Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-03-23

Ing stake OIL" on some leyccs held there tn
past winter, which take off will bear zen
eral application;
| am not TO give you an extended account
Of levec in cemmon, for there every ono
will fud the usual amount of smiles, cake
sparkling eyes, aud pop-coril, but ie'H lc'
YOU the cilcct the above. together with sever
al bowls OF oysters, had upon me. For days
previous TO the gathering, the entire neigh
borhood was in an uproar,--a team to g
here, some fruit and "trimmlngs" from the
next place, was the order OF the day. and OF
course no one could refuse, when the meet
inr house need repairs, or the minister Is
likely to come short a cool hundred, and the
labor and help Of all sorts of fowls Is called
into reauistion from the Quail to he Peli-
can and after a full com, element of Hall
trimming, finger pounding, and table-iixing,
the happy evening arrives. Wit hat ~
hand and hear, in my mouth, | called Tor
The lady ofmy choice, who has previously
consented to be escorted to the "Levee," aud
after dropping couple Of dimes at the door
and low bow to the shadow OF the lady just
forward, we are ushered into the Hall. made
as light as MONDAY by the blaze of a hundred
talow candles, and as many beaming coun-
tcnances; congratulating myself that so much
happiness was now before me- all tor two dimes.
Mistaken man, like the Pilgrim, it was here
my trials first began The deacon's daughter
now approaches and claims the privilege of
"showing us around TO see the tables" OF
course they were beautifully arranged. Even
"Solomon in all his glory" could not exceed
one OF these in beauty and splendor. One
cake in particular attracted my attention, be-
ing so tastetully trimmed and so courteous
was the lady in attendance, that she even
placed it in my hands, and then, to my sur
prise, learned it was "Guess Cake"
Didn't burn my fingers? Then my lady
had to guess, too--(why can't women let
such things alone ?? So it was, and | paid
the guesscs with quarter, and it being the
first money she had taken, of course she had
no change, and left the spot, feeling little
lighter at pocket but heavier at heart. We
now listen to the opening speech then song,
after which, the distinguished Speaker from
abroad" appears before us in the person of
JOHN SMITH, the blacksmith, who is constant
attendant at church aud pays we'll" who (of
course, is "wholly unpreparel," being called
a,pon unexpectedly y repeats few sentences
he has learned by heart, sits down, TO be fol
lowed by the ''Band," who "periorm their
part admirably" from the Cap'n down to the
man with the big drum. who looks, for all the
world, ike a boy trying to knock in the head
of rum hogshead.
1t is eight o'clock, and Supper is announc-
q. I,
money at once determined to satiate the
appetite of the beauty at my side with cake,
feeling that it would cost less to fill one,
than two. | then rushed to the table, pass
ing her liberal slice of the cake, rescrving |
another in my own hands, in case she shoud
get through with the first. And what i. TO I
pay? "Only a quarter eoct," says the lady, |
''that is the Ring Cake" Ring Cake! |
Indeed mistook--I-I-that is to ssy-
all right, Mr.. Pelican,you mag get the ring.
there are only fifty pieces at Quarter
each, and the ring is richly worth dollar
and half. BY this time piece number one
was badly crumbled to find the ring, aud seat
tered upon the floor, and, getting desperate,
piece number two follows its predecessor.
We then sought quiet corner for a Sc t,
when my companion made rush towards
strange lady and, after serious shaking, |
and few reports, like the uncorking of
beer bottle, was introduced to "my cousin"
right from the city, or factory, | did not dis
tinguish which, - and then in n low, gentle
voice, was Informed that this was a "sweet
pretty girl, and the "cousin" was also in
formed in so low tone Of voice, that | could
distinctly hear, that this "dear gentleman"
was her beau, and would probably take them
both to supper, (wan't that cool p To supper
we went, and partly to get my moneys worth,
and partly out Of spite, succeeded in putting
four bowls ofoysters in very unonviable po-
siiion.
On returning to the hall, we met the Mss
with the Grab bag" who had such swim
ming way" that bachelor as | was, | could
not resist. | paid another Quarter deternin-
ed 10 sec the elephant in full uniform. Lady
at my right dips in first and draws forth
pipe loaded with tobacco, very pretty ar
ticle for young lady,--and now for the
cousin at my left, who, after displaying good
taste in selecting bundle, held up to view
little apron, SO small wondered what could
II.
who plunged to the bottom, and alter select
ing good plump package, unrollcd it to the
gaze Of the astonished crowd O, horror! |
blush to relate it. A negro rag baby, AID |
a single man. with lady at each side and
plenty more in front and in thcrcar. Sure
enough, here was The elephant and had him
by the harms. And to please my competitions,
you will not wonder, became perfectly reck-
less and scattered the money with proiuse
hand. The Post Office" the Quilt" and
other catch-penny games all received their
due share of patronage. The lee was brok-
en- and my heart was as biz as beetle.
Hank What is the disturbance in that
corner? Let us sec. @, nothing, they tell
us, only the Two young gentlemen who had
drawn the Guess Cake in company, not sntis-
fed to cut it and thus mar its beauty. for
evca, had TO st IS up" for the cake. O. hu-
man de2ravity. jus, think Of it, two young
men, sons ofexcmplary parents, gambling in
presence of ministers and the community
generally! Where will be their end Our
only hope is, that the wholesome advice given
them By the good old Deacon, will be needed
and saluiary in its effects.
The evening is passed. and with many re
grcts and good byes, we leave for home-the
ladies to count the new dresses they had seen
and to count :he COS. ,-and fird tina, | am
minus an X. plus heaiache aud sour
stomach. AMI the feeling thai at least dollar
and half of the above sum will get into the