Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-10-10
RUTLAND, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10. 1874

anything ! had yet seen. and was afraid
might make some blunder; however, ! was
resolved TO maintain my confidence, and
make myself perfectly a, home, like my
worthy coun,ryman, Sir Andrew Wye, at
a ball given by the utchess,of D%asingwell,
in the mex, square to the one in which
was then partaking Of London hospitality
| soon found that Miss C--was a so.
cial, intelligent mortal, and felt myself at
home with her Of once.
"Miss," said | II have been al sorIe fine
parties in Edinburg, GLASGOW and Liver
pool, but this is carrying the Joke n litIe
beyond anything | have ever seen; | am
afraid I may go wrong, as | am some like
the old woman in Scotland, who went to
dine with the minislr so, i'll blunder, you
must help me along"
70 this she readily consented. g!But
what ofthe old lady in Scotland ?" said
she.
II have heard my father," | replied ere.
late the story, some fifty years ago. |,
happened in the parish where he lives,
She was much surprised TO hear that
he, my father. then lived, in his ninety-firs,
year.
"On a certain market day." l continued
margaret, the wife of a neighboring far
mer in addition 10 her load of hens geese,
&c.--brought a small basket of eggs as a
prese nj to the country. Having sold of
her load of sundries, she wends her way &c
the parsonage. After enqulring how he,
the wife, and aw the bairnSdid, she says
81 lac brought We tmG or three fresh
eggs for the gude wife, to help in making
her youl 6anrocks,' (Christmas cakes.)
"'The eggs were kindly received, and il
being dinner hour, she was invited TO STOP
and take her kaii, (soup.)
"Nay, nay snys Margaret, Il dinad
Ken In TO behave at great folks tables
"Oh, never mind said the Minister
Just do as we sec we do
Margaret was finally persuaded, anC
sat down 10 the table. 1t so happened tina
the minister was old and well stricken witt
age, and had, wi,hall, received a stroke o
the palsy; in conveying the spoon from thu
dish to his lips, the arm being unsteady, ,h'
soup was apt to spill; therefore, to proven
damage Detailing his clothes, it was hr
custom to fas,en one end of the table-rloih t
the top of his waislcoa,, just under his CHR
Margaret, who sat at the opposite corner o
the table, watching his motions, pinned TIT
other end ofthe table-cloth TO a strong
homespun shawl, under her chin. Sh'
was attentive to every move. The mintstcr
deposited a quantity Of musterd on the edg'
of his plate, and Margaret, not observing
this Ggat exactly, carried the spoon to he
mouth. The musterd soon began to ope
rate on the olfactory nerve. She had new
er seen musterd before, and did not know
what 1t meant. She thought she was be
witched. To expectorate on the carp(
) uad be a sin. She was almost crazy wit
pain. Just at this moment the girl, comm
; in with some clean plates, opened the doc
near which Margaret sat. Margaret at ono
sprung for the door, upset the girl, plate
J and all, and swept the table of all its col
tents, the crash of which added speed 10 he
= flight. Making two steps at once in dcsccn'
ing the stairs, the minister fast nj the otht
= end ofthe ,able.cloth, was compelled to 70
low as fast as his to~ttering limbs could NOV
d He held to the banistcrs until the pins ga,
:; away, when away few Margaret, who ne
err again darkencd the minister's door"