The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-07-26

choice, as you say, whom she admitted to
her acquaintance this summer; may say,
indeed, that l am the one, of all she met,
whom she recognizes now
To have protracted the conversation
would have excited my wife's nerves, and
deprived her of sleep, SO I said no more,
but closed my eyes, and courted slumber
anew. [ have no recollection of any
thing after that, till [ woke the next
morning. and leaving Mrs. Jones in bed
as usual, went down to do the marketing
while breakfast was being prepared.
The invitations of party were issued
last week Mrs. Mowbray graciously prom
Using to attend
When the important evening arrived
my wife was all nerves. At every ring
Expectation, but guest after guest entered
without Mrs. Mowbray appearing. Her
nervousness soon began to change to
anxiety, and this, as the hours wore on,
TO disappointment and dismay. She de-
layed the supper for full hour thinking
that her new friend might yet arrive; but
in vain.
'-What can be the matter, | wonder ?'
she said to me, as soon as we were alone.
Il hope the dear babe is well. Perhaps,
however, Mrs. Mowbray is herself sick.
Dear me, | am afraid | shall not sleep
for anxiety. The first thing I'll do to-
morrow will be to call on Mrs. Mowbray
aud see what is the matter"
"Wouldn't that be against etiquette ?"
I ventured to ask. ''It seems to me Mrs.
Mowbray should send you note, or mes
senger, or something of that sort, at least
to apologize for her absence"
! Mrs. Jones did not reply in words, but
she gave me look. And such look !!
it expressed all the indignity which her
outraged bosom felt at having the slight
est suspicion cast upon her friend.
When I came home to dinner that day,
[ saw at a glance, that something had
occurred to ruffle my wife's nerves. She
had nothing whatever to say to me, but
she scolded the servants and children in
cessantly. 1 knew that Mrs. Jones, if
she thought it best. would tell me; and,
if not, that questions would aggravate her
secret troubles.
But the next day having heard some
thing that cast light on Mrs. Mowbray s
absence from our party, l could not con.
tain myself when [ came home.
i "Did you ever hear, my love-" said
as I began to carve the turkey at dinner
THAT the Misses Howell had married
sister?"
i Mrs. Jones looked sharply up, as if shs
suspected | meant more than said, an(
then answered laconically:
) 81 heard it casually, but never asket
further
| at seems" 1 continued, "that Mrs
Mowbray is that sister"
/ 81 We heard so since, said Mrs. Jones
and turning to our second child, who wa
asking for the wing bone, she rappeC
him over the head, exclaiming, tartly
, 'havn told you to wait till your
5 helped? Take that now, and learn man
e ners."
t allowed minute or more to elapse
7 in order that my wife's ebulition nigh
r subside, when | remarked:
''AIrs Mowbray, it seems, expected t
S meet her two sisters here"
: sI shouldn't wonder if she did, snap
pishly said Mrs. Jones, looking down i
J, her plate, and apparently absorbed i
| parting wing joint.
r "When she found" continued, "ths
) her sisters were not asked, she grew in
; dignant. She heard the reason, it Seems
e Your friend, Mrs. Wharton, whom yo
i made confident, told some lady, VIII
IS told her, and hence her anger"
e "I'm sure I don't care if never Sc
# the proud thing again. said my wifi
o reddening very much, but still lookin
,fl down. .sOne could not have suppose
o that she was sister to the Misses How
n ell"
e After another pause, said
If "Did you call on Mrs. Mowbray, as yo
q intended p
i Mrs. Jones was silent for full minut
ct and seemed half disposed to decline al
swering altogether; but finally she blurtt
er out the reply as follows:
re ssYes, did, since you must know
in And she wasn't in So at least the foo
ct man said, but if L didn't see her at Il
d drawing-room window" and she bur
" into tears of modification and rage, "ms
e. never eat another mouthful."
I saw that it would not do to contin'
h, the conversations; so quietly ate my di
be mar, kissed the children, and, like Chri
h. tian in the Pilgrims Progress, ''we
b. my way"
e. Of course the intimacy of my wi
with Mrs. Mowbray ceased from the da
n of that fatal party, and, am sorry
a say, that the Misses Howell also have,
ps the phrase goes "eut our acquaintance
nv
slfl No WATER.-ssDoctor," said ha