The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-04-19


stion in Paris.
For the National Era
THE MINISTER'S DINNER PARTY.
The Rev. Mr.. W was an officiating cler
gyman, who had charge of little flock in the
State OF Massachusetts. He was possessed o.
an excellent temper, generous feelings and o
well-cultivated mind; but he was eccentric
even to oddity. He was powerful speaker
and his ministration was blessed to the CONVEX
sion of many souls. At the age of thirty-foul
he became convinced that it was 3" not good
for man to be alone; !" aud for the purpose Of
betterlng his condition, he made proposals to
Mary B, beautiful, ight-hearted girl o.
seventeen, daughter of one of his wealthiesi
Pensioners, and who imagined that to refuse
the hand of the minister would be sin Dor
dering hard upon the objectionable. In due
time the marriage was contaminated, the brides
snug portion paid, and the happy husband, Il
husbands in their first love are apt to do, gave
up to the humor of his wife, and accompanied
her to several festive parties given by hi:
wealthy neighbors, in honor of his marriage.
One evening towards spring, the happy
couple were sitting together in their comforta
BILE parlor, the reverend gentleman deeply buried
IN the study of the venerable Bede, and his wife
equally intent upon a plate of fashions, wher
she suddenly looked up with a mingled expires
sion OF hope and fear, and thus addressed hel
companion:
s." My dear husband, have one request to
make"
"Wel, Mary, anything consistent"
You do not imagine that / would make an
inconsistent request, surely?"
No; not request that you would consider
inconsistent. But come, what is it?
Why, my DEAR" and her voice trembled a
little, we have been to several parties among
the neighboring gentry this winter, and now, i
think, that to maintain our position in society
we should give party Also
The minister looked blank
"What sort of party, Mary 2" he at length
said.
"Why," she replied, "such party as those
we have attended. We must have an elegant
dinner, and dancing after it."
Dancing, in a minister's house |" exclaim-
ed Mr.. W., in surprise.
Why yes, certainly" replied his wife, coax.
ingly. You will not dance, the party will be
mine; and then we have been to similar par.
ties all winter
True, true" he muttered, with a perplexed
air, and sat silent for some time. At length
he said, Yes, Mary, you may make party,
give dinner, and, if the guests desire it, you
may dance"
THANK you, love, thank you," cried his de-
lighted wife, throwing her arms around his
neck, and imprinting kiss upon his check.
" But have some stipulatiOns to make about
it," said Mr.. W; Il must select and in.
vite the guests, and you must allow me to place
some of my favorite dishes on the table"
CAS- you please, love-" she answered, de-
lightedly, but when shall it be?
Next Wednesday, if you please"
Z" But our furniture and window draperies
are very old fashioned. 1t is now time we had
new"
L should think it hardly necessary to refur.
nish our rooms, Mary. All our furniture is ex-
celent of its kind.'
But our smooth carpets, white draperies,
and cane chairs have such cold look Dc
consent to have the rooms newly fitted; we can
move these things to the unfinished chambers
"And of what use will they be in those
rooms which we never occupy? Besides, it is
now nearly spring, and to fit up for winter
seems superfuous."
"Wel, l would not care" she persisted,
were it not that people will call us parsimo,
nious, and ungenteel.'
"Oh, if that is all, Il" he said, galy, ~ will
promise to spend one thousand dollars on the
evening of the party, not in furniture, however,
but in manner far more gratifying to our
guests, and profitable to ourselves, and which
shall exonerate us from all imputation of par.
simony and you may expend in dress, eata.
bles, and dessert, just what sum you please,
and do not forget the wines"
And so the colloquy ended. The minister
resumed his studies, and his wife gave her mind
to the consideration of the dress which would
be most becoming, and the viands that were
the most expensive. Then next she went
busily about her preparations, wondering all the
time how her husband would expend the thou
sand dollars; but as she had learned something
of the eccentricity of his character, she doubted
not that he meant to give an agreeable sur
prise and her curiosity grew so great, that she
could hardly sleep during the interval.
At length the momentous day arrived. The
arrangements were all complete, and Mrs.
W retired to perform the all-important
business of arraying her fine person in fine
attire. She fingered long at the toilet, relying
on the fashionable unpunctrality of fashion
able people; and at length, when everything
was complete, she left the repm, arrayed, like
Judith of old, gloriously, to 3llure the eyes of
all who should look upon her,and full of sweet
ai2asuapd graces, notwithstanding the uncom-
hinching of her shoes and corsets.
nd met her in the hall.
u dear, our guests have all arrived"
md opened the doorsof the receiving
Wonderful! wonderful! what an as
There were congregated the crippled,
ne Asimed, and the blind, the palsied, and
the extreme aged Asgroup of children from
the almshouse were also there, who regarded
the lady, some with mouths wide open, others
with both hands thrust into their hair, while
others peeped out from behind the furniture,
to the covert of which they had retreated from
her dazzling presence. At first she was petr-
fed with astonishment, then displeassre
crossed her face, till, having run her eyes over
tn. grotesque assembly, she met the comically
<c<eexpression of her husbands countenance,
<he burst into violent fit of laughter,
he paroxysms of which the bursting of
laces could be distinctly heard by
any. q
z1hsarAss band, stesalasze 9
6ne," whispered Mr. w.
lilo company, he said,
qnake a few presentations"