Severing Old Ties

Returning from the matinée, Belle and her friend Lou Dawson, before entering their house, crossed over to Fanny’s. Mrs. Worthington tried the door and finding it fastened, rang the bell, then commenced to beat a tattoo upon the pane with her knuckles; an ingenuous manner which she had of announcing her identity. Fanny opened to them herself, and the three walked into the parlor.

“I haven’t seen you for a coon’s age, Fanny,” commenced Belle, “where on earth have you been keeping yourself?”

“You saw me yesterday breakfast time, when you came to borrow the wrapper pattern,” returned Fanny, in serious resentment to her friend’s exaggeration.

“And much good the old wrapper pattern did me: a mile too small every way, no matter how much I let out the seams. But see here—”

“Belle’s the biggest idiot about her size: there’s no convincing her she’s not a sylph.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Dawson.”

“Well, it’s a fact. Didn’t you think Furgeson’s scales were all wrong the other day because you weighed a hundred and eighty pounds?”

“O that’s the day I had that heavy rep on.”

“Heavy nothing. We were coming over last night, Fanny, but we had company,” continued Mrs. Dawson.

“Who d’you have?” asked Fanny mechanically and glad of the respite.

“Bert Rodney and Mr. Grant. They’re so anxious to meet you. I’d ’a sent over for you, but Belle—”

“See here, Fanny, what the mischief was Dave Hosmer doing here to-day, and going down town with you and all that sort o’ thing?”