The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1895-12-25
.ANEWYEARROMANC

"A NE w i TAh lGOAh1SOI
"You may talk as much as you
-,olease," |" said Muriel Vane, nodding hel
carly head, ''but I'm going to receive
company in the parlor on New Years
day. Why shouldn't I? Every other CIR.
does"
"It's SINFUL wicked waste Of time, y
said Mrs. Vane, "when the quilting if
so behindhand and there's such deal
Of sewing to be done"
'.But life isn't all for work, " plead.
ed Muriel "And Mr.. Clifton is coming
all the way from the city in his sleigh
to see me. Oh, mother, please let me
have loaf of homemade cake and some
red apples and real cream for the coffee
Just for this oncei It's only one day
in tho year. Do, mother!"
"Stuff and nonsense!" said Mrs.
Vane, who was one of those aggravating
women who make up their minds on
the least possible grounds and then
pride themselves on adhering to their
word. "I've said no, and I mean no.
When was young girl I wasn't set
ting my cap at every fellow that came
along"
mother, . cried Muriel, in an agony
Of wounded pride, "do you mean to say
that do such . thing?"
"You think a deal too much Of the
beans anyway" said old Mrs. Vane,
screwing up her thin lips. "And I'm
going to break up that sort Of thing.
See If don't!"
II was with difficulty that Muriel
Vane, naturally a high tempered girl,
checked the indignant retort that rose
to her lips. Surely, surely, it was not
right that she, girl of 1S, who was
earning her own living by teaching in
the district school, should be treated
like child of 8; that her tyrannical
old mother should place no confidence
whatever in her sense of right and deli
cacy. Up to this time she had rendered
the tribute of an unwilling obedience
to Mrs. Vane's behests, and now she
felt that the moment for just rebellion
had come. She felt that she could not
live any longer in this cramped, mig
gardly sort of way, with the very Jumps
Of sugar for her tea meted out to her,
one by one, and the pippin apples for
her lunch dealt sparingly forth, as If
each one were nodded in gold. Mrs.
Vane took her lamp away at 8 O'Clock
every night. She dictated to poor Mu-
riel as to the very color of her dresses
and the number of yards which she
might purchase for them; in fact, the
girl scarcely dared to think for herself.
Could she live thus always? she asked
herself. Was it right that she should?
CAT all events, mother" said Mu-
riel, speaking in low, determined
tone, "I shall receive my friends on
New Years dayl 1t is my privilege,
and I claim it!''
'tHumph - was the contemptuous re-
joinder, but there was world Of mean
ing in it. .s
So Muriel retrimmed her one black
silk dress and bought new ribbon sash
and baked a great. golden New Years
cake filed with plums and studded all
through with translucent bars of citron
and herself bargained with the grocer
for two pounds Of real Java coffee with
as little adulteration Of Rio, Maracaibo
and chicory as he could bring himself
to concoct.
i"I can use the china that my grand
mother Vane left me in her will, %
thought Muriel ''That, at least, is
mine, although mother would never al
low me to unpack it'll"
She W., busy decorating the walls Of
the little parlor with laurel leaves and
long, dark green trails Of princes pine
on New Years eve, when her mother
came into the room.
"Muriel," said she, 81 want to send
some dressed chickens and peck Of
those golden pippins to your Aunt Dora
at the lighthouse. Jenkins boy is ready
with the boat, but he's such limb that
don't, for the life Of me, dare to trust
him with the apples and the bag OF
hickory nuts. I want you to go and ask
Aunt Dora for the pattern of the new
bedquilt-the philadelphia pavement,
you know" "
every we'll, mother" said Muriel in
the old submissive way. "But isn't il
rather latef"
"Pshawp' said Mrs. Vane. "Why,
the sun is an hour high yet. You'll be
back long before dark if Jenkins boy is
spry with the oars.
Aunt Dora, Mrs. Vane's only sister,
was worthy scion Of the family tree
tall, masculine and hard featured She
had always taken the entire charge o1
White Reefs Lighthouse, even although
the official appointment was conferred
upon her husband, and when one day
that public servant departed this life,
things went on precisely the same. Mu
riel was not fond Of her Aunt Dora, ant
her Aunt Dora regarded her as a "poor
chicken hearted creature-Vane all
over" But Muriel did feel sorry for the
lonely old woman, and she thought thai
even a pair Of fowls and few apples
this unwonted manifestation OF sisterlJ
3eeling-were worth carrying to White
Reefs. So ahe made haste to don hel