Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-03-06
Sic L LECT TALE
Mrs. Washington Potts.
BY MISS LESLIE.


count of something that had been said or done
during splendid entertainment at Devonshire
House Just at that moment said he, Il
was lounging into the room with Lady Angus
Ia Fitzhenry, on my arm, Conquest ionably the
finest woman in England,) and Mrs. Montague
was few steps in advance, leaning on my
friend the Marquis of Elvington.'
Pray, sir, said Mrs. Quimby, 'as you are
from England, do you know any thing of Bet
sey Dempsey's husband''
Il have not the honor of being acquainted
with that person. replied Mr.. Montague, after
whitening stare.
: well, that's strange pursued Aunt Quinn
by, considering that he's been living in Lon
don at least eighteen years-or perhaps it is
only seventeen, And yet l think it must be
near eighteen, if not quite. May be seventeen
and half. Well, it's best TO be on the safe
side, so I'll say seventeen. Betsey Dempsey S
mother was an old school-mate of mine Her
father kept the Black Horse tavern. She was
the only acquaintance / ever had that married
very good business; but he never liked Amer
lea, and was always finding fault with it, and
so went home and was 10 send for Betsey.-
But he never sent for her at all, for a very
good reason, which was that he had another
wife in England, as most of them have-no
disparagement to you, sir
Mrs. Marsden now came up, and informed
Mrs. Potts in a whisper that the good old ladv
beside her was distant relation OF counexion
of Mr.. Marsden's, and that, though little
primitive in appearance and manner, she had
considerable property in bank stock To Mrs
Marsden's proposal that she should exchange
her seat for very pleasant one in the other
room, Rext to her old friend Mrs Willis, Aunt
Quimby replied nothing but Thank you, I'm
doing very well here
Mrs. and Miss Montague, apparently heed
lng no one else, had talked nearly the whole
evening 10 each other, but loudly enough to be
heard by all around them. The young lady,
though dressed as child, talked like wo-
man, and she and her mother were now en-
gagged in an argument whether the Irritation of
the Duke of Risingham with Lady Georgiana
Mebury would end seriously or not. TO my
certain knowledge, said Mrs. Montague, his
Grace has never yet declared himself to Lady
Georgiana.'
I'll lay you two to one, said Mrs. Mon
tague, that he is married 10 her before we re-
turn 10 England
No. replied the daughter, 'like all others
of his sex, he delights in keeping the ladies in
suspense
What you say, Miss, is very true,' said
Aunt Quimby, leaning in her turn, across Mr..
Montague, 'and considering how young you
are, you talk very sensible. Men certainly
have way of keeping women in suspense, and
an unwillingness 10 answer questions even
when we ask them. There's my son-in-law,
Billy Fairfowl, that live with. He married
my daughter Mary eleven years ago, the 23d
of last April. He is as good man as ever
breathed, and an excellent provider too. He
always goes TO market himself; and sometimes
| can't help blaming him for his extravaganza.
But his greatest fault is his being so unsatis-
factory As far back as last March, as | was
sitting with my knitting in the little front par
lor with the door open, (for it was quite warm
for the time of the Year, Billy Fairfowl came
home, carrying in his hand good-sized shad /;
and | called out to him to ask what he gave
for it, for it was the very beginning of the
shad season; but he made not word of an
swer; he just passed on, and left the shad in
the kitchen, and then went to his store. At
dinner we had the fish, and very nice one it
was; and | asked him again how much he
gave for it, but he still avoided answering, and
began to talk of something else; so | thought
I'd let itrest awhile. A week or two after, |
again asked him; so then he actually said he
had forgotten all about it. And 10 this day
don't know the price of that shad.'
The Montagues looked at each other-al-
most laughed aloud, and drew back their
chairs as far from Aunt Quimby as possible
So also did Mrs. Potts. Mrs Marsden came
up in an agony of vexation, and reminded her
aunt In a low voice of the risk of renewing her
rheumatism by staying so long between the
damp newly papered walls. The old lady an
swered aloud-'Oh! you need not fear. | am
well wrapped up on purpose. And, indeed,
considering that the parlors were only papered
TODAY, think the walls have dried wonderful
", Quitting her hand on the paper)-I am sure
nobody could find out the damp if they were
not told
sWhat.' exclaimed the Montagues 'only
papered to-day-(starting up and testifying all
that prudent fear of taking cold, SO characteris-
tic to the Englsh.) How barbarous to invei-
gle us into such aplacep
81 thought felt strangely chilly all the
evening" said Mrs. Potts, whose fan had
scarcely been at rest five minutes.
The Montagues proposed going away inn
mediately, and Mrs. Potts declared she was
most appreheneive for poor little Lafayette
Mrs Marsden, who could not endure the idea
of their departing till all the refreshments had
been handed round, Qhe best being yet to
come,) took pains to persuade them that there
was no real cause of alarm, as she had had
large fires all the afternoon. They held a
whispered consultation, in which they agreed
to stay for the oysters and chicken salad, and
Mrs. Marsden went out TO send them their
~la with one for Lafayette.