Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-06-28
THE TEA TABLE.

/
at that moment, and while the words were
yet on her tongue, the door opened, and
Miss Polly Cav entered the room, on one
of her flying afternoon visits. Julia could
not avoid coloring up little at this sudden
Intrusion for this young ady's visits were
always intrusive, and Miss Cav evidently
saw, or suspected, she had dropped in at a
moment when her company was not the
most desirable However, she got herself
seated, and entertained her good neighbor
with history about three hours long of the
home concerns of every family in the neigh
borhood. There was minute detailed ac-
count of Mr. DIS party, with list of all
who were not invited, among whom she was
careful to mention that Julia was one : then
the progress of the courtships in the coun-
try; the domestic squabbles Of her acouain-
tances the scandals of the week the mo-
tons Of the old widower who lived on the
Appleby farm, betokening an approaching
union with the Squlre's daughter, and who
were jealous thereat and hundred other
topics equally interesting and profitable,
were all spread out on the carpet
Mr. Pellew had made his escape as soon
as he arose from the table, and Miss Polly
Niu hOt iuil w largely OU Tue saw
age unsocability of husbands, insisting they
were as restless, and unhappy in the mar
rage moose as Gagged up tigers, and instanc-
ing how gay, and young, and spruce they
Immediately became on losing their wives !;
kindly and most sympatbeticalIy adding, "If
you were to drop of, my dear Julia, Mr.
Pelew would in ten days be the most pleas
ant and agreeable man in the village" AZ
ter enjoying herself, aud entertaining Julia
thus delightfully."- until it began to grow late,
she gathered up her knitting and sailed out
to make call or two more before she went
home.
Mr. and Mrs Pellew were young, had been
married but about year, and were mutual
~ as happy in their union, as love and viz
tue, and similar tastes and dispositions could
make them. He was engaged in business,
which with industry and good management
yielded him genteel living he embarked
in it, however, with capital of his own but
Julia had a considerable amount of prop
erty, which, though the principal was not
under her control, afforded a basis upon
which her husband was enabled to gain the
credit necessary in his business and he had
done so. This amiable family had nuneI-
Gus relatives and acqua'ni ana, - - lob
ed upon by the good and sensible part of
the neighborhood as patterns OF virtue, and
were generally much beloved and admired.
The visit of this friend, Miss Polly, was
forgotten in day or two, but things began
before long to wear rather strange aspect.
Time after time, Mrs Pellew observed, that
her visitors, who began to be much more
numerous than before, put on long faces,
and in condoling strain, lectured on the
trials of the marriage state, the necessity of
forbearance, and the exercise of Christian
patience, mingled with sundry hints about
the sovereign rights of the sex, and the best
method of managing unruly husbands, with
now and then kind of half expressed sym
pathetic pity for her. She could not for
her life understand what all this meant, aud
attributed it TO every cause but the right ore,
Nor was Mr. Pellew to escape this new
and to him unaccountable change of the
current Of feeling among his neighbors, to-
wards them The first symptom he saw,
was a GOODNESS and shyness on the part of
his wife's relatves-some OF them refusing
to 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 it grew worse
4 at last his creditors began to push he was
alarmed he had never before been asked
for money; his credit had been perfect; he
wondered, and waited for the issue; it came
in half dozen prosecutions. judgments and
executions.
1t was now time to rouse up. AS these
; things were in progress, he appeared to be
in utter surprise, and to view them with per
feet incredulity-being scarcely willing tc
/ believe the evidence of his senses. Now
he demanded the cause of this strange treat
ment, and with some difficulty ascertained
that it arose from the unhappy separation
> about to take place between him and hi
wife and the cruel manner i'll which hi
,, had used her. He demanded the author o
I the story, and was referred to an old gentle
S man. who had told his informer. The ole
man gave his wife-his wife her neighbor'
6 wife. and so the tale was traced down, thro
a about five and twenty mouths, growing rath
t er less at each, until it came to Miss POLL
Gaw-she had affirmed that she heard Nj
r Peew and his wife in a violent quarrel, an'
S even heard distinct affirmation on her par
e that she would leave him.
$ Mr. Pellew now hit upon an expedient Il
II bring matters to close at once. He invi
ted all such of his wiie's relatives, his neigh
. bors his creditors, &c. as were within HI
reach, to meet at his house on business
the utmost importance. About twenty as
sembIed, among them Miss Cav. and hal
l. dozen of the principal mouth pieces Il
the village. He then stated to them his bus
iness-recounted the stories he had heard
traced them all down to their origin, and dc
<. manded of Miss Polly her reasons for tn
y renort she had raised. Cornered so une,