Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1853-12-08
mis1ellanp
From the American Union.
MRS. SMITHS S0IREE:
Or
KEEPING UP APPEARAN CES.
BY CARL CANT AB.

B Y L C CANTAB.
CHAPTER I.
Better be out of the world than out of fashion. y
COMMON SAYING.
$50 she would get the better Of me!
Let her look tot / am her equal
Nor will yield easy victory,
AS she shall yet confess" oLD PLAY.
'WELL, declare,' said Miss Celeste
Smith, as on her return from shopping
excursion, she entered the sitting room.
where her mother was, [ regret to say,
engaged in the plebian task of mending
stockings ; but then, she didn't expect
company IN the morning. We'll, | de-
clare some folks are getting up in the
world
what do you mean, celly2' inquired
her mother.
How often ma said Miss Smith, indig-
nantly, must | request you not to call me
by that odious name 1t isn't genteel, or
conanze IL faut as our French teacher used
to say
well, well, Ill try to think next time,
said Mrs, Smith III soothing tone, but
what's the news2'
'Why, that Mrs Green, the grocer's
wife, has been giving a grand party, at
which sixty or eighty persons were pres
ent
Mrs Green given party exclaimed
her mother well, I am astonished =
What in the world set her to doing that,
I'd like to know and why, if she must
have one, didn't she invite us 2
Il don't know said Celeste, tossing her
head, nor don't care for that matter, tho
it is little odd I can imagine how the
vain creature felt, and that little conceited
mink of a daughter, that hasn't sense
enough to know how homely she is, how
they must have swelled and put on airs.
O, it's so ridiculous. But ma, there's one
thing I've been thinking of
What's that p inquired Mrs. Smith
with interest
'Why can't we give party2 I'm sure
we can afford it as well as Mr.. Green, and
good gracious if we couldn't get it up in
better taste, I'll give it up. Can't you
ask pa about it 2
sWell,' said Mrs Smith, considering, it
does seem as if we might have one as well
as Mrs Green, and as long as she didn't
invite US, we would leave her out But
I'm afraid your father will think it rather
foolish
30 well, we'll tease him till he can't
help yielding. But there's one thing
we won't call it party, that's so common
a Soiree would sound so much better, and
it would show that we knew something
about polite society and SO on. Don't you
think so, ma p
Mrs Smith assented, for she had all
confidence in her daughters knowledge of
society
At dinner, accordingly, for it was deem
ed advisable to expedite matters, Mrs.
Smith broached the subject to her hus-
band
My DEAR she began, (there are two oc-
casions when ladies are always sure to use
this endearing term, one when they are
about to ask a favor-the other when they
are on the brink Of quarreling) my dear
commenced Mrs. Smith, '.Celeste and
have set our hearts on having a soree.
! "A S1corryn exclaimed Mr.. Smith in
amazement. whats that2 If it's any
thing in the clothing line, and isn't too
expensive, | suppose you can get it.
%, pa,' interrupted Celeste, how can
you be SO dreadfully ignorant. A soiree
IS party-an evening party. It's all the
fashion, and every ybody that is anybody,
has them
what in the world have we to do with
fashion p
'We must maintain our position in so
ciety, and we can't do it unless we do as
other folks do
1 didn't know as we had any position
In society, and Pm sure | don't care any
thing about it. persisted the perverse Mr..
Smith.
well, I'm sure I do said his wife
| don't intend to have that upstart Mrs.
Green outshine me- If she can have
party, l don't see why we shouldn't
Whats Mrs. Green to US g
why, nothing, but then folks will talk,
and if they find we don't do as others in
our position are doing, they will begin to
suspect that all is not going on well with
you-that your business is dull or some
thing of the kind. Its always best to
keep up appearances.
But them said Mr. Smith who in part
yielded to the force of his wife's last argu-
ment, 1T will be a great expense
20, no, 1t needn't. Really it won't be
much of anything You know we can
make the cake and such things in the
house, and all wel IL have to do will be to
hire two or three to hand about the things.
and perhaps get some ice-cream really,
the expense will be but d trihe'
Mrs. Smith, having no experience in
such matters really believed what she said,
and her husband trusted to her.
We'll, well,' said he, have it your own
way. Only you mustn't expect me to
have anything to do with the preparations.
You must take it all into your own hands
This was just what Mrs. Smith and Ce-
leste wanted They formed themselves
at once into a Committee of Ways and
Means, being firmly resolved upon two
things, first to eclipse Mrs Green, and
secondly, to do this at as little cost as
no,,1J h, ,aoir,raj