Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1859-05-18

balls, parties and reunions without number
sometimes attended by her husband, and very
frequently without his company or protection
for Mr.. Sage does not enjoy parties, and very
often prefers remaining at home. at sucf
times Mr.. and Mrs. Brevoort call and take
her with them, or Judge Haines and lady
stop for her with their elegant new turnout
Mrs. Sage can undergo great deal of pleas
ure and never tires of going "a Reunion
or the Opera ga ball or the Theatre, almost
every night. She does not know that hel
simplicity of manner, which is pronounced
" charming" to her face, is termed mere
"guacherie" behind her back; nor that Mrs
Brevoort declared her to be positively aidi.
otic" on the day of her first visit. No,-Mrs
Sage remains in blissful ignorance of these
facts, and enjoys society to her hearts con:
tent. By those living near, she is pronounced
"quite an ornament tu the neighborhood :
and very friendly, social neighborhood il
was. Mrs. and the Misses Clinton sighed for the
carriage their circumstances would not admit
of their keeping, but they could always Dor.
row "dear Mrs. Sago's" whenever they wan: l
ted to pay visits or go shopping. Mrs. Mnl;:
grove, who lived few doors of, possessed but
very little silver ware and cut glass, but when
anticipating dinner party, or an evening re.
union, would pay a very social, neighboriy
visit to Mrs. Sago and request the loan q
her "plate and glass ware" And Mrs. Hodg:
kiss, who lived next door, being a widow,
in very moderate circumstances, with four
girls ranging in age from eight TO fourteen.
insinuates to Mrs. Sage that it is great pity
that she has no girls to give her dresses to
when she leaves them off, and hints in very
delicate manner that if she had those cast
off dresses she could make. use of them, and
from that time her four daughters are kept
elegantly clad in Mrs. Sago's cast of anery'
So, literally speaking, Mrs. Sage might be
considered useful as well as ornamental to
the neighborhood. To be sure she was invi:
ted to all the parties in the vicinityj always
attracted great deal Of attention wherever
she went, and was very much carressed by
her acquaintances. But these things were not
to be wondered at. Other men besides Asst
ly Brevoort wanted to borrow money. 1t
was we'll known fact that George Sage had
money, and would lend it to particular friends
without security, at the request of his wife
So as q matter of course it was best to keep
on the right side of the lady.
Mrs. Sage has made her entree into fash
ionable society, and occupies conspicuous
position within its charmed circle. She has
given her time and attention to society and
its usages, read books on "etiquette," "party
giving" and "party going;" has practicedl
positions before her mirror, and taken lessons
from Burdotte; has studied tie arc of stssfI
talk, and become expert in banding and re-
partee. To sum it all up in very few words,
Mrs. Sage is polished; gives a. ball every
winter to say nothing of her "star parties, D
social evenings and select surper>. To be
sure, the time has been vi hen women called
her illiterate, and ignorant; when men bor-
rowed her husbands money, ate his dinner
drank his champaign, and in less than five
minutes after leaving the house called his
wife fool, asimpleton, an idiot. Buta year
has rolled round since then, and if these
things are not actually forgotten, they are sell,
dom spoken Of.
Yes, Mrs. Sage is polished woman of the
world. But is she happier than in days oI
yore, when she occupied the back drawing
room, and played with the widow Mervin'a
children? When she watched for "dear
George" to come that she might give him the
kiss he called 80 precious; when ride in
a gig or buggy out on the Harlem road, OF
to Cato's was delight, real pleasure7 But
every thing was changed now; and whenever
scenes of by-gone days presented themselves,
she would strive to shake them off like some
unpleasant dream or horrid nightmare. With
Mr.. Sage the case was far different. He loved
his wife with the same affection as in days
gone-by there was nothing he enjoyed so
much as her society. Yet this was almost
entirely denied him. Besides, there was little
congeniality between them now; she was SO
changed, so coldly polite to him in the pres
ence of strangers; SO formal when they
chanced to be without visitors. Hc scarcely
understood their relative positions; she ap
pesred to have passed on and left him very
far behind. It 10 no wonder that be became
moody and reserved, disguised with fashions
bic life, and out of humour With HIMSELF
sometimes even little displeased with Min
ME, considering that she never will stay al
home with him Of an evening, instead Of 60
ing to some ball OR party. For 1t very offer
happens that when he is about to retire fol
the night she is dressing to 60 out, and hel
time of retiring is when he is getting ready
for breakfast. He always manages to be ou
of the way on her reception days, and hi!
social dinners have become rare occurances
Mrs. Sage cannot imagine what ails him; h'
is so changed of late. The true cause never
for a moment enters her mind abe does no
dream that, through all the changes that have
taken place-their accession to wealth snt
position-his heart has remained the same
She does not dream that he sighs over thu
remembrance of the past when they were al
in all to each Other. Then he has anothe'
cause for disquiet. He has heen looking Ove
his affairs, and awakes to find himself no
famous like "Byron," nor infamous lik'
"Jasper Smiley but minus one hundred
thousand dollars. Yes, it is indeed fact
lie has loaned to his " dear particular friends,
until one half of his fortune has passed int
their keeping. And he knows full well tina
it would be useless to attempt to get even