The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-12-18
NEW YORK, SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 49, 1S42.

said Eustaee, the eldest daughter, bright, blue
eyed girl of eighteen "Who have you asked
| Jest name em over, will you -
'Oh, can't name 'em over" said James Jest
| wait an hour or two and you'll see for yourself
've asked pretty much all the young folks within
mile as much as twenty of 'em guess"
swell, have you asked Betsy HarlowP' said
| Susan.
"Yes, and Ivory too if that's what you want TO
| know" said James.
"Nobody said any thing about Ivory" said Su
san, as the color TO her cheek, and she turned
| TO go out OF the room.
"Here, Suky, come back here, ~ said James, "Pve
| got something TO tell you"
"What is 1t - said Susan turning round at the
| door, and waiting.
"They say Ivory is waiting on Harriet Gibbs
wha, do you think OF that Z" said James.
6 don't believe word OF it, said Susan color
| ing still more deeply.
"Well, Harriet will be here this evening"" said
| James, land then may be you can Judge for your
| self"
SIS her brother coming with her :" said Susan.
| George is coming" said James, "but whether
she will come with him, or with Ivory Harlow re-
| mains to be seen"
| That Christmas was rather cold day, and
| night approached, ii grew still colder.
"Plle on more wood" said Mr.. Briggs, 'get your
rooms warm, so there shant be no shivern' or hud-
| ding about the fire this evening"
| The boys never W ere more ready 10 start prompt
| ly AT their fathers bidding than they this
occasion The large fire place in the long dining
room was soon piled full of round sticks of heavy
1
| "iore-room' and in the end.room were renewed
| with equal bounty. BY early candle-lght, the com
| pany began to drop in one after another, and by
| twos and threes in pretty frequent succession
There were stout boys III round jackets, and stouter
boys In longtalled coats, and rosy checked girls in
| shaws, and blankets, and cloaks, and muhs, and
| tippets. Some of the midde-aged and elderly PEG.
pie, who had remained to pass the evening, sat in
| the ''foreroom" with Mr. and Mrs Briggs, while
the young folks were huddled into the end-room till
the supper table should be spread in the long dining
| hall
There's Ivory HaIlow's bells" said James, as
sleigh came with merry gingle up to the door; and
| instantly the windows were crowded with heads
| looking out TO see who had come with him Ivory
| lived about mile and a half distant, and was the
| only one who came with sleigh that evening, as
most OF the others lived considerably nearer.
''Why, there's four of 'em, true live" said
Susan, as they crossed the stream of candle light,
that poured from the windows and spread across the
| door yard. One of the younger boys had already
| opened the door, and IN moment more the new
corners were ushered into the room viz Ivory Har-
| low and his sister Betsy, and Harriet Gibbs, and
| strange gentleman, whom Ivory introduced to the
company as MIR. Stephen Long, the gentleman who
was engaged to keep the district school that winter
| And then he turned and whispered to James, and
told HIM that the master had arrived at their house
| that afternoon, as he was to begin the school the
next day, so he thought he would bring him with
him..
.'That's Jest right" said James, "Tm glad you
| dds" though al the same time his heart beled his
words, for he felt afraid would spoil half the Jun
on long and sober faces, and sat and stood round
the room as quiet as though they had been at a fune
raj. Presently Susan whispered to James and told
him he ought to take the master into the Store
| room,' and Introduce him to father and mother and
the rest OF the folks "And I'D leave him there, if
was you," she added in very suppressed whisper,
lest she should be overheard
James at once followed the suggestion of Susan,
and took Mr. Stephen Long into the other room and
introduced hun to Mr. and Mrs. Briggs and the rest
OF the company, and chair was of course set for
Mr.. Long, and he of course sat down in it and be
gan TO talk about the weather and other subjects of
like interest, while James retreated back the end
room. The moment the master had left the room
the boys and girls all began to breathe more freely
and to hustle about, and talk and laugh merry as
crickets. Not "A few regrets were thrown out from
| one and another, that the schoomaster had been
brought there to spend the evening, and some of
) them thought live Harlow ought to a-known bet
, ter. tor he might know II would spoil half their
play" But it seems they had not rightly estimated
Mr. Stephen Longs social and youthful qualities,
who, although two or three and twenty years old,
was almost as much of boy any in the room
lie had not been gone more than fifteen minutes
before he came posting back into the room with the
young folks again. much to the dismay of the whole
| company A cloud Immediately settled upon their
faces all were whist as mice, and sober deacons,
TIL Mr.. Stephen Long came the room with an
exceedingly droll expression of merriment upon his
laoe, and gave James hearty slap on the back, say
ing at the same time:
| well, now, what's the order of the day here to-
night Dance, or torfeits or blind mans buff! or
| what Is III I'm Tor improving the time
AT once the whole company burst out into loud
laugh and several OF the junior boys, feeling such
burden suddenly removed from them fell TO pound
ing each others shoulders, probably to prevent them
IN their hghtness from flying off the handle.
] 81 guess Wei have something or other gong
bme by" said James; whatever the company
likes best; but guess We'll have supper first, for
| that about ready"
| The words were but Just uttered when the ca for
| supper was given, and the fore. room and the end
room poured out their respective companies INTO the
long dining hail. 1t was soon perceived, that, long
as the table was, they could all be seated at once
and there began to be some canvassing to determine
who should wait The elderly people must of course
sit down, and the school master must of course sit
at the frst table, and then was decided that the
youngest of the young folks should sit down too be-
cause the eldest OF the young folks chose to wait
| and set by themselves. To this last arrangement
there was one exception for Miss Harriet Gibbs,
when she saw the schoomaster seated on one side
OF the table, had somehow or other, inadvertently
OF course, taken seat the other side directly op-
poslte to him. And when, as the young folks were
| retiring from the room, Ivory Harlow looked al her
| and she had concluded TO remain Susan
| thought she saw considerable color come into Ivo-
rvs face.
When the first company at the table had eaten up
| two rows of pies clear round the board, including
| mlnce, apple, and custard, and 'punkin pies" of
The largest class together with a reasonable portion
OF various kinds OF cake and sweetmeats, and had
given place to the second company at the table who
had gone through similar operations to similar ex-
| tent, the great dining hall speedily cleared of
dishes, and chairs, and tables and all such sorts OF
| trumpery, that there might be nothing TO impede
| the real business of the evening.
The elderly people again seated IN the fore
| room, where brisk fire was blazing so warmly that
| they could sit back comfortably clear to the walls
| and around the hearth a goody array of mugs
| and pitchers of cider, and bowls heaped with mellow
| apples red and yellow and green
| Nov then, what shall we have to begin within
| said James,
8 Blind mans buff" said George Gibbs
| suppose we have quiet dance TO begin with"
| said Susan.
| "Oh, I'd rather have something that has more life
| in IT." said Harriet Gibbs; let's have hunt the
| slipper or forieits' don't care which"
| Oh, get away with them small potatoes" said
Bill Dinsley; "les go right into blind mans buff at