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Main > Fairy tale > All authors > Frank Baum > Fairy tale "Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville"

Aunt Jane's Nieces at Millville

"

"It's the coat thet makes decent courtin', though," he maintained,

stubbornly. "Gals like to see a feller dressed up. It shows he means

business an' 'mounts to somethin'."

"I give Nick Thorne two dollars an' a packidge o' terbacker fer them

clotlies, which the on'y thing wrong about was they'd got too snug fer

comfert. Nick said so himself. But I'll make a bargain with ye, Skim. Ef

you'll agree to give me fifty dollars after yer married, I'll buy ye

some store clothes o' Sam Cotting, to do courtin' in."

"Fifty dollars!"

"Well, I've brung ye up, hain't I?" "I've worked like a nigger, mindin'

shop." "Say forty dollars. I ain't small, an' ef ye git one o' them city

gals, Skim, forty dollars won't mean no more'n a wink of an eye to ye."

Skim frowned. Then he smiled, and the smile disclosed a front tooth

missing.

"I'll dream on't," he said. "Let ye know in the mornin', ma. But I won't

court a minite, mind ye, 'nless I git store clothes."

CHAPTER XX.

A LOST CAUSE.

The boy's musings confirmed him in the idea that his mother's scheme was

entirely practical. He didn't hanker much to marry, being young and

fairly satisfied with his present lot; but opportunities like this did

not often occur, and it seemed his bounden duty to take advantage of it.

He got the "store clothes" next day, together with a scarlet necktie

that was "all made up in the latest style," as Sam Cotting assured him,

and a pair of yellow kid gloves "fit fer a howlin' swell." Skim wasn't

sure, at first, about the gloves, but capitulated when Sam declared they

were "real cityfied."

In the evening he "togged up," with his mother's help, and then walked

over to the Wegg farm.

Beth answered the knock at the door. The living room was brightly

lighted; Uncle John and the Major were playing checkers in a corner and

Patsy was softly drumming on the piano. Louise had a book and Beth had

been engaged upon some fancy-work.

When the door opened Skim bobbed his head and said:

"Evenin', mom. I've come a-visitin'.

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