The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1862-12-25
ELI GODDARD'S FORFEIT.

Liberty Centre was in high state Of
excitement one sunny day in February,
for Kitty Baldwin had announced to
them, on lemon colored paper, with
bunch ofhyacinths in the left hand up
per corner, that the pleasure Of their
company was requested on the follow
ing Thursday. Now it was a long time
since party had been given in Liberty
Center, for the reason that Judge Dykes
daughter had given the last one, and it
had been done in such style of mag
niicenoe that no one could surpass it,
and so they would give none at ALL
But Kitty Baldwin had been spending
two weeks at her cousins in Boston,
and obtained some new ideas of which
she was sure Amanda Dyke had never
dreamed, so she determined on her re-
turn to have party several notches
above the Dykes. She suggested this
to her father, and he readily acquicsced,
for he had just made speech in the
Legislature on the "barbarism of smok.
ing" and he wanted to know the opin.
ion of his neighbors. So Kitty went to
work at once, and made list Of those
she wanted to invite. First she put
down only those who we're classed as
the upper ten" of Liberty Centre /;
but, on the second thought, she found
that if she wished to amaze any one
with the splendor Of the entertainment,
she had better include in her invita-.
tons every ono that she knew. On
counting them up, she found that they
numbered about seventy. If they all
came the rooms would be crowded but
she concluded that some would be sick,
or have nothing to wear, or be other.
wise engaged. The notes were, there
fore, dispatched and, as already stated,
the announcement was electrifying the
, town. "Are you invited p and "what
shall you wear p we're the only ques.
tions asked and answered. Straight
hair was kept in curl papers night and
day, in order that it should be sure to
curl on the important night. Summer
: bonnets were robbed Of their floral or
) naments to furnish wreaths kid gloves
f were rubbed clean with camphene
, bright red locks were modified to auburn
by the assiduous application of divers
kinds of hair grease !; breast pins were
repaired, and everything done to make
it as dazzling as possible. The busiest
scene was at Squire Baldwin's. Carpets
: werc covered over with sheetng new
red damask curtains we're purchased to
replace the old ones; astral and solar
} lamps were brought from secluded clos
: cts spoons, blanc.mango moul3s and
} candelabra we're borrowed from the neigh.
bors superfuous furniture was car.
, ried up stairs, and the whole house
was completely swept and garuished.
Days and nights rolled on and the
long wished for evening arrived. Squire
: Baldwin lighted up the red and blue
candles on the mantle piece the solar:
and astrals began to shed their radiance
Miss Kitty, in white muslin, sat eau.
tiously on a chair awaiting the arri
walls. Pretty soon tho bell rang and
: the door being opened, a confused mas;
of hoods snd cloaks hurried up stairs
The bell rang again and again, some
times dozen would meet on the doc,
step, and sometimes a solitary bachelor
would come in. By.and by an alarm
=. ing knock was given at the door, accom-
= panied by vigorous pull at the bell
0 This was Eli Goddard, and word o.
It two about him will not be amiss. He
5 was a son of Parson Goddard, and on,
of the beoux of Liberty Centre. II,
was always stumbling and laundering
and his hands were like the hands of thu
Fitchburg railroad clock in Boston
never in the right place. The girls al
laughed at him, and none of them NOR
than Carrie Brooks-a wild, brilliant
fun. loving girl, who had a keen sens,
of the ludicrous, which sometimes
p Overcame the better feelings of he
heart.
Eli Goddard admired Carrie, anC
tried to manifest it; but he did no
know how, and made himself ridiculou,
by his funny attempts. Carrie had ma
ny other suitors, and although they
were jealous of each, not one Of then
: was jealous of Eli. They thought Sc
ID lively a girl as Carrie would not regart
,r such an unsophisticated youth, so Ions
as they we're about with their stylish
clothes, massive fnger-rings aud scarf
pins. But in reality, Carrie cared moth
!" ing for outward show, and in thinking
w nVar the Charaafar onJ bah;Fa N 6 kh.