The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1843-09-26


evening" said u thrd-'What pity Mrs. Irvine
hasn't the insti ument or might the Stupletons
discounted tonight.
To morrow cume, and with it party at sister OF
the late Judge IrvIncs-It was known that Mrs. Sey
mour had the only harp in the village, consequently
4, was impossible the bride knew how to play on the
instrument. We shall not attempt 10 paint the
tonshment Of the conspirators when she walked COM
posedly to the harp aud played very difficult piece,
ACCOMMODATING 1t with her voice. An involuntary
burst Of delight testified the opinions of the company
The male portion Of which, not being in the secret of
the plot, did not fhil TO express appreciation
where did your sister learn the harp asked one
Of the Irvines
.She spent two years in Philadelphia, was the qu
ct answer.
Every evening during the week some new attempt
was made to unmask, as the conspirators said, the
want of breeding and accomplishments in the sons
wife but each trial met with signal disappointment;
and al the end Of the marriage festivities, even the
heads Of the plot were forced confess that the bride
was most accomplished lady, and that even her
iamy were wonderfully well informed FOR the de-
pendants Of mechanics.
But prejudice is always etubborn.-The little
clique which determined TO put down the sons wife
still insisted that she ex,ravNgunt and Il at how
ever talented she might be, she needed the practical
sense which is most valuable for the ordinary duties
of life. Her demeunor in her capacity Of house,
wife was keenly scrutinized, and the transactions ut
the sons house became daily the subject of gossip ut
! the elder Mrs. Irvines. But envy and preju-
dice combined could find nothing TO blame; and be-
fore many weeks the conspra,ors began 10 grow har
tily ashamed of themselves.
'Wel,' at length said Aun, Sarah to the elder Mrs
Irvine, i do say that never neater house than
Mary's is, and from what Tom says they make lit
tic 90 great ways. I'm beginning TO think there's
something in them Staplotons after ALL I'm CT
cely here has improved wonderfully in her music
since Your daughter-iu-law offered TO give lessons.
Mrs Irvine silent for some time, but at length
looked up from her work.
q don't find any fault with her, and can't say
ever did. bad my suspicious that Tom had been
taken in but I've found that he knew better Than we
what kind Of wife Mary would make. You know
told you all from the beginning, that she was to be
treated with due polieness my daughter n-law.'
Notwithstanding this full admission. it had been
long before the mother-in-law could be brought to
acknowledge her daughters merits; prejudices
| had at length given way before tho sweetness and
many virtues of her sons wife. Alter this acknowl-
edgement il was wonderful how quickly the rest of
the family the worth of the young wife; and in
deed in the short space Ola year from the time, she
became the oracle in matters Of taste, especially TO
tho young Irvnes.
The alluded to the subject in their pres
| encc but once, when he said,
'And SO. Aunt Sarah, you thought was throwing
myself away when married; do you think so now''
! Aunt Surah and the rest Of the council looked down
| and were silent.