The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-08-24
NEW ORLEANS LETTER.
The Tale OF q Dress Suit and the Chap who
Paid the Penalty for Faking-For-
mai Opening of the Theatre
cal Season.
New Orleans. La, Aug. 20. 1907.

During an lnt6rmlSslon at the White
City not many moons ago, I chancec
to overhear an amusing convers atior
which occurred between two young
men who sat smoking at one of the
coZy little refreshment tables that dol
the grounds of that attractive resort
Both young men were well-groomed
and good to look at, and the younger
OF the twain-an athletic blonde-was
telling the story which caught my at.
tention and held it in spite of my in
terest in the music and the constantly
moving throng.
| 80, say! I was in a worse hole
than that last winter" he began,
apropos of some story his companion
had just recounted. 1T was while I
Twas finishing up at Tulane and board
| ing at Mrs. Van Smythe's in Third
street. That dashing young aunt OF
mime and her husband were also 10.
Gated there. was rooming with Bob
Vance-you know Bob; aWfully good
sort. Well, [ blew in one evening
just before dinner to have Aunt Dolly
| announce TO me in her dear little
fluffy way that Uncle John had unex-
pectedly been called from town and
she wanted me to take her to bridge
party that night. I was up tree
right, because had been strapped for
coin OF the realm that week and care
lessly pawned my dress suit like the
blankety -blanked dummy happen to
be. The week before had parted with
my watch and scarf pin, and still feel
ing the pinch of poverty, breezed off
with the suit to my uncle's to consign
it to his tender care till my longed-for
check from home should arrive. l
gazed at Aunt Dolly with dismay in
my eyes, and then with the gibness
for which I am achieving fame, I
groaned expressiyely: 'Oh, Aunt Dolly,
I'm frightfnlly sorry, don't you know,
but I'm sick as yellow dog and it
will be impossible for me to go with
you tonight. It's my head, you see, |
concluded vaguely, passing my hand
over that particular member of me
that Is supposed to conceal what gray
matter possess-and does conceal it
SO successfully that you couldn't
hardly notice it at all. The way OF
the transgressor is hard. :. don't you
ever believe it's anything else, either.
That precious little aunt of mine was
instantly fred with concern for my
physical welfare, and insisted that
turn in forthwith and Immediately and
submit to the ministrations of her
angel hands. A hot water bag at my
feet, a cold cloth swathing my fool
head and an efferVescing something
travelling down my throat were what
followed for mine. And that wasn't
the worst of it. Aunt Dolly gushed
sweetly just before she left me safely
narooned in my room to go down to
dinner: Now dear, you mustn't eat
this evening, as it isn't good for your
poor head; I'll just have some soup
and maybe cup of tea sent up to
you, and then you must try to sleep.
Don't worry about my getting to the
party-I'll ask Bob to take me. ;
While was sulkily engaged In lap
ping up the stingy plate of soup that
had been brought up to my room, and
| albeit, cussing myself out for no end
| OF an idiot, in breezsS Bob with his
chest poked out to an insulting degree,
and smile on his face that made me
fire the hot water bag at him. Say,
old man, he purred with joyous pride,
get out the community dress suit-your
Aunt Dolly has asked me to take her
to the bridge party tonight The
community dress suit! That was the
first downright happy moment / had
had since I periured myself to my lit
tie aunt earlier in the evening. Bob
didn't own q dress suit and always
made use of mine when IL wasn't other
wise engaged. When we both CHANGED
to be asked to the same place the same
evening, one of us stayed home. Bob, )
I breathed tenderly, that same dress
suit is the reason am in bed now lead
ing the simple life at present it reposes
in the shop of your uncle Moses Sill
verstein in Rampant street. The h.
you say!' exploded Bob, then what
in creations name am going to tell
your aunt?' You can search me, /
responded, observing his consterna-
tion with tranquil delight and feeling
somehow that was getting even with
a cruel world. Where's that TICKET,
| fathead?' he thundered, I've got to
get out of this somehow, though where
] can freeze onto the current coin is
more than can figure out. / de-
liVered the ticket into his hands with a
resigned and martyred air, and he
tore down stairs, raised the price by
some hook or crook, rushed down
town, redeemed that dress suit of mine
In time to be ready and waiting for
Aunt Dolly by eight that evening. In
the meantime | sneaked out of bed and
into my clothes and started hot foot
| TO Canal street with free lunch as
an incentive to speed just in time to
behold my redeemed dress suit fittfng