The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-01-31
BILL WAS A JEWEL.

county, Missouri, to live with them the |
members of the Edwards family decided tc |
make the best OF it. The head of the family |
prepared them for It in advance.
81 suppose, my DEAR" he said to his wife
the day before "Bill'' was due, chat VII
liam will be rough diamond"
When the Edwards girls got a GLIMPSE
of their cousin as he stamped into the front
hall they were certain about the roughness
and were even inclined to question whether
the diamond might not be paste rather than
genuine.
"Bill' had evidently not enjoyed shave
for some days before he left the Bald KNOT
country to seek his fortune in Chicago He
was chewing tobacco. His SLOUGH hat was
faded to a soft greenish brown and was
frescoed with grease spots. He wore trous
, ers the two legs Of which were never in.
tended to be mates, and his coat was tx
tremely short and shiny. His boots were
deeply wrinkled and covered with dust.
He wore u blue checkered shirt and white
paper collar innocent OF tie, but guilty Of
sundry stains and spots. In the buttonhole
OF the collar sparkled large prize package
button finished in green brass.
Cousin "Bills" manners were as informal
as his raiment He made the Edward.
lohiby ASCi az az bHCt. LIZ put HE
] feet on the library table, insisted on kissing
the girls good night and gave performance
at the dinner table which was startling in
the extreme. When he finally retired for
| the night the Edwards family heaved col
/ lective sigh Of relief and apprehension.
80, WE'LL" said Mr.. Edwards, cheerfully,
"it will only take few months in the city
to cvilize him. He'll be different fellow
within six weeks"
At the end OF month "Bill' showed
no signs OF improvement that were visible
to the naked eye. Mr.. Edwards brought
home most encouraging reports of his prog.
ress in business way He had practically
taken charge Of the shipping department at
the store and displayed much ability in
handling the packers and getting the goods
out on time. Incidentally, he had licked
big truckman who objected to his way
Of doing business. But so far as his personal
appearance went "Bill" was still incor.
rigible. lie shaved when his whiskers in.
terfered with sleeping soundly; he never
BACKED his boots and stuck to his peculiar
clothes with a devotion worthy Of porous
plaster. Through it all he maintained the
calm and cheerful Inconsistencies of an
infant, while the rest Of the family suffered
in silence.
Finally Mr.. Edwards took it upon himself
to give the young man some good advice
He began by complimenting him upon thu
progress he had made at the store, and
then, as delcatey as possible, went on &c
suggest that these new responsibilities made
it necessary for him to live up to the posi-
ton in the way of dress and personal ap
pearance. "BiiP' listened to it all in silence
and thanked Mr.. Edwards for his kindness
The Edwards girls backed up their father
appeal by marking such proverbs a
CLOTHES make the man" and leaving then
about where "BlP' would be sure to sc,
them. In spite of all their efforts there
was no improvement. "BilP' continued t
do his work at the store in way which ex
cited the admiration Of his superors. III
also continued to shock all the refined in
stincts of the Edwards family by his I'm
couth manners and dress.
So the weeks went by and "Bil's
: clothes finally reached stage where
1 seemed necessary to adopt heroic meas
8 ures. "Bill' was told as tactfuly as pos
sible that he must get new suit. He obeye,
orders He came home one night wearin
= an outfit that would have made the fol
u tune Of low comedian. In color it wa
u modelled after a cake Of notified CASTLE soar
= One of the trousers legs had been ampl
: tated below the knee, and the coat was su
Z fering from enlargement of the shoulde
blades. After one glimpse of Bills" neN
suit the Edwards family gave it up. "Bill
was evidently intended as permanent III
Fiction. They would do the best they coul
! under the circumstances. and make no fur
s Their effort to accomplish the impossible.
+ Then, just when the dark clouds of d.
'e spair seemed to have settled down for goo
J. over the Edwards family, bright CLEAR
: Of hope lighted up the horizon. AT fir
II it seemed too good to be true. Then SUI
g denly it wldened, until from nadir to zenit
. all was light In the short space Of tw
rs months "Bill'' was transformed into M
. William Clarence Edwards, with his nam
q engraved on steel, his feet incased in pateI
d leather and his garments Of the sartori
ID model for a large section of the Sout
ef side.
& Most people will jump to the conclusio
that a girl was responsible for this wonde
full transformation scene. As matter
fact, girl had nothing to do with it. A
% accidental umbrella was the cause OF it a.
MS The Edwards family have a rich unc
y, who lives in New York. Each year he senC
y a Christmas box containing presents for q
his nephews and nieces. This year he ha
w happened to hear that "BilP' was new a
Of dition to the family Accordingly "BilPi
~ name went on the Christmas list, and whe
he the box was opened among the other gf
rs. was found fine gold-headed silk umbrel
or with William c. Edwards" engraved
4. fancy script on the handle.
he The New York uncle was man wi
IN bought the best of everything when it can
to Christmas presents, and, accordingly, Il
new umbrella was a most impressive pie
as Of furniture. The silk was heavy and lu
tn trous, the stick was of some rare wood, al
he the head was massive and heavy crook
le- gold. "BilPs" previous experience wi
,es umbrellas had been extremely limited. ]
mi had always gone on the principle that IA
n was calculated to make both vegetables al
,rt boys grow faster The mere feel of t
10 new umbrella in his hand oppressed hi
~ But it was by far the rarest and most va
wv able of his possessions, and he felt in du
FIX bound to carry it. The first night when
are came home from the store it was motto
ore with shock Of surprise that he had had
lb- boots BACKED.
The next morning he shaved befo
breakfast, and the family almost sh
cred with apprehension. week lat
:, O. new suit of clothes came home from
ihe fashionable tailor addressed to "Willit
I'M c. Edwards" The following Sunday he
la peared wearing kid gloves, and before 10
wo he had become a connoisseur in necktes a
INV a critic of hiph art effects in fancy sEirtin