Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1824-04-01
THE TEA TABLE.

delightful summer evening. Just al this moment
and while the words were Yet on her tongue.
the door opened, and Miss Polly Cav entered
the room on one Of her f. ing afternoon visits.
Julia could not avoid coloring up little at this
sudden intrusion;-for this young lsdy's visits
were always intrusive, and Miss Cav evidently
saw or suspected she had dropped in at a mo.
ment when her company was not the most de-
sirable. However, she got herself seated. and
entertained her good neigbbor with long his
tory Of the hore concerns Of eyrF- family in
the neighborhood, about three hours long
There was minute account ct Mrs DIS party.
with ISL OF all who were not invited. among
whom she was most careful To remind tha, she
Julia, WAS one; then the progress of the CONT.
ships in the country; the domestic squabb,es as
her acquainiances; tho scandals of the week. tn.
motions OF the old widower on the Applebv
farm, betokening an approaching union with
the squire's daughter, and WHO were Jealous
thereat; and hundred other topics. equally in
teresting and profitable. were all spread out ON
the carpet.
Mr. Peew had made his escape soon from
the table, and Miss Polly did not fail TO COM,
ment largely on the savage uusocisbility of hus-
bands. insisting that they were as restless, and
unhappy in the moose as Gagged up tygers, and
instsncing how gay and young, and spruce, they
Immediately became, On losing their wives;
kindly and most sympathetically adding, If you
were to drop off, my dear Julia, Mr.. Pellew
would, in ten days, be the mos gallant ard a.
gfeeable man in the village After ENJOYING
herself, and entertaining Julia thus delightfully."-
until II began to grow late, she gathered up her
knitting and sailed on to make call or two
more before she went bone.
Mr.. and Airs. Pellew were young, had been
married but about year, and were mutually as
happy in their union as love and virtue and ST.
tast +tx
He was engaged in business, which with in
dustry and good management, yielded him
good living. he had embarked IN it, however,
without capital III his own; but Julia had a con.
siderable an olnt of property, which, though
the principal was not under her control, was &
basis upon which her husband WIS enabled TO
& IN the credit necessary in his business and he
mad done so. This amlable family had nume-
rous relatives and acquaintance; were looked
upon by the good and sensible part of the
heighb orhood rs patterns Of virtue, and were
generally much beloved and admired
The visit of their friend, Miss Polly. was for
gotten in day or two; but things began, be-
fore long, TO wear rather strange aspect
Time after time, Mrs. Pellew observed that her
VISITORS, who began 10 be much more numerous
than before, put On long faces, and in a condo
ling strain lectured on the trials Of the marriage
state, the necessity Of forbeaIance, and of the
Christian patience, mingled with suntlry hints
about the sovereign rights of the SEX and the
be t metz cd OF man 81 ray husbands, with
now and then d kind of half expressed sympa-
thetic pity for her She could not, for her life,
understand what all this meat--and attributed
to every cause but the right one.
Nor was Mr.. Peew to escape this new and
to him unaccountable change of the current of
feeling among his neighbors towards them
The first symptom he saw, was shyness and
GOODNESS on the part of his wife's relatives somc
of them even refusing 10 speak to him. The
female part of his acquaintance scolded at him;
and, what was worse; he thought his customers
began to neglect him Day by day. things grew
worse at last his creditors began to push-he
was alarmed he had never before been asked
for money; his credit had been perfect-he won.
dered and waited for the issue; it came in half
dozen prosecutions, judgments, and execu-
tons,
1t was now time to rouse up. AS these thing
were in progress, he appeared to be in utter
surprise, and to view them with perfect incre-
dulity, not being willing to believe scarcely,
the evidence of his senses. Now, he demand
ed the cause OF this strange treatment and, with
some difficulty, ascertained that il arose from
the separation about to take place between him
and his wifei and the cruel manner in which ne
had used herl He demanded the author of the
story, and was referred to an old gentleman who
had told MS infolmer: the Old man gave his
wife. his wife her neighbours wife, and so the
tale might be traced down, through about five
and twenty mouths, growing rather less at eve-
~ step, until IL came TO Miss Polly Gaw-she
had affirmed that she overheard Mr.. Pellew
and his wife engaged in violent quarrel, and
even heard distinct affirmation on her part
til she would leave him.
Mr.. Pellew now hit upon expedient to
bring matters to a close at once. He invited
all such of his, and his wiie's relatives his neigh
bors, his creditors, &c. as were within his reach,
to meet at his house, on business of the utmost
importance. Among twenty assembled among
them Miss Cav, and half dozen or more Of
the principal mouth pieces in the village.-He
then stalec! to them his business; recounted to
them the stories he had heard traced them all
down to their origin, and demarded of Miss
Polly her reasons for the report she had raised.
Cornered up so Unexpectedly and suddenly,
she canditlly confessed that the only foundation
for what she had said was, that on the afternoon
she had paid the visit first mentioned, size had
heard, as she entered, Mrs. Pellew say, We'll,
sir, can take care of myself And she wish
ed to knowif Julia Pellew would deny this. -
julia replied she would not--she bad barhacued
pair OF fine fat qusis for her husbands sup
per. and had been helping him 10 choice bit
he had pressed her to keep il herself, saving
she was too kind: and she did, on the occasion.
utter the offensive WORDS 'Wsl, sir, viii take
care OF myself
A burst of astonishment succeeded Miss
Cav ran out OF the room like woman who had
lost her senses. The worthy couple received
the congratulations of the honest people pre-.
sent; and though the kna Us shook their heads.
Il ,,lagl -. i. al