Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1915-02-05

winter time. he declared sharply
biting her thread. for She was mend
Ing a tabIeeloth "Shpt the wtudcrs on
SUMMER. am you ke,ch the tail Of
lander Ia the lat b every time. Naow,
~ ] hear one word about this 'tarual
fooliahHess comm 20 Augy's ears. or
Brother Abo's, or Rlosey's either, fer
that matter. wen al hay" to eat od'n
u.lcloth Sundays the same as week,
days. until ! O a more Christian
aperit In the house
she gave the Sunday damask across
her lap a pat which showed she was
in earnest, and the rcbukcd sisters
glanced at one another as II to say:
Suppose the minister should walk
IA some Sabbath afternoon and find
oil-cloth on the table, and ask the rca-
0 Why
They one and an determined to take
Aunt Nancy's advice and sew a but
ton on their lips"
Fortunately. too, the February thaws
had already set In. and the remainder
OF the winter passed without any Sc
we're etrain on the "buttonholes.' And
at length the welcome spring began to
peep forth, calling to the old folks,
Come out. and grow young with the
young year"
With the bursting forth OF the new
sprlngtide the winters talk seemed to
drop as a Withered and dead oak leaf
falls from its winter bound branches;
and Abe stood once more alive to the
blessings Of renewed approval.
Angy went out Of doors with Miss
Abigail, and puttered around among
the flowers as II they we're her own,
thanking God for Abe'e increasing pop
ularity In the same breath that she
gave thanks for the new buds Of the
spring.
The anniversary OF the Roses en-
trance into the Home drew nearer, and
Blossy suggested that the best way
to celebrate the event would be by
means Of a pink tea"
Neither Angy MOI Abe, nor in fact
half the sisters, had any clear concep-
ton Of what a tintod function might
be; but they one and all seized upon
Blossy's idea as If It were a yeritable
inspiration, and for the time jealousies
were forgotten. Misunderstanding
erased.
Such preparations as were made for
that tea! The deal-and dumb gar
small boys to fetch from the wayside
and meadows armfuls Of wild roses
for the decorations. Miss Abigail
made pink icing for the cake, Ruby
Lee hung blcedInghearts over the
dining.room door. Aunt Nancy resur
rected from the bottom Of her trunk a
white lace cap with a rakish-looking
pink bow for an adornment, and fas-
tened 1t to her scant gray hairs in
honor Of the occasion, Blossy turned
her pink china pig. his lid left upstairs,
into n sugar bowl.
Pink, pink, pink. everywhere; even
In Angy's proud cheeks! Pink, and
pink. and pink! Abe used to grow
dizzy, afterward, trying to recall the
various pink articles which graced
shat tea.
But most delightful surprise OF all
was his anniversary gift, which was
slyly slipped to his place after the dis
cuseion Of the ~rose-colored strawberry
gelatin, 1t was n square, five-pound
parcel wrapped in pink tissue paper.
tied with pink string, and found to con-
tain so much Virginia tobacco, which
Blossy had inveigled an old southern
admirer into sending her for Chart
able purposes"
After the presentation Of this valu-
able gift, Abraham felt that the time
had come for him to make Il speech
practically his maiden speech.
He said at the beginning, more
suavely at his ease than he would
have believed possible, secure of sym
pathy and appreciation. with Angy's
glowing old eyes upon her prodigy,
that all the while he had been at the
tome, he had never before felt the
power to express his gratitude for the
welcome which had been. accorded
him-the welcome which seemed to
wear and wear. as II II were all wool
and a yard wide, and could never wear
out.
The old ladies nodded their heads In
approval of this, every face beaming:
but as the speech went on the others
perceived that Abe had singled out
Blosey for special newfoundland,
blind Abraham-Blossy, who had first
proposed admitting him into this para
disc; Blossy, who had given up her
sunny south chamber to his comfort
and Angy's, Blossy, who had been as
a "guardeen angel" TO him, Blossy.
who as a fitting climax to all her sis.
terly attentions had given him today
this wonderful, wonderful pink tea,
and this FIVE hull pound O. virginny
torbaccer,'
He held the parcel close to his
bosom, and went on, still praising
Blossy-this innocent old gentleman.
needless Of Angy's gentle tug at his
coat,tail; while Blossy buried her alb.
surdly lovely face In the pink flush
Of a wild-rose spray, and the other old
adine stnrn1 from him 10 hnr thnin