Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-03-20

be plenty, and oceans of plenty, and told him
only to go and look at the baskets of victuals
that were going up in the boat; besides all
that, l knew the Chestons would provide well.
for they were never backward with ANYTHING
She now stopped to take breath, and Ches-
ton inquired if her son-in-law knew NOTHING
more of Mr. Smith than from merely seeing
him in his store.
'Oh! yes-dd not tell you we had him 10
tea, You need not mention it to any body
but (f the truth must be told) Mr.. Smith is
an Englishman. The poor man can't helm
that, you know and I'm sure never should
have guessed it, for he neither looks Eno6sh
nor talks English He is not bit like ,ha,
impudent Mr.. Montague, who took slices ou,
of Albina's big plum cake hours before the
company came, at that great party she gave
for Mrs. Washington Potts
'Pshaw'-said Cheston.
'1es-you may well pshaw at it. But after
all, for my own part, must say enjoyed my
self very much. that evening. | had 4 grea,
deal of pleasant talk. was sorry afterwards
that | did not stay down stairs to the last, to
see if all the company took French leave like
me. If they did, it must have been quite a
pretty sight to see them 60. BY the bye (now
| talk of French leave) did you hear that the
Washington Pottses have broke all TO pieces,
and gone off to France, to live upon the money
that he made over to his wife 10 keep it from
his creditorsl' =
But Mr.. Smith h'-resumed Cheston.
Why Bromley, what makes you so fidgety ;
Billy Fairfowl, though say it that shouldn' t
say it, is not the man 10 ask people to tea I'M
less he is sure they are pretty decent sort of
folks. So he went first to the British Consul,
and inquired about Mr.. Smith, and described
his look and dress, Just as he would runaway
prentice. And the Consul knew exactly who
he meant, and told him he would answer for
Mr. Smiths being a man of good character,
and perfectly honest and respectable. And
that you know is quite as much as need be said
VI buuN ~ tItll we Ildu ullll ~ ltd. tultc
in plain way but he seemed very easily
satisfied, and though there were huckleberries
and cucumbers and dough-nuts, he did not eat
thing but bread and butter, and not much of
that, and took no sugar in his tea, and only
drank two cups. And Billy talked TO him the
whole evening about our factories, and our
coal and iron and he listened quite attentively
and seemed to understand very well, though
he did not say much and he kept awake al!
the time, which was very clever Of him, and
more than Billy is used to. He seems like a
good-hearted man, for he saved little Jane
from pulling the tea-waiter down upon her
head as she was coming out from under the ia
BILE; and he ran and picked up Johnny when
he fell over the rockers of the big chair, and
wiped the blood off his nose with his own clean
handkerchief. l dare say he's good sonl /;
but he is very humble-minded, and seems so
afraid of saying wrong that he hardly says
anything. Here he comes trndging along be-
side the porter; and | see he has got all the
baggage safe, even the brown paper parcel and
the calico bag. That's his own trunk under
all the rest
Mr.. Smith now came up, and inquired Of
Captain Cheston for the nearest inn, that he
might remain there till a boat paased down for
Philadelphia. why Mr.. Smith
ed Aunt Quimby-'where's the use Of being
so backward. We ought 10 be thankful for
our good luck in getting here on the very day
of the picnic, even though we did come by
mistake. And now you are here, it's all nom
sense for you to run away and 60 and NOPE
by yourself at a country tavern. suppose
you are afraid you're not welcome. But III
answer for you as well as myself.
Civility to the stranger required that Cap,
tain Cheston should second Mrs. Qoimby, and
he did so in terms so polite, that Mr.. Smith
was induced with much diffidence to remain.
Poor man. said Aunt Quimby in a low
voice to the Captain, between ourselves, it's
quite plain that he is not much used to being
among great people, and he's afraid Of feeling
like fish out of himself, for even at Billy
Fairfowl's he did not seem quite at home
though we all tried to encourage him, and
told him myself as soon as we sat down TO the
tea-table, to make just as free as if he was in
his own house.
Arrived at the mansion of the Chestons, Mrs
Quimby at first objected to changing her dress
which was a very rusty black silk, with q
bonnet to match; declaring that she was sure
nothing was expected Of people who were on
their travels, and that she saw no use in taking
the trouble to unpack her baggage. She was
however, overruled by the representations o.
Albina, who offered to unpack and repack fol
her. Accordingly she equipped herself ii
what she called her second-best suit The
gown was thick rustling silk of a very red
dish brown, with new inside kerchief of blue
tinted book muslin that had never been washed
Over her shoulders she pinned her canton-crape
shawl, whose brown tinge was entirely at va
rance with the shade of her gown. On her
head was stiff, hard cap trimmed with satin
ribbon Of still different brown color, the end:
of the bows sticking out horizontally. and scol.
loped into numerous points. She would moi
wear her best bonnet lest it should be injured
and fortunately her worst was so small thai
she found if she put it on it would crush hel
second-best cap. She carried in one hand Z
a stiff.starched handkerchief of imitation-cam
brio, which she considered too good to un
fold; and with the other she held over hel
head faded green parasol.