M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1856-12-04

tend a large dinner party, given in
honor of some distinguished divine,
then creating quite an excitement in
the city. My relative looked astoun.
ded when he found that ! resolved to
60 and tried to intimidate me by him
ting at the fashionable character of
the entertainment. AT length, find
ing me resoluto, hD said with a bland
smile, r"1
"You had better let me introduce
you as my cousin from the country ;
and as you are not initiated into the
arts and mysteries of fashion, it will
help you wonderfully they will sup.
pose you are ignorant of etiquette,
and therefore excuse your greenness."
"Thank you for nothing" thought
|, and consented. .r.I
/ went to the party. There was no
mistake about it, | was at first abash-
ed in the company of so much digni-
ty and beauty. trembled for myself.
My cousin sat opposite me, and by
his side a lovely girl robed in blue,
who looked to me the nearest to an
angel that could possibly imagine.
| soon saw that my Cousins heart had
been travelling faster than common in
that directions; he was devoted to her
although he kept his eye on me, to sec
that his cousin from the country did
him no glaring discredit.
heard him address her as Miss
Harriet, and once in filling her glass
from the fountain near by, he overrun
it and the fluid mingled with the meat
and gravy on the young lady's plate.
Aha! thought |, glancingat him silly,
"cousin from the country"
Presently noticed another mishap.
A reverend and absent-minded look
ing gentleman atmy right, undertook
to carve O chicken. By some awk-
wardness, small bone flew from the
edge Of the knife, and slap it wenta-
gainst the nose Of a lady opposite,
spatteriHg her face with gravy. The
lady turned red, the gentleman apollo
gized, the company seemed more than
usually serious, as company always
does when it restrains itself from a
hearty laugh, and looked straight at
my friend across the table, saying, as
! plainly as eyes could say it, "cousin
from the country"
And that was not the end of tbe
chapter, for my cousin, in attempting
to cut butter which, as it was an unu-
sually warm day, had ice upon it, un-
fortunately knocked the frozen element
upon the table; and Of all the efforts |
eyer saw put forth to catch slippery
article, those he made in the matter OF
securingthat ice we're themost untortu-
nateand ridiculous.
| First he laid siege with knife and
fork, butt danced about like ice be.
witched; polka, waltz, and redowa,
step, hopping now against Miss Har'
riet's plate, gliding about among hot
vegetables, and sliding among meat
dishes until its capture became a mat
ter Of stubborn principle.
Fortunately one of the servants
hurried to his help with a large spoon,
and in using that my cousins elbow
came in contact with a little glass fill.
ed with pickles, and away tspun ovel
into Miss Harriuts 5 lap, and the ice
followed after. Oh! with what gustC
could have shouted at that moment
"cousn from the country!", but pit
led the blushing divine, and contented
myself with an inward chuckle. But
by and by things went more smoothly
and we all gotmerry over the dessert
/ assure you, ministers can ENJOY
themselves with gibes and jokes as the
rest OF us: and why, pray should they
not9 One after another told some
amusing anecdote, until their smooth
sleek visages fairly shone with goo(
humor. forgot my awkwardness-
my cousin-Miss Harriet-and sittins
down my glass began with a comi'
air: ...t
Once upon q time, there was an OLE
farmer, lived way out in the wood
| in old Yarmouth State
My strong nasal accent immediate
ly attracted attention. Instantly ther
was silence; every eye was fixed upol
, me with a wandering yet respectful
attention.
ga hem! a--hem!" grunted M,
cousin, turning purple to his hair, ant
fiingi ny upon me his handsome eyes
' only needed that glance to confirm m
D wavering resolution; if | had felt fear
ful, all traces of timidity were vanish
: ed now; and in the midst OF express
:, i've smiles and some tittering | push
ed on with my story. 1t worked lik
, magic. Never had spoken before S
! large an audience. Every little while
+ could see by the turn of his head AM
D certain movements that my cousi
was apologizing for me to Miss Hal
riet, and he could not seem to under
/ stand it, when at the conclusion a un
! versal roar went round the table a
{ most loud enough to drown the ros
Q of Niagara Falls. Again and agai
n