The mountain Democrat., 1864-06-11

in pulling down the sheet. Nobody pres.
ent ever pretended to any authority over
him. He had been brought by somebody,
with the message that he was 'to be left
till called for, and horrible suspicion
began to take possession Of my mind that
| was the victim of a child dropper. 1t
certainly was only natural that the parent
Of such boy should endeavor to get rid
Of him by any means; but that he should
have dressed him up in blue velvet knick-
erbockers and pink stockings and dropped
him, for good and all, at juvenile party,
was most objectionable device. Would
the workhouse take him in after $50,
wondered Or would it be better to give
him in charge to the police for obtaining
supper under false prctenses? AS the
evening grew on, his evil characteristics
multiplied. lie clamored for something
to cat. and had 10 be taken down stairs
and fed before the proper time. This did
not prevent him, however, from proceed
ing with his meal while the others took
theirs, or prolonging it when they had
concluded. In the meantime, Colonel
Chutney, G. B., was inveighing in an nm
known tongue against all young people,
and demanding that the grownup folks,
or at all events himself, should not be kept
waiting any longer. lie refused to give
the servants time to re arrange the table,
bnt sat at the head Of it. in front of the
turkey, with carving knife and fork in
his fingers, like griffin rampant. did
not dalc occupy that position myself, my
whole attention being concentrated upon
this hateful boy. lie was perpetually
jumping up to procure some novel dainty,
and broke three plates Of our best dinner
service in a struggle to snatch the flowers
out Of the cpergne. watched him rove
from bonbonS to lOpster salad with malig-
nant Joy.
The front door bell had been ringing
ceaSclessly for half an hour, and troop
after troop of little ones had departed,
muiiled and cloakcd, with their faithful
domestics, but neither cab nor carriage,
nor nurse nor footman, had come for that
boy. lie buzzcd about in his blue velvet
knckerbockcrs and pink stockings, like
some gorgeous tropical insect, inimical to
the repoSc Of man; and when all his con-
temporareS were gone, he ventured to the
supper table, and devourcd plateful for
plateful with Colonel Chutncy, c. B, and
the grownup people. As for me- all ap-
petite had fled with the contemplation Of
him; and | listened for the wheels Of his
possible chariot with an absorbing ankle
ty. lie had just announced his intention
of partakng Of brandy and water with
Colonel Chutney, G. b, (who never con-
cludcs an evening without that agreeable
medicine), when the long looked for char
lot came. do not know whether it was
that exact description of carriagc-any
vehicle sent for that boy, from a costcr-
monger's cart to the stage coach of the
lord mayor, would have been equally well
come-but female servant Of unlnista.
kably Irish extraction came with it, and
demanded Master Dunno. \ little mis-
take, she said, had occurred, it seemed, as
to the number Of the house, aud she was
afraid that she bad left the darlin' at the
wrong evening party. But she supposed
that it didn't much matter; her young
masther had evidently enjoyed himself
and all juvenile 'tratcs' were pretty much
alike.
If they are-if they really arc-l can
only say it is a most fortunate circum.
stance that Christmas, with its Juvenile
Party, only comes once year,