The morning call., 1892-03-14
THE RED TAN.

They hau been SUING dEUuuu lIlc HVlaAS
FIRE for some tire reading when suddenly
Jack threw down his book aud said: Il
vote this pretty dull. CUntound Rasseias
anyhow Let's talk"
THAT will be a pleasure. you're so en-
tertainng," said Jetty GROSSLY, for she was
reading one of the Duchess novels on the
sly aud didn': want to be interrupted.
"Humph! l know what you're doing,
miss; SO you needn't try TO hide that book.
You can't deceive me. Ii you were reading
something solid now, you'd be only too glad
to lay it down. HI, there. Rachel! what
are you reading?"
Rachel laid down her book reluctantly.
"Macaulay's Lays,' Jack, bat Will stop if
you like What shall we do TO be enter
taining?"
"0h, | don't know! / said talk, but
don't know what TO talk about"
"TlI tell you" said Rachel; Tets 60 up
to grandmas room and get her to tell us a
Story"
"Oh, pshaww exclaimed Jack, "she does
not want us up there bothering her"
You just come and see. You don't go to
see her half enough, you and Jetty. She
told me she wished you'd come oftener."
did she. honest now ?'' ask ed Jack, who
was very fond of his grandmother, but, like
all boys, though it foolish to show his affec-
ton. We'll, suppose we do Co." and he
gave Jetty's book rap that sent 1t flying
across the ROOM"
Jetty rose without saying anything
picked the book up and hid il under the lid
of the piano. Ii was useless TO demonstrate
with Jack when lie had on one Of his high
and mighty spells, as she called them. and.
besides, Jetty knew she had no right to
read that book. She would not have dared
TO ii her mother and father had not gone
out for the evening. So she placed ii safely
out of sight. and followed her brother and
cousin to grandma room.
They were already enscOnced In comfort
able chairs, while grandma, who was in
quite glow at this unexpected visit from
the grandchildren she loved so dearly, was
beaming a. them over her SpPCtacles.
Tell you a story" she 50 d dear, dear,
l dent believe | can. | haven't told stories
for years. Untiy you came here, little Rachel,
Jack. and Jetty never cared for my old
fashioned tales"
non, grandma" exclaimed Jetty, re-
prOachfuily, and then 10 change the CONVEX
sati0n. she quickly said: what do you use
that lovely cherry cabinet with the brass
mountings for? That's pretty enough for
the drawing-roOm."
"The very thing" said grandma, in an
excited futter. 1T is fil4ed with souvenirs
OF my girlno0d days. Every article has a
history. Suppose you choose something
from il and will tell you story about ii. )"
agreed" cried Rachel, and Wen come
up here every night until tie cabinet is
emptied. You choose first Jetty."
Jetty opened the cabinet drawer and
finally drew out beautiful red tissue fan,
with eXQuisitely carved t0Ttoise-shel sticks
and border Of red feathers.
Il choose this, grandma she said. HAS
1t history? Did you carry 1t al your first
ball?''
We'll not exactly, dear, and yet it has
something to do with my first ball. Il has
8 history. You see ii was this way. When
] was Is l went away for visit 10 New
York. | had Just fin shed school and | had
never been in big city before. 1t was a
great treat and how good they were to me.
dear Nine. Van Rensselaer, and her delight
full husband.
They had 10 children. but toward the
end Of my visit niece OF theirs. Marie Van
RENSSELAER,, came 10 stay it'll them. Marie's
mother was a French woman whom one of
the Van Rensselaer, hNys had met and mar
ried abroad, and Marie inherited all her
mothers love of fine clothes, dainty be-
Iongings and exquisite lingerie. After Marie
came did not enjoy my visit quite so we'll
She was fond Of me and she did not mean to
be unkind, but could not help Wincing a
bit when she rolled her big black eyes at my
clothes In evident surprise at their SIM
pliciiy. My CLOTHES were of good material
and appropriate, but they did not have the
All, bow foolish l was, bat | cried many
night over that little thorn in my rose
We'll, the week before l went away
madame gave ball In our honor. Ii was a
very grand affair, l assure you. All the
young people we knew came, and all the
grOwn-up people who had known our par
ents came 10 welcome their daughters into
society, for it was really at this bail that
Marie and / made our debut. The house
was all trimmed with palms and ferns and
70 and I
with madame at the end of the long drawing
room TO receive the guests. But am get
ting. ahead OF my story. a few days before
the ball Marie came TO my room TO see what
was going TO wear. Sue brought her gown
with her, pale blue silk, covered with
SPRAYS of tiny fOrget-me-nots done up in
darker shade of blue.
II had little surprise in store for her,
and so, after a while, | went earelessly to
my trunk and brought out my gown. 1t
was very pretty gown, and was deligh
to hear Marie's exclamation of admiration
and surprise.
1T was white chiffon gown, with full
skirt and tiny bodice, low-necked, with a
full rufiie Of the chiffon hanging down. and
no sleeves. There were white slippers TO
match and long white gloves.
On, cherie. you will look like an
angel cried the impetuous Marie, as she
WhIrled me around for in SpectiOn. Jacques,
the gardener, shall make one little white
wreath for your bonny brown locks! AM
Thou wilt look like a Whte-robed angel
with a crown, my Katherine, but and she
paused impressively, where is your fan q
Il produced il reluctantly. 1t was an old
satin fan Of my mothers and felt rather
ashamed of it, but it vas all had. l was
sorry Marie asked, because | had not in
tended showing it to her. Indeed, | was
contemplating the possibility Of going with
out fan at the ball. / didn't think L would
be very warm.
when Marie saw the fan she threw I'D
both her hands in horror.
as 1t will Gevare do, ma cherie.' she said.
'Nevare. neyaTe. Il will spoil thy angel CO.'S
tune. Go straight down to Martins and
buy there the exquisite tissue fan we saw
there yesterday. DO you remember?
did l remember? Well. didn't II
had coveted that fan for the last week, but
u was SIS, and had not so much to spend
Tor myself. had only two crisp SO bills
tucked away in my little chain purse. and
those were TO buy gifts for the folks at
home. But 1t was such temptation. Marie
returned TO the siege the next day.
me and see IT.
well, l went. OF course Marie did not
know about the two SO bills and the gifts
for the people at home. There 1t lay on
the case so white and dainty with the ex-
qulsiteiy carved mother O pearl sticks; its
border OF lace and the dainty spray of roses
across 1t. L bought II, but my heart was
very heavy. A thousand times l wished il
back, thought of the skates for brother
Tom, the look for sister May and the daln ty
shoulder shawl for mother. None of them
within my reach now.
The day before the ball / went into Mar
TINS to get bracelet fixed. The clasp was
broken. paused at the fan counter to loo <
into the case. There was a LADY, standing
there talking TO the clerk.
:" had set my heart on that FAM she said.
I should have taken it the day saw II.
wanted it for my daughter. You know the
one L mean, white tissue with mother OF
pearl sticks, lace bordered and painted with
roses
"'Yes. remember, Mrs. Mason said the