The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1914-05-15
THE GREEN
SATIN COAT
And All II Meant to Two
Girls
By CLARISSA MACKIE

AN express package for you. Neil.
cried Grace Lane as she met her friend
at the door OF the room they occupied
together. "DO hurry and open it. I'm
dying to sec what il contains. 1t mrst
be precious" she ratified on. because
it's registered and stamped with all
sorts of odd foreign characters"
Nellie Hllyer laughed as she tossed
her hat and jacket on the bed and car
ried the interesting package to the win
dow.
ITS from my Uncle Dan. You re-
member. Grace. I've told you about
him-how he has lived for many years
in China and is rs rich us rich can be"
Miss Lane nodded her golden head
and frOwned. Yes; I've heard all
about your rich Uncle Daniel. and
think he's a stingy old thing, Nell-so
there. If he wasn't he wouldn't per-
NIT his niece to wither away in this
perfectly respectable but terribly
gloomy boarding house or to continue
the nerve racking occupation of teach
ing grimy youngsters their A b C's."
What would you have him do,
Grace?" smiled Nell.
II would have him send you a per-
fectly enormous draft on New York.
enough to enable you to buy a rose
powered cottage in the country and to
raise chickens for the market. And,
Nell. | could go and live with you
nd ha pi OH ho In
it be great?"
Nellie sighed profoundly.
1T would be lovely, Grace, but I'm
afraid he won't do thing. You see,
he quarreled with my mother years
ago because she married my father;
and we never heard a word from him
for years and years. Then mother
died. and still never word from I'm
Gle Dan. After fathers death, year
ago, you know l was left entirely
alone and quite poor-those long i'll
nesses simply devoured the money
and now it seems Uncle Dan has re-
membered my birthday after ALL" She
looked dreamily down into the grubby
back yard Of the city block.
Grace jumped up and pulled down
the yellow window shades and lighted
the gas jet.
"NOw that he has remembered, dear,
suppose you open it and see what 1t
contains" she urged. perhaps he has
sent you the rose powered cottage aft
er ALL"
Nellie united the heavy cord that
bound the package and broke the red
seals that splotched it here and there.
When the outer paper was removed
she found that there was layer after
layer of oiled yellow paper. and at last
there was revealed fat box covered
with brOcaded silk. The silk covered
box was tied with golden cords. and
when these were removed the lifted
cover brought to light most wonder
full garment of green satin. stir with
embroidery and giistening with gold
thread.
Nellie held 1t up for her friend to see.
"a mandarin's coat" she said with a
little choke In her voice isn't it won
derful?"
Grace was examining the coat with
critical eyes. On the broad back Of
the garment was embroidered garden
scene, and the fronts were equally
splendid. On either flowing sleeve
there blazed a golden sun. and as she
twitched one Of the sleeves aside there
sounded faint crackle from its vo-
luminous folds.
She plunged her hand into the peck
et-like cavity and drew out q rice paper
envelope addressed to Miss Nellie
Hilyer."
Nellie opened the envelope and took
out q thin sheet of rice paper. Across
the top of the sheet her uncle Dan
on her twenty-second birthday. from
Uncle Dam" Then he had added: BE
low is fairly good sample Of Chinese
poetry. Are you fond Of poetry?"
Grace read the poem aloud:
1.-THE day is fair. like other days.
I stroll in my garden.
rose bordered paths I stray,
Seeking always for happiness and peace
of mind
At last | walk straight into the heart of
the sun dragon
1 am swallowed UP and turned into a
glowing jewel of delight
"How odd" commented Grace when
she had finished. 1T is without rime
or meter, and
but not without meaning" inter
rupted Nellie excitedly. Look. Grace"
She pointed at the outspread man
darin's coat that was on the bed be-
fore them. "I've been looking at that
l really think the poem applies to this
garden scene OH the back of the coat!
"Fiddle-de-deer scoffed Miss Lane
as she knelt beside her friend before
the green satin coat II never yet saw
the Chinese poem that ever appeared
TO express anything save the utter
of that upsid> down
land"
Read the poem again while ] trace
out the story" urged Nellie, her finger
on the beginning Of the embroidered
brown path that trickled over the
green satin garden.
Grace laughed and obeyed. 1t was
rather fun to indulge in these pretty |
fancies after hard days work In the
1.-THE day is fair. like other days."
she began.
"See. Grace? The sun is shining. |
That shows that the day Is fair" In |