The Opelousas courier., 1894-11-10
A BIT OF SEVRES.
a Foolish Fancy That Brough'
About a Wedding.

1t was a cosy room,~ suggestive both OF
comfort and elegance; but Van Tooker
mere, recalling its former glories and
keenly conscious of each worn thread
in Che carpet, the frayed satin in the
furniture covering and darns in the
lace curtains, shook her head and
sighed plaintively.
Speculation, a panic and grief from
the consequent failure had carried
away Van Tooker pere. His thought
fulness left them the old home and a
slight income upon which his widow
and her daughters. Elinor and Con-
tent, contrived to live presumably, no
one knew how.
That is. no one except Elmer, for
Elinor had the Van Tooker nose and
had inherited along with it those
qualities which not only command
success but deserve it. No one but
Elinor knew how the shabby old
gowns ere reiuvenated, the hats
made good as new and the cast-off
fnery Of her mother and aunts trans
formed into bewitching party gowns.
Just as they are in stories" exclaimed
Content, in e~cstasies after each new
achievement of Elinor's.
Ordinarily when given to meditation
Miss Van Tooker sat in the library.
For it was aristocratic even In it's de-
cline, and together with her Van
Too.zer nose Miss Elinor had inherited
a~ristocratic tastes. Her great-great-
grandfather-a Copley-hung on the
wall; the old books were handsomely
bound; and, thank Heaven, the floor
was of polished wood and could never
show such unmistakable signs of shah
binecs as the erstwhile beautiful car
pets were doing Then Miss Van
Tooker was intellectual, and medita-
tion In the library was therefore more
appropriate.
When she sat there Saturday night
summing up her weeks occupations
the account ran something like this:
Monday night, acting Lady Teazle be-
fore the Comedy club, acting it well,
too. and thereby consuming the i'm
mense amount OF nervous energy re-
CURED to act Sheridan; Tuesday after
noon, leading conversation on social
ism at the Once-a-Week club; Wednes-
day, giving q little talk before the
missionary society on practical ways
OF raising q fund; between times read
Ing up for her paper for the Every Fri
day club. Added to this were the vari-
hi social functions In which she had
taken part; the teas at which she had
poured" the receptions at which she
had helped to receive; the German she
had led and the calls she had managed
TO pay and receive between times. It
was q long list. but it was Saturday
and she had Sunday to rest In when
the memory OF the weeks occupations
made her weary. This was Monday,
however. She had been busting, for
their one maid was busy in the laun-
dry, and moreover L1inor did not dare
trust her among the bric-a-brac.
That bric-a-brac! This was the rea-
son she sat down, duster in hand, to
mediate.
Van Tooker mere had adorned her
% vas the fashion OF the time
Of its adjoining, with stately bronzes,
glass and alabaster, and
had filed her china closet with the
Of Worchester, Dresden and
6evres. Therefore when Elinor cover
ed . tiny table with 4 linen cloth
whose original design was lost In the
and drawn work with |
which 1t was ornamented, set 1t in the
corner between the window and the
crate and placed thereon six OF her
Sevres cups and saucers, Mrs. Van
Tooker was properly incensed. Her
increased when she dis
covered Content balancing q bread
plate Of rare design upon q wire easel
to ornament the mantel, stripped OF
her bronzes- The etagere, too, bore
traces Of the dining room robbery.
Only the fact that indignation Is well
Is sorrow rendered Van Tooker mere
speeches. saved the girls from q
r~eprimand.
my dears, / have always found our
china closet sufficiently roomy,r she
said with dignity when she agaiu re-
covered voice.
But, mamma, everybody else has
teacups and things il their parlors
now, ready TO pour tea and chocolate,
know
When do ron expect 70 pour tea and
Elinor7n
Mamma, dear, Won know ii is d
shame W have this beautiful china hid
away, and nobody ever 4 orr
dining-room. y
What will ron do when We have
sompany7'
'Aammas darling, you are too ridicu-
You know very well NJ are per