The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1905-12-30

| SELt-OR. THAT is TO Say
puckeD was taken out of dusty retire
ment and was given a whisk or two
with damp towel if it needed it: and
many suits of long black which might
have been wedding suits If they had
not escaped such history, were dust
ed and laid out for the morrow's wear.
A gold-headed cane came to Eight with
every tall hat, and New Years day was
full of promise.
The day dawned bright and clear.
The snow was fine and hard and gave
back thousand sparkles FOR every
glance from the bedroom window of
the early riser. The ladies' of Swan
pucket knew nothing of what was in
store for them, but rose early to finish
their New Years cake and candy max
ing and to attend to the thousand de-
tails OF this day of nut cracking. and
corn popping. and apple baking. Soon
after breakfast numerous tall and SOM
Der figures, but all with sprightly gaits.
might have been seen vending their
way 10 a common rendezvous at the
Bachelor club, and doubtless they were
noticed by many. but the real alarm
ala not begin to be sounded by Swan
pucket society until tAe 6oorbells he
gan a Jingle, Jingle, ting,e. that grew
more frequent as the day wore on.
Her first caller tooS Miss CIarissa
Frey entirely by surprise. AS she an
erwards explained. she felt as if TIM
tide OF time had taken her I'D bodily
and set her back 80 gears. When the
doorbeli rang she was not prepsrc.
Tor callers, being dressed. indeed in
her wrapper; but when a peek thro,,cs
a side window had revealed the fast
that her caller twor'd on endn was
Mr. Emmett Keene. dressed in keepiny
With bygone style CT chivalry which |
she well remembered, even to the far
Ing white collar and black tie and the !
sold-neaded cane, she flew with maid |
sniy agitation to the very garnet, leav-
ing his admittance to others while she.
awe TO the spirit Of the occasion /
licked herself out with a wonder of q
hoop skirt which her niece pboabe
lad planned to wear that very niobt
At New Years amate 1r play. Emmet
Aeene never had got ahead of Cfar;ssa
rrey' anu ne wouldn- do so at this
ate dav il she could help it.
MT. keene was somev hat taken ah,ct
"hen, after considerable DELAY. there
entered the drawing-room an annari-
Ion that seemed to have a doubla IN
ne storehouse of his memory Ia
ried to account for 30 years como nv
,ut for the life Of him could not make
more than 20 in the figure before
I'm, he mad to admit, as he had dono
II times past, that Clarissa Frev wa.
remarkable woman. After tho 80
mango OF New Years greetings 90
GOSSIP Mr. Keene tried to expla;, ~.
organization and purposes of the ~
bureau OF chivalry. "a new-er-da-
'arture OF the Bachelor club" as he |
Apialned, with nervousness put
the point didn't carry Nv
haovertent mention of the fact 49,
ne departure was founded mon ,ha
anch discussed plea for nrotac.;or
rom Mrs. Dexter Bloom. he fo.ud
amself launched upon a deep and
'hieai discussion of women's clubs
shich ended only with the tincIa of
ne doorbell. announcing the ssrivaI
Fellow clubmaa. and indjcaf;ng
aa. Mr.. 'keene was not properly an ,
ortoning the time at his disnos., c
mong the members of the fa,a CO.. s
n his list.
MIS-. Dexter Bloom was a widow Of q
dignity and aggressive i
atel'ect. 1t cannot be said that she
esealed any signs of agitation wnen
'en' friesbie Virgins was announced.