, 1897-09-28
HER SISTERS BEST Nan
How an Innocent Kid Sto.e Tis A1ec-
tons.
Mile Etienne Lec.erc fourteen years
ODD 10 Mile. Clementine Jonlssier
Che same age.)

a. WA az '" rNN'S
old 10 Mile. Clementine Jonassier
Che same age.)
You must not scold me. Clemmie. darl-
ing. if | have not written you since the
contribution OF prizes al the Conserva-
toire, when we both had such attacks
Of Mysteries, thanks to the behavior CT
the awarding jury. What utterly heart
less creatures those men be TO
make such pretty girls as us cry! Well,
| hope you are over your modification
by this time; | am. A prize more or
less is not worth a moments worry, par
ticu.arly as | am convinced that neither
your future nor mine lies in the piano.
Where was |? Oh. yes, | sad thai
| was not able 10 write 10 you sooner.
This has been owing to our having to
go on the road with the Machard COM
pany. The tour began at the same time
as the holidays, and you know that one
o. IT'S most distinguished members i,
he eminent prima donna" Fausa Lee,
lerc. my sister. My mo her raves with
her, of course; she say she has to Tor
the sake OF propriety, but hat depends
on the point of view, does it no? The
ruth is, Fansta's temper has never en-
abled her 10 keep i maid "a hours; nam,
ma is the only one who can put up with
her. AS to myself, thsy took me along,
100. because they couldn't cave me in
the street probably. But they never neg
,ecs an opportunity to remind me thai
| cost a good deal and am earning notl-
ing. | have 20 travel third-class with
mamma, while Fausta has a luxurious
compartment.
We have already done Orleans Ian
awfully dull place., A~ng5uieme lawfully
iolly), Bordeaux, and Toulouse. Oh,
Bordeaux is a sweet place! Los Of men,
dresses. and shops, and a theater as big
Is the Paris Bourse. How | should love
10 live there, The town is full OF young
men. They say they sell wine. That is
perhaps true; but ii they do they must
get up during the night to sell it, fo>
all day and evening they are AMUSING
themselves.
One Of these remarkable wine mer>
chants is named Julien Colayrac. He is
81 years old, but looks 10. He is as
sweet us a cupid, literally stuffed with
money, and fell in love with the "emi-
nent prima donna during one of the
6 at ID, W.
Fausta's sweetheart followed us to
Toulouse, where we are for the present.
All tcgether-Fausta. mamma, l, and he
we make a nice little party O, four.
Meantime, the wines Of the Julien Col
ayrac brand continue to be sold ami
delivered free anyhere in the country,
in casks or in bottle. Who sells them?
Heaven alone knows!
Now, you have probably noticed al
ready tha,t my dear elder sister is horri-
| bly, Jealous Of me. It's all very well her
repeating constantly that | am a kid,
that my hands are red, that l am flat
chested, that l have a big mouth, &c.
She Is compelled to admit in petto that
| am already better-looking than she is,
and that annoys her. You have no idea
how that ~vexes.her!
Since "phe little Bordeaux man"
| Chats what calls young Coiay-
rac) has been following us around, Faus,
IA was very nasty to me All the time
she makes such unkind remarks as these
in front OF him: "Tha; kid is az fat as
an ironing-bcard," or "Tha. kid Combs
herself with a nail" or That kid
dresses like a gypsy" I'd just like to
scc The dresses that the eminent prima
donna wore at my age. I finally grew
very tired o; this teasing. and about a
week ago I took my dear sister aside.
and the following conversation passed
between US:
do you intend to so on making FUN
OF me before the little Bordeaux MANI
Il intend doing just what I Please"
80 you'll c%ontinue?'
Yes. l will"
Are you 80 afraid that he'll notice
am better-looking than yoo!"