The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-12-30
By Elvira Floyd Froemckc.

! chime just then, and mother ran away
| crying:
up. up. Jack! Ny son must not be
a sluegard on New Years day"
| The day had been dull and gray. A
| Whitley sense of snow thrilled through
| the sharp. Wintry air, which made the
| warmth and comfort within into.N-
eating. From O'Clock in the morning
q line of callers had poured over the
doorsill Of the Steele house. Carra ges
cnptied their loads of elegant looking
men at their curbstOne. the tails of rich
coats i!ouIished like black wings behind
the dying figures, while white satin
WatStcoats and light gloves cleaned in
contrast as the callers rushed up the
steps. Few little boys We're among the
guests. and my jealous heart had alb
sorbed a grain of comfort from this
knowledge.
| hurried from my outlook. and INFO
my hat and raglan, when mother
called:
Come, Jack, It's o'clock! Aren't
you going over to ST. eleS?'
When POmpeN opened the door he
showed all his double molars in aston
ishment at my maGnificence. was
clad in broadcloth from shoulders to
ankles, instead of the velvet short
trousers and braided jacket that had
fretted my masculine dignity fer two
years. Someone has said that "a sense
Of being Well-dreSSed gives one a self
possession that religion cannot be
stow
| felt this as I entered the paror
and caught glimpse OF Mary The
fact, too. that Marys pink sash exactly
matched my uecEtic added warmth &c
tie atmosphere, and made me accept
Grandma Stecle's formal kiss and Mrs
Steele's laughing greeting: My! O!
My, Jack. but you are 4 swell" as m!
| rightfu due.
Mary was especially nice ana glad tc
see me. She had Two or three little
tricks of speech lately that liked, and
her laugh was getting so sweet and
! low.
Through the long parlors. under both
the h'S prismatic chandeliers, was
spread the table that wonderful
feature of New Years hospitality IT
oldcn New York. 1t was laden with
substantials ana dclicacies. all beau
! tfully arranged; and on a side table
| Ste0ming coffee and chocolate ana rich
| punch were dispensed by Iompey, who
/ made capital bronze cup bearer il
! color nd figure, always ready tc
! serve de Gelnmen.
/ Mary and | were getting on very
/ well. Grandma Steele had taken US L
/ the pretty table. We Toasted. girl anc
| boy fashion; l had proposed Il philo-
! pena, and was about asking for one o.
/ those pink ribbons, when a party o.
/ gentlemen came in, and suddenly ths
/ air changed. In a moment it became
4 evident they had imbibed too freely
! and were too hilarious for the society
of ladies'.
Grandma Steele drew herself up very
! tall, proudly so. She smiled and talked
+ but her smile was like the frost on q
! window pane, ana her words were like
bits Of ice striking the sides of a thir
| goblet In a quick undertone she gave
] Pompcy to understand the punch bow
! needed replenishing. It disappeared as
/ swiftly as if he had been a prestidigi-
i tator; and the black coniuror forgot
to bring it back Clever Pompey.
| Mrs. steele smiled and TESTED gayly
exchanging badinage in her light
hearted way, and looking very fair ant
| pretty. She rippled out merry laugh
as one young man fell to his knees
while making gallant speech over
| her extended hand. Across Grandma
Steeie's face came a fash of color. Sh,
! stepped quickly toward her daughter
| in-laW, eXclaiming:
MARY! Be careful;" but she wa.
! too late. The daring young man wa
on his feet, and made a rush for tn
now frightened lady. He caught he
| tightly in his drunken embrace, an,