Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-06-05
MANSFIELD coKE,s FIRST FASHION
ABLE PARTY.
BY JOSEPH B. COBB.

page of old Chitty's Pleading, NOR
than usually fertile in pompous tech
nicalities, when my friend across th,
passage, who had already been ad
mitted to the practice, entered sud
denly and startled me with asking
"if Ihdd horse to ride to the fet
on Thursday eOening." As Il found
} afterwards) this was a Provincialis7
entirely peculiar to city life IA ID
model | did not understand any more
what he meant than if he had aG
dressed me in Dutch or Congo. Al
was, however, presently explained
for he had scarcely asked, before g
bright, smiling seryant-boy tapped al
the door, and enquiring for me by
name, thrust before me a nicely EN-.
broidered French basket, filled with
what | took TO be number Of gol.
den edged notes, all adorned with
pretty figures and notices. | really
thought that il had been the inten-
ton OF some one TO make me gen.
eral delivery agent, and under this
impression ordered the servant TO
empty the contents in a large pine
box under the table. A broad stare
was all the answer he gave, and, had
not my friend broken into a loud
laugh, | believe should have given
the fellow a buffet on the head for
his impudent looks; but, on glancing
accidentally in the basket, and seeing
my name on the back of one Of his
notes, it all at once occurred to me
that it might be a party ticket. II
proved TO be such, for, on opening
the envelope, little bit OF a nice
sheet of paper, dropped out, inside of
which was the following.
"Mrs. Blanche Lyttleton, at home
on Thursday evening, May, %,
lS4-"
Away off in one corner, | observed
the word "dancing" in brackets,
which l did not exactly understand,
and resolving 10 ask immediate ex-
planation of my friend, I dismissed
the servant with a message land my
thanks) TO his mistress, TO the effect
that would be there il well.
could neither make out the sense
Of being ''at home" without saying
whether she was going TO give tea
party or what, nor why Mr.. Lyttle-
ton did not join in the business
But when my friend restrained his
mirth sufficiently to unravel these
mysteries to me, and | was informed
that such was the fashionable way Of
asking to parties, | saw through che
whole matter al once, and was fairly
charmed with the account he gave
Of this fine lady and her parties. No
one could make up so much nice
eatablesl no one had such elegant
winesl and no one could bring to-
gether so many pretty girls; or have
such merry dances, as Mrs. Blanche
Lyttleton! / saw, already, whole
mountains of snow.white cakes, and
my mouth was fairly overfowed
with water at the thoughts of that
sparkling liquor; whilst kindling fam
cy pictured some lovely damsel,
blazing in lace and jewelry, already
smitten with my fine appearance, for
i was universally conceded to be the
crack dancer in my own village OF
BlackstoneviIle. A warm glow
spread over my whole body as those
rapturous and inspiring pictures float
ed through my mind; as il was only
a night and day TO the time appoin-
ted, resolved TO live sparingly in
diet, so that might be in proper trim
for the splendid feast / so anxiously
anticipated.
Filled with these becoming
thoughts, and taking no little conse-
quence to myself in having so en-
gagged the attention of this fine lady
as TO be thought worthy of an invi-
tation, | began to wash and dress on
the evening in question full two
hours before sunset, fearing that |
might be two late for the first table.
| completed my toilet just at clever
dusk, and, thinking it high time to be
of, / left my room and took the d.
rection of Mr.. Lyttleton's house.
When got there, was somewhat
taken aback at not seeing solitary
light on the lower floors, nor any
signs of hustle or Of company any
where about. | passed on beyond
the gate, and happening to look over
into the yard, saw the same spright-
ly fellow who had brought me the
ticket walking briskly from the kitch-
en- to the house, with large waiter
filled with heaps of the incest and
whitest cake l ever beheId. This
again took me aback in a different
way, for my heart quaked with the
fear supper was going on, and that /
had, at last, overstaid the time. So
halloed to the negro, and inquired
if the party had commenced, and
whether all the people had COME
The fellow made no positive reply,
but with polite duck Of the head
asked me to walk into the gallery