Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-01-31
ThUMinister's Dinner Party.
BY LYDIA JANE PIERSON.

man of excellent temper, generous
feelings, and well cultivated mind
but he was eccentric even to oddity
He was powerful preacher, and his
ministration was blest to the reforma
tion of many in his parish. AT the
age of thirty he became enamored
of a beautiful light-hearted girl of sew
enteen, daughter of one of his richest
Pensioners, and who imagined that
to refuse the hand of the minister
would be a sin bordering hard upon
the objectionable. Well, the marri
age was consumated, the brides fat
portion paid; and the husband as
husbands in their first love are apt to
do, gave in to the humor of his wife
and accompanied her to several festive
parties given by his wealthy neighbors
in honor of his marriage.
The happy couple were sitting to-
gether in their comfortable parlor
one evening toward spring, the rever-
end gentleman studying the Venera-
bic Bede, and his wife equally intent
upon plate of fashions, when she
suddenly looked up with an express
sion between hope and fear, and thus
addressed her companion.
My dear husband, | have one re-
quest to make.
We'll Nancy, anything consistent.
You do not imagine that | would
make an inconsistent request, surely 2
No, not a request that you consid-
cred inconsistent. But come what is
it?'
why, my dear sir, and her voice
trembled a little, we have been to
several parties among the neighporing
gentry, and now | think that to main
tain our position in society, we should
make party too The minister
looked blank.
What sort of a party, Nancy?' p he
said at length.
Why she replied, such a party as
those we have attended. We must
make an elegant dinner and have
dancing after it.
Dancing! in a minister's house !!
calculated Mr.. N.
why, yes, certainly replied his
wife coaxingly. You will not dance,
the party will be mine: and then we
have been to similar parties all winter.
True, true, he muttered with per-
picked air and sat silent for some
time as if considering. AT length he
spoke. Yes, Nancy, You may make a
party, give dinner, and if the guests
desire it, you may dance
Thank you. love- she cried, putting
her arms around his neck.
But | have some stipulations to
make about it, he said; i must select
and invite the guests, and you must
allow me to put some of my favorite
dishes upon the table.
AS you please, love- she answered
delightedly, but when shall it be?'
Next Wednesday, i you please.
But our furniture and window dra
peries are very old fashioned. 1t il
now time we had new.
4 should think it hardly necessary
to refllrnish our rooms, Nancy. Al
our furniture is excellent of its kind
But our smooth carpets, white dra
peries, and cane chairs have such ;
cold look, do consent to have thu
rooms new fitted. we can move thes,
things to the unfinished chambers.
And of what use will they be il
those rooms which we never occupy
Besides, it is near spring, and to Ii
up for winter, is superf1uous.'
We'll | would not care, she pei
sisted, only people will call US pars
monious and ungenteel.'
'Oh, if that is all,' he said gaily,
will promise to expend thouSan
/ dollars on the evening OF the party
not 10 furniture, but in u manner whic
: will be far more grateful to our guest
and profitable to ourselves, and Whit
shall exonerate us from all lmputatlO
Of parsimOny; and you may expen
r III dress, eatableS and desert, JuS
+ what sum you please, and do not 10
! get the wines.
e And so the coloquy ended. He r
e sumed his studies, and she gave ht
q mind to the consideration OF the dres
n which would be most becoming, al
u The viands that were most expensIv
Then next she went buSlly ABOUT ht
e preparations wondering all the tin
S how her husband would eXpend b
e thousand dollars, but as she mad dl
e covered something OF the eccentrlcl
e OF his character, she doubted not tn
q ne meant to give an agreeable 81
d prise; and her curiosity grew so gre;
IL mat she could hardly sieep during t
u interval.
i At length the momentous day
u rived. The arrangements were ;
Dh complete, and Mrs. 5. N retir
1t TO perform that all important bu
. ness OF arraying her tne person
le nne attire. she fingered long at
le toilet, relying upon the tashionai
% unpunctuality OF fashionable peop
Ill and when the hour struck, she lett
IL chamber arrayed like Judith OF @
re gloriously, to allure the eyes OF
~ VINO should look upon her, and full
~ .u sweet smiles and graces, notwl
~ standing the uncomfortable pinch
- OF her shoes and corsets. tier Il
90 Dand met her In the hail.
;s Our guests have arrived, he 8;
5.s and opened the door OF the receiv
Il room. w Wonde wonderful
~ What strange assembly. lib
ral were congregated the cripple,
,on manned and the blind; the pals
on and the extreme aged, and GROUP