle & Minturn's great store, her
'ilken founcss ripping around her am
pie form, the bird-of- paradise plume on
her ha. holding. as if to give extra sig
uifcanco to every word she spoke. Her
tan kid gloves. glistening with many
buttons, were dis,ended with rings; her
lace scarf was fastened with a gaudy
diamond bar, and her plump visa &c
bore the traces of pearl powder and
cream Of roses, laid on with no sparing
aand.
Beside her sat her dear particular
friend, Miss Rosna Rufford, who al
ways played the part of Damon to her
Pythias, aad invariably went shopping
with her.
"You see, Rosina," said Mrs Cackle,
who was one of the kind that talk very
ou1 in public places. and indulge in
all sorts of details, sits for wedding
present. Lemuel gave me check for
hundred dollars, and told me to buy a
1ice parlor carpet for his cousin, who is
20 be married next month
''Mr. Cackle is always so generous"
smiled Miss Rufford. whose new set of
'alse teeth made her smiles very smiling
indeed. "a hundred dollars did you
say, dearl That will buy a very nice
,nc, iadecd.'
at would." said Mrs. Cackle, "if
was goose enough to buy it. But
iont mean to. Cackle's only a man,
and men never do understa things.
What do these out-in the wilderness
people understand about carpets' And
what do they want of the best gradel
No. young man, l don't want any of
he dollar and -a-quarter lines. That's
90 high. Haven't you any thing for
about dollar, or ninety cents. 1t
aecdn't be the very finest quality, tell
vou. If spend fifty dollars on it,"
turning once more to Miss Rufford,
''it'il be all that is necessary, and the
extra sum I'll invest in new satin pown
'or myself. Ha, ha, ha! Cackle is SO
very close with his check book that
low and then l have to circumvent
him."
You are so witty, DEAR" Uttered
Mss Ruffori.
Nothing under a dollar and twelve
cen,s'' shrilly repeated Miss Cacklc,
s. the salesman came back again. 81
couldn't think of paying that. Have
sou no unstable Understanding
hat nobody else will buyi The people
that l want this ca:p,t for are dread.
July old-fa'hioned, and never will
snow the difference"
'Oh, my dear. you are too funny.
said Miss Rufford, behind her fan.
ave have one" hesitatei the young
:Ierk-''a scarlet ground. with i'm
ncnse olive green pineapples all over
t. We haven't sold yard off it.
Everybody seems afraid of it, and / |
ion't really think
LET me see it," said Mrs. Cackle,
promptly.
The porter presently wheeled up a
mammoth roll on a hand barrow; the
clerk unfo.ded its hidcous, glaring pro-
portions where, against scarlet
ground, some monster vegetable en- :
'wined itself among impossible scrolls.
You see, ma am. it is quite unsala-
ole," said the clerk. ''Mr. Meddle
was talking of donating it to tho recep.
lion room of the Blink aud DOODLE
Orphan Asylum, at"
ait is little peculiar" said Mrs.
Cackle, eying it through her lorgn.tte.
"Quitc-ahem!-what should call an
ar, carpet"
"Oh. my dear Louisa" siggled Miss
Ruford.