Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-09-05


inobam tells me itfs the fashion now--and
then in the evening intend having pret-
~ little table set out in the dining-room.
and have our conf ctioner furnish whatever
may be needed, with colored man 10
serve -.
"A very good arrangement, rrjoined MIR.
Greene, approvinaly lknow the Spriggs
well. they're rafher parvenu-ish--as even
your mother aiwa,s Acknowledgement I'd
like everything % appear to advantage, as
that sort of people attach 50 much impor-
,ance 10 outside show
That evening. after Bessie had pet the
little ones TO bei~-ior sturdy httle uchin
called Johnny, aud tiny Lnlu had made
their appearance upon the siage-she sat
down, and after alittle cogtalior with her
husband. wrote sut. in her clear, precise
hand. "a list of articles that would be requir-
ell from the coufseis5ner's, aud laid it upon
her dressing~table that il might be at hand
in the morning. a am not sure but that the
little woman laid awake good share of the
night, planning just how the children should
be dressed, and how matters in general
should be arranged in order that her repu-
tation. as mother and house,keeper, should
not suffer at tae hands of the Spriggs, who,
as she confessed to her husband, were the
least little bit il the world inclined to be
censorious,
Mrs. Grecnehad alluded TO Polly Frolh-
irgham as beingone Of her invited guests.
This lady was the wife of her husbands
partner, and constantly haassed both herself
and Mr. Frothirgosm, because the firm did
business under the name Of Greene & Co.,
instead of Frothiegham & Co. Now that
sounds something like it, she was wont to
say TO her spouse,' Greene has such COM
monplace sound, though Bess does lay sucli
stress upon its beng spelled with an e. l
don't see that that makes any difference
Now Polly Frohingham was determined
that if Bess Greene, through her husband
| took lead in matters of business, that she
should show herself superior in matters Of
style and taste, and took delight in coniinu
ally parading the sayings and doings of hel
| fashionable acquaintance. 1t was therefore
that Bessie looked forward, with little in
nocent pride, to introducing this lady to her
friends, the Spriggs, who, she felt sure, were
quite as stylish as any OF those whom
Mrs. Frothingham was in the habit Of quot
ing to her
All these considerations tended to make
Bessie's fepose rather uneasy; she there
woke later than usual, and was just setting
jaunty breakfast-cap upon her pretty
head, when her husband entered the room
and exclaimed, in a tone of dismay, can
find it anywhere Some rascally villaiI
must have stolen it
The instantaneous conviction OF Mrs
| Greene was, that one OF the children wa
missing. and she rushed intn the little rnn''
Opening Uus ~ enrfrs 10 order to virlfy he
fears But no. both Johnny and Lulu wer
sound asleep in their respective cribs. Sh'
kissed them each, then came back to he
husband, who was pacing uneasily up an'
down. Why, what do you mean, Preston !!
asked she. Both of the children are there
What is gone or stolen? Not the spoons,
hope 2 Children spoons! What Cal
You be thinking of, Bessie2 am speaking
of the New York Extirpator. Either
hasn't come, or somebody has stolen it
Mrs. Greene's gentle features came a
near to an expression of seorn as was pos
sible for them, rs she reioined in tone c
much sympathy, Dear me, what misfor
tunel Do exert yourself, Preston, and Sc
if it isn't possible for you to exist withou
tina; precious sheet one morning, at a
events
Mr.. Greene did exert himself, but nc
quite successfully. In fact, during all thei
married life, his wife had never seen hi
equanimity SO disturbed.
Before he started for down town, Mrs.
Greene gave him the list she had prepare
with so much care, with the injunction tha
the moment be arrived in town, he was t
take it to Knicknack's, adding, you knoN
he las always been our confeclioner, and b
is sure to be perfectly reliable.
MIR. Greene dutifully promised; but a
the way down town the thought OF that mi:
sing morning paper haunted him and whe
the city was reached, the temptation of stop
ping at its office and inguiring why 1t ha
not been sent was too great too be resisted
so be SAW the proprietor, pocketed the Ne1
,, York Extirpator, received an apology fo
IFS non-appearance, and then buried to hi
place of business, determining to attend
his wife's request in the course of the morn
ing.
In the meantime, Bessie was as busy as
bee preparing for her visitors She wer
into The garden aud plucked her brightei
flowers for bouquets, and denuded he
grapevine of its choicest clusters TO do hor
or to the occasion. Bringing these last ii
she arranged them on certain salvers ths
had been among her bridal eifts---not silve
to be sure, but so excellently plated that til
sharpest eye would be unable to detect til
diiference-then placing them on the dining
, room table, tried to imagine how it wodl
look in the evening. The effect couldn
fail to be pretty, with large, rosy peacht
peeping out amid the grapes, a pyramid {
pink and white cream in the center, and til
whole fanked at each end by golden qui,
: er of jellies and dainty forms of Charloti
Russo. In the pride of her heart and tn
want of other confdants, she called in th
children and described the tempting set-oJ
mamma was going to have for her visitors
, they listened with delighted eyes, for in the
: simple little lives this was quite an event.
The afternoon came, and the first arriv;
was Mrs. Greene's dread and admiration
Polly rockingham, who remarked that sh
) thought she'd come early and help her r.
! ceive her friends, knowing that since be
d marriage she had been so retired, that
4 a. II L. 4