Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1844-05-18


the tea-table, set out with four kinds Of
preserves, arranged with the most ex-
act quadrangularity; in the centre
stood large basket heaped with cake,
and at the sides two mountains of toast
and mullins; tea, coffee, and various
accessories completing the prospect.
The fine old Knickerbocker parlor
was in its primest order, every chair
standing exactly parallel with its
brother; the tea-kettle singing on its
chaing- dish, the cat purring on the
hearth-rug Two sofas, covered with
neede-work, were drawn up to the
fire, and the mandarins on the chin
ney piece nodded at each other, and
the pink and azure shepherds and
shepherdesses which ornamented the
space between them. Mr.. Alonzo Ro-
meo Rush stood before the glass CIV
ing the last twrl to an obstinate side
lock, which, in spite Of persuasion and
pomatum, aOouM obey that fate called
a cow-lick.
An impetous ring at the door. The
little tailoress, who had been giving
parting glance at her own handywork,
slipped out ofthe room, signing softly;
and Alonzo and his grandmamma seat
ed themselves on the opposite sofas,
for symmetry's sake.
A billet in gilded envelop. Miss
Parthenia Blinks' regrets.
"What an impudent thing!" said the
old lady, with toss Of her cap. 1--WE
do not know whether she meant the
act or the young lady.) "But come,
my dear, you shall eat the mullins, and
never mind her. The next time ask
Miss Blinks it will do her good, !
know"
Mr. Alonzo, nothing daunted by
this Notifying slight, turned his
thoughts next to Miss Justina Cuppers,
young lady who resided with two
maiden aunts in house that had suffer-
ed but little change since the Revolu-
ton. The first step that suggested IT.
self to the darling, was to ask Miss
Cuypers TO ride; but to reach this gol-
den apple the aunts must be propltIa-
ted, and therefore it was judged best
that grandmamma should make one of
the party, in order that none OF the
proprieties might be violated. Alon-
20 was to be charioteer, but, as he was
not much accustomed to driving, his
grandmamma felt it her duty to take
the reins out Of his hands very frequent
ly, besides giving him many directions
as to which rein he ought to pull, in
meeting the numerous vehicles which
they encountered on the HARLEM
road. Whether from the excess of
his passion for Miss Cuypers, who new
er spoke once the whole way, or
whether from the confusion incident to
reiterated Instructions, poor Mr.. Alon-
20 did finish the drive by an overturn,
which did not kill any body, but spoil
ed the young lady's new bonnet, and
covered her admyer with mud and
confusion.
The failure of these kindly attempts
OF his grandmamma to save him the
trouble Of getting wife, taught Mr..
Alonzo a lesson. He drew the astute
inference that old ladies were not good
proxies in al cases. He even thought
of taking the matter into his own
hands, and with this view it was not
long before he set out. like prince in
a fairy tale, TO seek his fortune.
The first house he came to-that is
to say, the one TO which his footsteps
turned most naturally-was one be-
longing to a distant connection Of his
grandmamma, lady whose ancestor
came over with Hendrick Hudson, or,
as the family chroniclers insisted. a
little before. Mss Aida Van Der Ben
schoten, the daughter ofthis lady-a
fresh sprout from the time-honored
tree-might have been known to Alon
20, but that he had always hidden him
self when her mamma brought her to
pay her annual visit to his grandmam-
ma. She resided with her mother,
one ancient sister, and two great rude
brothers, on the borders of the city, in
one Of those tempting ruralities called
cottages, built of brick, three stories
high. finished with balconies and YER
andahs of cast iron, all very agricultu-
raj indeed, as a certain lady said of a
green door. The idea Of Miss Aida
being once entertained, the shrubber-
[ n 4 Il