The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1859-10-21

COUSIN VITTIES S7Rl7AGEH.
on,
A short Chapter on 'tHOOps.n
BY MISS HARRIET N. HATHAWAY.

"Well, Winnie" | replied, what is
your planl let me hear it, and | doubt not
Il will be just what shall be most happy
90 lend you my assistance in"
al an half afraid youwill not when you
come 20 hear, because il will cause no
slight sacrifice to your vanity, and know
you think a great deal Of appearing well,
particularly Tomorrow evening, yet wish
you TO prove yourself a sensible woman
BY appearing in full contume, "minus
hoops"
For a moment almost felt as though
] must refuse, AS thought Of the effect Of
my beautiful new dress spoiled for the
want Of my "watch spring-and then what
would Mrs. Leroy and her company think
Of mel said:
"Why, Winnie only think what a
figure we shall make in those full double
skirts clinging closely about us. They
will be at least a quarter Of u yard too
long.
90, well, we can easily remedy that
for, by the way long dresses come in for
their full share Of fWalter's dislike-as the
skirts are only bastcd to the waists
Wen have them just little ridculously
short!"
Here was an argument that had some
weight with nc, for l knew my foot and
ankle were passablo, and what lady does
not like to show decently pretty foot
and ankle.
So at last it was decided that we should
attend the party, minus "hoops;" but how
to manage this so that Walter should not
know il until we arrived at Mrs. LcRoy's,
was the next question, and this we could
not decide. Fortune, however, seemed
to favor our design, for Walter came in
saying he had received a sudden call to
TO leave the city and should not return
until the next evening, but he ordered a
carriage tocall for US, and he would meet
US at Mrs. LeRoy's
His last words on leaving home were
"Mind, Winnie, darling, and let me see
youlooking Jour prettiestto night. and you
too, Cousin Mob, for you know much de-
pends upon 'iirst uppowmces and Frank
NowbrHy is in search Of wife. He's a
little eccentric but rich as Crgsus, and
as good hearted a man as ever lived, and
my advice is "oatch him If you canl" and
we promised with demue faces to try
and look our sweetest.
As ] looked at my reflection in the
mirror, after evening toilet had been com
Pleted, half regretted my choice.
"Cousin Winnie" / called from the
head Of the stairs, 81 am almost ready to
say will not keep my promise. You
have no idea what fright am"
80, yes have, Mel, ," was the laughing
reply, "for am just now admiring the
effect Of my recherche costome. Come
down and let us put the finishing touches
on each others dress.
did not comply readily, for was still
debating in my mind what was best to be
done; but finally my desire 20 please
Winnie coupledwith love for the ridicul-
Gus, conquered. After enjoying hearty
laugh at each others comical appearance,
we donned our opera hoops and in a
short time were whirled away to the
scenes of our evening adventures.
o, il was amusing to see the sly mods
and glances, followed by low whispers
and poorly oppressed filters that greet
ed us as we made our way through the
brilliantly lighted parlors, TO present our
compliments to Mrs. Leroy. Poor, dear
lady, how she stared at US as we stood be-
fore her. For a moment she seemed to
have lost her easy self-possession, but
shortly regained il, aud cordially welcom-
ed US, though her face still wore a sur
prised, inquiring look. Winnie felt it due
to her hostess, to explain, and she with a
woman's tact, ut once comprehended all,
and readily offered her assistance.
Half an hour passed not very pleasantly
to me-for | must be candid and own that
| felt anything but ut ease in my "lancy
costume e"-When Mr.. Walter Singleton
and Frank Nowbray were announced.
My heart was all in hutter, and
imagined Cousin Winnie turned a shade
pelor, but she laughingly whispered:
Courage, Cousin Meb," / thought there
was an evident tremor in her voice.
"Stay just here,n said Mrs. Leroy, $50
that Mr. Singleton need not catch a
glimpse of you until the right moment.
Soon, Walter and his friend Mr.. Now
bray, made their way 10 Mrs. Leroy,
never dreaming that we two were eff
fectually screened from their view by the
ample folds of her skirts, until she step
NlA NlAuA Gnu tANlI We WbIe-A ullluH
tableau of"Phardoh's lean kline, o,"-Our
skirts clinging closely 10 US. Ladies, you
oan form no idea Of the ludicrousness Of
the picture we presented, uni lss you have
seen lady in full dress, minus crinoline,
surrounded by crowd Of ladies hooped at
the extent Of the fashlonl felt like a
mere shadow--a speck, as stood there
before Walter Singleton and his friend
Frank MOWbray, and know Winnie felt
the same, though she met them with ap-
parent calmness. This helped 70 restore
me TO composure, but as advanced TO be
presented to Mr.. Mowbray, you should
have seen Cousin Walters point blank
look of modification and astonishment, as
Frank Mowbray, with himself, took in the
ludierousness OF our appearance.
"Winnie--Meb, what on earth do you
meant" were the first words he addressed
us, when sure not 10 be overheard
"Why are we not looking sweetBp
asked Winnie, ia a serious, cUmio tone
and manner. II am sure you can find no
fault with the Arrangement Of our hair,
with the young japonica bud peeping out
iIom the feathery foliage, and then our
Elorea are the very incest of "Alexan-
der" hid, trimmed withpoint lace our
slippers are satin our hose are silken, as
you viii see, ifyou viii but take the pains
% look, abe continued, as she stretched
out her little dainty foot for inspection,