The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-02-23
CHAPTER vl-cOntlnusd.


"Oh, I had her dressed warmly un-
derneath, very warmly indeed" de-
,.clared Prudence. "But no matter how
warm you are underneath, you look
cold If you aren't vlsibly prepared Tor
winter weather kept hoping enough
money would come in to buy her Il
coat for once in her life."
"She has been looking forward TO
one long enough" put in Fairy. "This
will be a bitter blow to her. And yet
It is not such a bad-looking coat, after
inll." And she quickly ran up seam
on the machine.
Here comes ConnIew Prudence
hastily swept pile of scraps out OF
sight, and turned to greet her little
sister with CHEEKY smile.
Come on in, Connie" she cried,
with a brightness she did not feel.
"Fairy and are making you a new
coat. Isn't it pretty? And so warm
See the nice velvet collar and cuffs.
We want to fit it on you right away,
dear"
Connie picked up a piece of the
goods and examined it intently.
Don't you want some fudge. Con-
nle?" exclaimed Fairy, showing the
dish toward her hurriedly
Connie took Il piece from the plate,
and thrust it between her teeth. Her
eyes were still fastened upon the brown
furry cloth.
"Where did you get this stuff?" she
inquired, as soon as she was able to
speak.
"Out of the trunk in the garret, Con-
ME. Don't you want some more fudge?
put lot of nuts in, especially on
your account"
Its good" said Connie, taking an
other piece. She examined the cloth
very closely. "Say, Prudence, isn't this
that old brown coat of father's?"
Fairy showed her chair back from the
machine. and ran to the window.
-"Look, Prue," she cried. isn't that
Mrs. Adams coming this way? / won
der"
mo, it isn't" answered Connie
gravely. IT'S just Miss Avery getting
home from school.-Isn't it, Prudence?
Fathers coat, mean?"
"Yes, Connie, it is" said Prudence,
very, very gently. 'But no one here
has seen it, and it is such nice cloth
just exactly what girls are wearing
now"
"But 1 wanted new coat !" Connie
did NOT orv Che stood IoolyinO Of pr11-
.dence with her wide hurt eyes.
"Oh, Connie, I'm just as sorry as
you are" cried Prudence, with starting
tears. 81 know just how you feel about |
IT dearest! But the people didn't pay |
father up last month. Maybe after
Christmas we can get you coat. They |
pay up better then"
II think I'd rather wear my summer
cont until then" said Connie soberly.
"Oh, but you can't, dearest. It is too
cold. Won't you be a good girl now,
and not make sister feel badly about
it? 1t really is becoming to you, and it
is nice and warm. Take some more
fudge, dear, and run out-of-doors a
while. You'll feel better about it pres
emily, I'm sure"
Connie stood sOlemnly beside the
table, her eyes still fastened on the
coat, cut down from her fathers. "Can
1 go and take walk?" she asked
finally.
MAY l, you mean," suggested Fairy.
Eyes, may L? Maybe 1 can reconcile
myself to it,
"Yes, go and take a walk" urged
Prudence promptly, eager to get the
small sober face beyond her range Of
vision.
"If / am not back when the twins
get home, go right ON and eat without
me. I'll come back when 1 get things |
out in my mind"
When Connie was quite beyond hear {
ng, Prudence dropped her head on the {
able and wept. "0h, Fairy, if the men, /
lers just knew how such things hurt, {
maybe they'd pay up little better. Q
low do they expect parsonage people /
o keep up appearances when they t
haven't any money!" t
"Oh, now, Prue, you're worse than II
Jonniel There's no use to cry about t
t. Parsonage people have to find hap d
,iness in spite Of financial misery. d
Ioney isn't the first thing with folks /
ike u.s." b
"Poor little Connie! If she had h
ried about 1t, wouldn't have cared SO d
ouch. But she looked so--heartsick, G
idn't she, Fairy?" v
Connie certainly was heartslck. More n
han that she was a little disgusted. a
he felt herself aroused to take action. e
'hings had gone too far Go to church
! her fathers coat she could not She
'alked sturdily down the street toward
le "city'-ironically so called. Her
ice was stony, her hands were
enched. But finally she frightened.
YER lagging steps quickened. She 81
1ipped along quite cheerfully. She W
lrned westward as she reached the
,rner of the square, and walked along
lat business street with shining eyes. b,