The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-01-15

time, so that within half an hour the
parlors were filled. A stiffness hung
over this assemblage of old neighbors and
acquaintance, which turned into astonish-
ment when Miss Appleby bobbed into
, the room.
She was an odd figure, clad in a rusty
black dress, with scarlet silk handker-
chief across her shoulders and large
bunch of saliva, very much askep', over
one ear. To complete this strange holi-
day gear she had two enormous bottles
dangling clumsiy from each side, and
bore under one arm, true to Aunt Huldah's
prophecy, large ottonaannel giraffe
dcclled out in ink-spots as large as ten
cent pieces, while chicken-bone artfuliy
fastened Oh, graced its nondescript head.
Bowing to the company, she placed
her gift on the table, where it carccned
backward on abnormally thick legs in
tragic attitude, and then she looked
around the silent room for her hostess.
Aunt Huldah was absent. Hearing no
welcoming word or invitation, the old
lady shrank back timidly, and her hands
tiuttered up and down her dress. Millic
had been hiding her smiles behind fan,
butat the sight of the nervous, disturbed
glance she went impulsivcly to the
rescue.
"Dear Miss Appleby, grandma will be
so glad you came! Take this chair. l
suppose you know Miss Appleby, ladies
and gentlemen"
There were friendly mods and muir
murs now in response to Miss Appleby's
queer curtsys, as pretty Millicent placed
her gently in chair and chatted kindly
with her.
Aunt Huldah and Uncle Job were to
be addressed after the fashion of the old
service by the minister. ~ want to stand
as we did long ago." said Aunt Huldah,
"when we had no idea of life; and I
want to realize the solemness of it."
So now they came into the room hand
in hand, both heads silver gray and both
hearts quietly happy. The second SER
vice had all the solemnity of first cere-
mony about it, and the minister's re-
marks were very felicitous. As his voice
ceased and rustling silence succeeded
it, suddenly Miss Appleby lifted her
head, shifted audibly and dashed from
the room, pausing at the foot of the
staircase and then darting up it Like a
squirrel.
Every eye in the room followed her in
amazement, and Aunt Huldah looked
shocked and vexed. Instantly, upstairs,
there was the noise of downfall and
then a terrific crash. Millie and her
grandfather ran upstairs, and the entire
company streamed after them.
In the middle of the best bedroom
stood Miss Appleby, calmly untying the
necks of the two great bottles from the
string that fastened them to her waist.
The main part of them lay on the floor,
shivered into fragments on the smoking
ruins of Millicent's lace dress and one
bed-curtain, hastily wrenched down.
sIt takes me to smell smoke" she said,
nodding sagely at the Mortified people
crowding into the door. 81 mortally
fear fire an always 60 to big assemblages
with my two hand-grenades somewhere
about me; that is, ever since was burnt
out O. house and home three year ago.
1t must "a been candle left burnin', an
it toppled over somehow. La, it's out
now! Don't look so white, Mis- Satter-
lee. Half bcd-curtain an grimcrack
dress amt much to lose! an that's really
all that happened"
Millicent's sorrow over her dress, half
nonsense, half-earnest, made every one
laugh, and under cover of this laughter
Aunt Huldah thanked Miss Appleby with
heartfelt carnestness.
1t now was easy for the sly, queer old
lady to get acquainted with the company.
AS Uncle Job took her to supper on his
arm, she was happier than she had been
for many long day. Hearty invitations
to two quilting parties and husking
frolic were accepted with pleasure
which admitted no remembrance of for
mer neglect. She danced in the Virginia
reel, and finally went home serenely
happy on Uncle Jobs arm, with the men,
ory of kind words and the girls warm
kisses to cheer her solitary hours.
When the last guest had departed Mil
licent aud Hctty slipped into the parlor.
Their grandmother was surveying the
giraffe with Dubious admiration on her
face.
"What do you think of it, grandma2"
asked Hetty.
81 think" said grandma, seriously,
"that it's tulrible-lookin' beast an no
mistake; but it's goin' to stay right here
in this parlor for remindcr-you girls
needn't ask jest what-of your grand
fathers wisdom. My Job has head an
an a heart to match each other, an that's
an uncommon thing nowadays"
Tie giraffe was induced to stand up
right on little table in corner, land now
when Miss Appleby, who is welcome
visitor, runs over to Aunt Huldah's to
spend the afternoon, she always takes a
sly peep into the parlor to gaze reverently
at that artistic creation of her fertile brain
which has come to such high honor. She
secretly thinks that it is the most bcauti-
full ornament in the house.-Y0uth'S Com
pQnt0n.
Tirtino Inv Arithmetic