Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1858-06-08
MIR. and Mrs. Appleringie's Courtship.
Airdrie, 18th March. lS5,
A TEA PARTY.


My DEAR SANDY.-Losh. man, I've
been lauchin' like to split my sides a day
at the fun | gat at tea party, the ither
nicht, and at the Stiffness o men. | cam
ma speak, work, nor dae foorIn haet for
laughing. As | was thrang Washing the
tea dishes this morning, / gat up WI
siccan Scriech as CART the aud favorite
sugar bowl that belanged tae my aun,ie's
grannie play girl cot o my fingers, and
flee into hundred pieces on the fair
Ny aunue, puir body--l was vexed for
her-sprang up the bed Ike Jack / the
Bose, when she heard the crash. And
the volley o wee useliss, handhss, neer-
doweel gypsies, that my adnlie showered
down on me for the breakin' o her fa-
vourite bowl, that she wadua hae glen for
a the china in Asdrie, sesIed my lauchin'
fit doom into calm calm water again. My
auntie lay back In her bed w a heavy
Crane at her loss, that stung me 10 the
heart, for bein' sac foolish but the fact
o the matter is, my lauchin' storm with
III me had risen to sic pitch as to be far
beyond my capabilities to controul. Yen
be wonderin' what was the cause o a
merriment. Weel, it was neathing else
but silly men. Ye maun ken | WAS tea
party, as | said, al farm house. a bit cot
o Airdrie, being invited thro' Auntie,
who Is particular favourite 0 the guld-
mans and a forty-second cousin o the
gmdwife's. 1t wa a kind o dancing
party. and about four or five and twelly
couM PIES were present. The farm house
itssl, WAS nice, cosy building, construc-
tod h Id l-,y.4f 4f.aY, Il
haud half a regiment o sodgers al break
fast, and It's enormous fire place / the
centre, was roaring like a furnace. Aft
the kitchen, was a big spence, snugiy ar
ranged WI guid, substantial furniture, IN
to which we were all usbered by the guid-
wife, who was smilin' Ike 4 May morn,
to see sic a " Draw, sonsy family" as she
cat US, assent led ia house. Neel, as
the tea an the crack gasd on, got a wee
lhocht mair courage to glover about me,
and ilk time | happened 10 throw my cen
over In a certain corner, | catched
muckle, uncultivated covte o a country
chield, WI teeth like tsther-sticks. cen
like saucers, and hair a IN an uproar,
glowering al me as if he could hae swal-
lowed me at ae bite. i Couldua under
stand the meaning OF ava but when tea
was over, and we were 4 ftockin' tae the
barn, o'erheard him sapn' tae his neigh
bour, wee red-haired shaver o the
iumpin' iack-iack order Feth, she's
tick.er." Il struck me ! was the Object o
his remarks, and | determined TO watch
his movements. We entered the barn,
which was large and excellent place
for dancing in. 1t had fine wooden fair,
was we'll litched up wi candles a stuck
room the chairs, stools, and tubs whombled
up side doom. In fact, the kind o aunci-
ent simplicity displayed within its grey
was had a charm about 1t that pleased
me better than any o the finest halls could
do. The fiddIers, after screwin' up their
pegs TO the proper pitch, struck up - Lady
Mary Ramsay" in such a merry vein,
that a oor hearts and feet fell thumpln'
in Joyous expectation. Up started the
gentlemen tae choose their partners, and
doom the barn cam Tether-sticks 10 get
me for his partner; but just as his lang
arm was about - seize me BY the wrist,
was luckily snatched oot afore him by
anither chiel. He skited aG tae the ane
side like a spittle aft bet arm, and grip
pin a young thing, exclaimed-'' Come
ava, lassie, and I'll hae a rattlin' reel wi
YOU" During the merry GAVIN reels, he
was alternately loupin' and hoochin' like
ane demented. And aye as his neigh
bours roared cot 'Fweel done, Richie,
the higher he loupit and louder hooched,
till the very fair ike a shoogieshoe shook
beneath him. and when he sat doom, his
hide vas reekin' like Iime-lsiln. Ches-
ter Castle being the next dance, up
sprang Richie afore, the lave O the COM
pany had time to s)lr, and catching haud
o me, cried out, Give gat ye 100, and j
maun hae a glorious dance DOT o ye. -
Aft we paed in tie dance, bur as we were
calIopin' some uncouth knot in the fair
catched Richie BIZ the heel, when over
he babbit / the centre o the ring, wi the
weight O an OK, rufflin' the skin aft bis
nose, and splittin' aue o his trooser legs
RIGHT rood aboot. Bath lads and lasses
fell Iaughin' and Richie, wi face
like nor'-west moon, went gallopin' cot
at the barn-door haudin' the remit ogither
Back he cam in a few minutes after,
holder than ever, excIaimlng. " Riches
himself again - But sich FRIGHT! He
had got on an auld pair o inexpressibies,
belonging tae the guldman, ~blca Ied-l-
ed nae farsr doom his lang legs Than the
Drawn; but to make amends for tins de-
fciency, he had on a pair o crean-color-
ed spats, which. IN the hurry, be had but
toned on backside foremost, so that the
front part stuck oot behind ike socS-spurs.
To save his Sunday coat, he now appear
ed in an auld everyday square-tall, that
had the resemblance o. beln' twice turn
ed. His hair, which had gotten claut
o the kahn before his re-appearance,
stood up red and gli,,erin' like a cock
comb. Twa snuf-draps had fallen frae
his nose, and exhibited then selves IA the
way Of STUDS on the breist o his shirt; in
short he was dearie. He minded me
mair than anything o Auntie's Cochin
China cock, that's GAVIN a6oot real 'ad o
the moot the noo.
After a merry NIGHTS diversion, the