The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1895-08-07
A PRACTICAL JOKE.
By HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

Miss Aurlcuia HenCnam was heltN-
er young nor beautiful. IN the
worlds eyes she was long past the age
of romance. But in the heart Of q true
woman there is always a soft spot
where youth and hope bloom cter-
nally.
She lived IN little hall bedroom,
in one of those great, un-home-hke
boarding houses, where people are
packed together like sardines IN box,
and worked for Mademolselle lem,
the fashionable milEner of Playport.
She had a speaking acquaintance with
Mrs. Bloom, the plump widow, who
sat opposite her at the table; Kitty
Supple, the pretty shop-girl on her
left, who despised homely people. snd
thought no one ought to to I'VE after
she was past thirty; and Mr.. Mills, the
foreman in the printing office OF the
Playport Eagle, who sat at the corner
beyond, and that was all.
During the day she worked hard at
the store; in the evenings she sat at
window. with shawl across her
shoulders, and mended her Clothes
and read her Testament, aud crocheted
on a black worsted mat, which had
been ea hand for a year at least. be
cause Kitty Supple generally had
beaux in the parlor, and audlbly de
clared she thought old maid had no
business to be peeping and prylng
And upon the whole, 1t was not a
very lively life.
Mr.. Mills, up in his Second-story
front, was as solitary as she, no doubt.
But he was man. He could 60 out
totheatres, reading-rooms, chess clubs:
Miss Pendham was tempted to wish at
times that she was man.
There was such an utter loneliness
in her heart, that when Billy Parks,
the laudlady's little boy, brought his
mittens to her to mend early on the
morning of the first of April, she was
glad of the chance to talk to some
body.
i say, Miss Pendhanl, observed this
this artless youth, why don't you get
married.
Miss Pendham colored. Or was 1t
the reflection of the red yarn where
with she was threading slender
darning-needle.
Everybody doesn't get married,
Billy, said she.
Yes, that's true, remarked Billy;
Mother, she says she wishes sneo
never gone and got married. when
father goes on spree. But Miss Sup.
pie she says, you'd have got married
to old Mills long ago, If yoR could
have caught MIN.
Miss Pendham was silent a moment.
She was used to these satirical Stlngs
of Kitty Supplies vivacious tongue;
but all the same they smarted.
!, Miss Supple ought not to talk SO,
sai6 she. She knows that Mr.. Mills is
nothing TO me.
Mother says that Miss Supple wants
old Mills herself, says Billy. | don't
like her. I wouldn't marry her, not
for hundred dollars. She told moth
er about the comic valentine / sent
her, and mother gave me licking:
But I'll be quits with her yet. I'll
April-fool her, see if I don't, Did you
ever get April-fooleo, Miss Pendham.
when you was girl? Or April-fool
other folks2
Sometimes, said Miss Pendham, a
moisture blurring her vision as she re-
membered the great, fragrant barn at
nome, and the slim girl-could it be
possible that it was herself2- filling
the hens nests with empty egg shells
and deceptive china eggs, to deceive
the laughing little brothers who were
dead and gone long ago.
Wasn't it fun, thought said Billy.
with chuckle 1 mean to Aprll-fooI
everybody in the honse. Thankee,
Miss Pendham!
And snatching the mittens from her
hand, he scampered cheerily down
stairs. three steps at time, finishing
up with prolonged slide down the
bsnisters.
While Miss Pendham tied on her
bonnet. arranged her little grey shawl
and went to Mademoiselle Vicini's
with bandbo1 in her hand, which
contained Miss Helena Moptrose's s
wedding bonnet-a marvel of white
tuIle, orauge-buds and point-lace-
upon which she had worked late the
preceding uight.
And Kitty Supple, who was late at
the store tripped after her with fluffy,
brown fringes of hair escaping from
under her turban hat, and blue eyes
sparkling with mischief.
But she had pale, frightened look
when she got to the store.
Of course | didn't mean it, said Kit
ty: and I don't suppose it signifies
anything. But the parcel was just
sippe'. in under the string that tied
the b.no box, and it was the easiest
thing in the world to pull it out. |
couldn't help laughing to think how
astonished she would be to find It
gone. And I opened it and peeped in
70 see what 1t was Elegant point lace
that must have cost FIVE or six dollars
yard! And put it in my pocket;
and when I next felt for my pocket
hasdkszzalet i was gssss. Now I've
walked tliee o<cr, sae road. and asked
every one met If they had seen a
parcel, wrapped in brown paper and
Tod VIA IaS tvine. aad no one had.
I VIA u sensesss hadn't touched
fFe oM Efrg, Bat Miss Pendham
will never know vino took lt..that S
one comfort.
And Kitty Supple cried at intervals
all day behind the coantcr. The joke
had not proved 80 jocosc as she had
imagined It would be.
Goes! Shraly saarieked M&demoi-
sosle vaeai. Yhss pctnslaee, Miss
NccseasS eleSsat Psaat d Aeneon,
invorsed asaecsiy fs,aa Paris for her
Wedding Ass- gcsse, OF coarse yos
krow, Gas PesraAsa, tsas l shsll hold
you responsible fT Sac Twenty-Five
derass which thop Ave yards OF lace
vere 1eued as. Erz, d, | care TO re
tain IN nay service a yousg pason 50
s1sssdsnsIs washable IS you have
Shown youNelf 10 a. You will be
,.~<.S ~. -b 80 r,,n r-S,a v<,ss essaSf Will,