The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-03-28

I
bration Ito use Augustus rather poetical
language) that shall linser in grandmas
memory when other events have boen shroud-
ed in the dark shadows Of oblivion" This
is just what Augusta said, but then it must
be remembered that she was rather young.
| Well! at length we came to aconclusion,
discordant opinions were reconcilcd, plan
was hit upon, and by acclamation, aunt
Miriam was appointed mistress Of the cere-
monies. Grandma was to be greeted on her
birthday night by an entertainment got up
in her own house, under her own eyes and
by her own folks, and still it was to be per-
fected with such secrecy, that she was to be
no more anticipativc, of it, than Of an invi-
tation to take tea with Victoria. 1t was to
be of the magical order of Aladdin's lamp |;
to burst on grandma's vision as if by the
rubbing of thimble or the touching of
bell. A mere waving of aunt Miriam's
hand was to reveal - but l will not
anticipate. ...... ..r
Aunt Annie and her two boys came to
the house on a pretended visit, but this was
Just to throw dust in Grandma's eyes, for
aunt Annie is such witch at every thing,
that aunt Miriam and aunt Mary were de-
sirious to avail themselves of her witchery
in ways various and multitudinous. You
ought to have known aunt Annie. 1t was
all one TO her whether creams were to be
favored, rooms or heads to be decorated,
Jokes to be cracked, or matters Of taste and
sentiment to. be adjusted. Expert at each,
and loving frolic or project better than
her dinner, she had kind heart for oil, and
ready hand for any employment you might
choose to give her.
Numerous were the prctensions and STRAIT
agems by which grandma was blinded when
her attention was attracted by some unusual
amount of cookery. The boiling ofa mon
strous Westphalia ham for instance, when
we had good supply Of other provisions in
the house, was the means most particularly
of drawing her out for at our house the
consumption of pork in any shape is moder-
ate enough. "Why Miriam, Miriam, my
dear child" grandma remarked, show
much better to reserve that enormous ham
for slices to fry from; | am afraid we shall
get as tired of pork, before we see the end
of it, rs the Jews did ofmanna in the wilder
ness" "Ah, mother dear! !" Miriam would
reply, "the Jews might have loathed their
sweet bread, but it is well TO remember that
sleighing is good now ON the Long Island
turnpike, and five should bes suddenly start
led some pleasant morning by an avalanche
of hungry country cousins, the loathing of
that well favored ham will be something, as
apprehend, rather orer he ieft."
Grandma laughed heartily at the pleas
ant fancy of aunt Miriam, and said that she
was good, provident girl after all. The
frequent ringing ofthe basement bell, by the
bearers of various articles to the house, was
also another occasion of grandma's inquiries.
She would remark, "What run We do
seem to have this week at the basement bell.
have never known such an incessant ring
ing"
Aunt Mary, looking as demure as tabby
cat, as she was Arranging the furniture
about the rooms, had a most plausible ex-
planation in the fact that the weather was
unusually severe this Winter. and as con-
sequence the street beggars were unusually
numerous. Then grandma's mind would
run of, and lead her to expatiate on the inn
portancc of being benevolent and charitable
to the poor, when another sudden and vio-
lent jerk at the basement bell interrupting
her, she would exclaim Bless me Molly !
there's another beggar."
1t was unaccountablc to grandma, too,
that we should spend so much time in clean
ing up the spoons and the CRATES and the
plate. Especially uncourteous diditappcar
to her that we should raise such dust at
tune when Aanie and her boys had come to
see us. "Do put it off," she would say,
Z" until Annie had finished her visit. Why
you couldn't make greater hubbub, If Mi
riam or Molly were going to get married"
At this, Aunt Annie would burst into
roar of laughter, and tell grandma, "that
it was quite as well to be always ready, for
didn't that pale missionary speak for Eunico
Tilbury, ana take her as a companion to
pagan lands at just two days. noticey' Now
it was grandma's turn to laugh, and she
laughed longer and louder than aunt Annie
did. ..-..r
So, altogether, we had very pleasant, quiz
rical times at our house, but as grandma
was rather lynx-eycd old lady, we had to
make the most of our preparations while
she was wandering through the territory Of
dreamland. ...r
But at length the birth day morning ar
arrived, and although the parts Of tho plot
were ready, yet they required adjustment
and concentration, and there was no earthly
way Of bringing this about, while grandma
was in the house. Aunt Miriam was in q
fiutter Of excitement about 1t. "what in
the world shall we do with mother?" she
exclaimed. Most happily relief came to
hand, for auut Juliana suspscting the diff
Guilty, had sent uncle William to invite
grandma to take birthday dinner with
them. just rs they left tho house and were
out of hearing, aunt Mary gave three cheers,
threw up towel in the air, and shouted
out, /" Now for clear field and no whisper
ing.p b, The prcconcerted scheme was to
bring gnndma from uncle Williams about
seven o'clock, but as the old lady would
either have had her suspicious aroused or