Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-02-19

On yous especial account Othos 30
pie can have biFthdays besidA you
Dick i nsseteos to-day, md her@eaes
70 share y The hopon TO. Here De
comss. He'll take you in to aPeak 70
Mrs. Hale and the girls.'
Nj. Richard Hale raised his wide
awake, and shook hands with Jessie.
He had taught her to ride one hot-
day, and play chess upon another, 20
they we're old friends.
Mrs. Hale was . stately woman,
~ho kissed Jessie on her cheek and
babe her welcome with an air Of po-
lite patronage. Pride Of birth was
Ars. Hale's failing. She had the mis-
fortune TO be the granddaughter Of .
baronet, and had . weakness for good
blood; hence she never took 90 kindly
to Jessie As the rest Of her family
Her husband, with . delicacy of feel
ing peculiar to him, had never divulg-
ed to any one the real facts Of Jessie's
parentage; bat Mrs. Hale had formed
. sbrewd guess on the subject -
To-day there was even . more tha1
usual amount Of dignity in the good
lady's demeanor; her head was car
ried more erect and her dresA rustled
more imposingly, ss she swept by. A
young lord was to be her guest to-day,
and, to meet him, some of the. first
families in the neighborhood, and the
elite Of Canterbury had been invited
to Hale fields; consequently, Mrs.
Hale's reception Of Jessie was quite .
solemn and impressive sight.
The daughters we're rather more
humble minded, and being old school
fellows of Jessie, welcomed her right
gladly. They we're soon ont in the
garden together-all three glad to
escape from the drawing room, and
have few minutes chat before the
hustle of the day commenced.
Jessie almost trembled when she
heard of the grand doirgs that were
to take place, and the grand people
who we're expected. But before her
friends had half finished their conf.
dences, the confab was broken up BY
Mr.. Dick Hale, rushing down to the
arbor where they sat, and summoning
his sisters to their mother presence.
snake haste, girls. There's moth
er becoming rigid with horror. His
lordship has arrived, and nobody to
receive him. DO, pray, 60 to her aid,
or she will be speechless in five min
ntes.'
The two girls flew away to the
house, and left Jessie to their brother.
He stood and watched them with a
laughing face.
"WeIl, Miss Mallet, this is doing an
honor, isn't it! You and l are lucky
folks to have such birthday keeping
as this
Il am lucky in having such friends
and such home to-day. l little
thought, though, when Mr.. Hale
brought me over, that shonld find
such gay assembly, or, perhaps
Jessie hesitated.
Or, perhaps, you would not have
come. Well, that is very polite. |
think ! had better tell my father that
you would like to have the horses ont
again, and 60 back to Canterbury
He's sure to oblige YOU MIR. Dick
turned very red.
No; don't talk nonsense. l didn't
mean, Richard, too Jessie stam-
mered, and stopped again.
To insult your guardian. eb!' said
Dick, recovering his good-humor,
when he saw Jessie looking distressed.
You had better not let my mother
hear you insinuate that you don't care
to meet her friends, Jessie. Oh, if you
only knew what she's gone through
to get them together, and the manage
ment it has taken to avoid giving Of
fence. Just imagine her position this
morning, when the Romleys sent word
they'd be able to come after all, and
we-unhappy wretches-on receiving
their first note to decline, had invited
their mortal enemies, the Cheeseman's.
The families are at daggers drawn, be-
cause young Romley, l suppose, wants
to marry one of the Miss Cheeseman's.
and old Romley swears he'll never
consent. A pretty thing for an anx-
ious hostess! Il wish the Cheeseman's
we're all at Jericho, I'm sure. l never
wanted them to be invited here at
ALL Richard Hale looked really half
annoyed.
why not?' asked Jessie.
(CONCIunEn ToNOupnw\