The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-07-24

The instant Mrs. Blander saw 1t she
exclaimed, gracefully: THAT Is an
exponent of a most charming type!
Pray rest from your labors, while
mediate upon it. See, Clarissa, how
noble are its proportions, how chaste
its design, how Doric its atmosphere!
Do you know what 1t suggests to me,
dear?"
Clarissa couldn't guess, so Mrs
Blander cried. joyously: The Par
thenon, Clarissa II really does. It's
strange how these suggestions come
to me, transcendent Nominations that
open wide the windows of my being.
and register ineffaceable impressions.
That's just the way felt when / saw
this splendid hamper. Parthenon!
something seemed to whisper; and
Parthenon it viii always mean to me.
So austere. yet so satisfyingly beauti-
full! How does it appeal to your"
"of course, DEAR" modestly re-
sponded Clarissa, I'm not clever like
you, and never have occult intima-
tons, so, to tell the truth, it merely
seems to me the biggest and baldest
hamper / ever saw. You'll forgive
me, Appolonia?" she concluded.
humbly.
i I'm disappointed in you" Mrs.
Blander replied. palpably rufied. It's
humiliating to know that my compan-
| ionship has done so little for you.
and that this hamper is to you moth
ing but hamper. hope you"-turn-
| ing to Mr.. Booder-"can see in it some
thing beyond the material"
Mr.. Booder advanced to the side OF
the wicker elephant and peered
within.
81 can't, ma'am," he confessed,
shamefacedly; there amt anything
in it can see, not even materials"
He continued gazing dejectediy into
the bowels of the hamper.
If estheticism can snort, that low
word would best describe the sound
of disgust with which Mrs. Blander
favored Mr.. Booder.
Are men but clods?" she cried.
Does intuition play no part with you!
Intuit, sir, intuit!"
Such was the commanding presence
of trong-minded Mrs. Blander and the
obedient servility of weak-minded MI
Booder, that in the twinkling OF an
eye, and before Mr.. Booder himself
knew what he was doing. he had
leaped over the side of the hamper
and was meekly gazing out at bis res
olute customer.
Clarissa showed herself not alto
gether devoid OF humor and sniggered
painfully; but Mrs. Blander was sen
sitive and silenced her by glance.
"what do you mean." she inquired
behaving in this fashion? Come out
at once and explain your conduct
Mr.. Booder clambered out of the
Parthenon and answered, defiantls
You told me to do it,
Il did nothing of the kind" contra
dicted Mrs. Blander in her most posi-
tive manner.
"Tll leave It to the young lady i
you didn't" he recklessly retorted
You called out: Into 1t, sir, into 1t,
and if that amt plain English I'd like
to know the reason why"
, Once again Clarissa Jared upor
, Mrs. Blander's nerves, and with
/, sweeping gesture the latter wavet
, away the hamper.
Amt you going to take 1t, aftel
| all?" asked disappointed Mr.. Booder
loath to recommence his labors.
{ Never" cried Mrs Blander. mo
, after 1t has peen desecrated by rid
, cule and inhabited by ignorance"
, Mr.. Booder quailed before her ey'
, and embarrassedly trundled away thu
classic pile.
1t was not until all OF the stock hat
, been paraded before her that Mrs
; Blander decided upon a medium-size'
hamper that bulged in the middle. ha'
!. outspreading handles and magenti
i band near the top.
. THE magenta border is blow Z
] me-" she explained to Mr.. BoodeI
"as the room in which 1t is to b
5 placed is in ethereal blue. and I fea
a subtle antagonism between tn
: two"
a "The price of this" began MI
t Booder, pencil in hand, glad to be O
e the ground he comprehended.
But not so. Mrs. Blander raised
, supplicating hand as she said: ID
e not name the price. beg OF you.
make it a point never to sully an OF
ject at the time of purchase by ider
!. tifying it with the cost. If, when
: is delivered, find 1t beyond what
can afford. simply return 1t. In thi
: way | contribute my mite towar
spiritualizing trade. Now let us g
$ Clarissa. and as we so let US cast fri
I quent glances at the new symbol, 10
wish to carry away a distinct pi'
ture, unconfused with environins o,
jects."