The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1899-01-13


Why not take down side of the
house and hang up a curtain? What's
it for. anyway? 1t amt pretty; it
looks like Il horse blanket. It'll be
mighty nice for rheumatism and in
flueuza. Why not take the roof off
the house instead?"
Bnt for all Tom Dodd's disapproval
the door came off. and the portiere,
brilliant with cotton-fiannel dragons,
japanese young men and women,
half-moous and hieroglyphlcs,r eigned
in its stead. Mrs. Dodd was ready for
the neighbors.
Mercy sakes alivew calculated
Mrs Jerry, who had come in with her
da5nins or little gossip. What on
earth have you got arranging up
tn IT,? and where's your door gomez"
That? q that's only IL portiere,N as
if ucrtere in Millvillage was the
.uo~t cnn.lnrn hing in ll!e world.
"A what? 1t looks like eiGeshow
at the circus. or n poster"
Every body don't take to 'ein VII en-
they first see EN-" Uttered Lucinda
Father didn't. Folks have to be
educated up to 'em. like eating to-
matoes.n
"a portiere, did you say? Where'd
you get the ideer?'
Its u French word,n said Mrs.
Tom, as if French were her daily
speech ''It came from France"
PITY it hadn't stayed there. 1t
must let in sight of cold air."
I'VE haven't suffered no inconveni-
ence,' returned Mrs. Tom, loftily.
at amt to be sneazed at" said
Lucinda.
A. luck would have it, however,
cold snap set i'll about this time. Mrs.
Do I'd piled on the coal and shivered
surreptitiously.
Your what-you-,nay-clli it don't
seem 10 keep out the cold like door"
suggested Mrs. Jtrry il another OF her
Eelghborly calls. Il don't believe
they'll be popular in Aiilvillage."
They're popular at Lawyer
Brownies and in the first families OF
bingham" returned her sister-in-law.
"Well, l s'pose they have furnace
there, and the price of coal amt no
conse qnence to 'em. For my part,
shouldn't be able to reconcile it to my
conscience to waste Jerrys substance
in portiere.
II Mrs. DodG had wished to set the
nei-nborhood agog she succeeded;
MiIlviliage wasn't used to esthetlc
ideas, and the report that she had
| taken door off the hinges and hung
up curtain in its stead seemed to
| their unenlightened minds the height
| of Ghsurdity.
But it rea lily does look ever so pref
| ty.'' said the genial soul at the sewing
circle, "only my teeth chartered in my
| head all the time | stayed at Mrs.
| Dosid's.n
| "Lucindy tells me it's a new-fangled
| nctiou they got up to Hingham; she
saws lis all around there, as if it was
| tbs measles. It's what thy call Art
| Decorations explained Mrs. Lutes-
| triug the miiliner.
Art fid!es ticks, snapped Mrs. Jer-
ry. the art CT taking cold, reckon.
| Pane had the doctor last night and
| u mustard pie ster! l caiiiilate she's
decorated with blister by this time"
I'm afraid Miss Dodd's getting
dreadful worldly to be took up with
coffee baggil & and cotton-fannel
| when there's missionary work to be
done," sighe d old Mrs. Preacher.
Miss Dodd's got gentility on the
BRAIN" put in the village dressmaker.
"She wants to lead the fashions in
Millvillage."
Il think it's our duty to get up a
petition and ask her to hev the door
hung again, seeing's the sewing So
ciety's going to meet there next week;
it wouldn't be convenient for all of us
to hev the influence together" sug-
gested the president of the society.
Its flying in the face of Provi-
dence," persisted Mrs. Jerry.
But before the week ended Aunt
Hannah dropped in from heartfelt to
make Mrs. Dodd a visit, as the wealth,
er had moderated.
II thought I'd take advantage oil
the warm SPELL" she exclaimed.
You see I'm going over to bingham
next week to hev Lawyer Browne
make my will, and thought I'd stop
while with you, Pamely, on my way
You know" she continued, dropping
into a whisper as though the heirs
were at her elbow, ''if l don't make
it-and it seems as if was old enough
-everything'll go to his folks! seeing
Pm only Your aunt-ln-law, having
married your own uncle Roger Hill
for my first husband and my good-for'
nothing. cousin Tom Jackson for my
second; if don't make it, you see, not
a dollar'd belong to you. as | brought
you up till you married Mr.. Dodd.
Laws is queer, you know; so l thought
wouldn't wait 10 longer, but take
advantage of the thaw and hev Law
yer Browne cut his folks off with a
, dollar.n
But the thaw was followed by
another cold wave before Aunt Han
nah could start for bingham.
at won't last long" Mrs. Dodd con.
soled her, land then Tom'll drive
, you over in the pung."
Its proper pleasant here" CHR
ruped the old lady, land l wouldn't
| grudge staying all winter, if his folks
had only been cut off. How well
Ben's wooden carpet wears, and the
J horse hair furniture looks so genteel
When you get my legacy-ain't there
a door open somewhere, Pameley
I've got cold water a-running dowr
my back
do put on this shawl, Aunt Han
, nah," Begged Mrs. Dodd; "Pll stir w
f! the fire and bring my foot-stove and {
, bottle of hot water; the house is old
, you see, and full of cracks"
"When you get NV legacy you cal
have q new one, Pameley. VIVA
have you got that counterpane hang
l ing up to the doorway for? To keeI
out the air."
t That's portiere, Aunt Han nah.
t 'Lor', heard up to heartfelt tla
| You had pOTtiere, and folks wonder
r ed what it YVES like, and said the.
: hoped it wasn't nothing; I've beef
e meaning to ask you about it eve
2 since | come, but the will AMI tn
+ cold snap put it out of my head. s,
that's portiere, eli? Can't you afforI
1 | "a dn0r PampleVSH