The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-12-29

nght, ana which one likes ones guests to
see. Ii Is whispered by malignant per-
sons ESQ, at least, certain good. natured
friends tell me- that should not give so
many dinner parties If it were not to ex-
hibit these costly articles. / am not con-
scious of such motive for my hospitality (;
but if II exist, it need not surely be OBJ
iected to; IL is | who have to pay for tho
weakness, and not my friends, as happens
in some cases l could name. If pos
sessed q selection of the most hideous
china in the whole world, and filed my
drawing-rooms with unhappy persons after
dinner, who were compelled TO bow down
before Bel and the Dragon Gf lmay say so
withontimpicty) 5, as Colonel Twankay does,
Tor instance, then | grant you there would
be some ground of complaint ; or II l IN.
vited people 10 "at homes" every
Wednesday evening "a most impairment
form of invitation, in my opinion,) in Or
der that thew should have the pleasure OF
hearing me confute Professor Piebald upon
the question Of the theory Of development,
as my good friend DR.. Twiste is in the habit
of doing; or if had a daughter with high
notes, and inveigled the unwary with the
bait of "a little music" like my neighbor
the Hon. Mrs. Matcham, so proud and
stuckup that she is as often as not called
Lucifer Matcham, who, | dare say, THINKS
her invitations quite an honor to the re-
cipients. But there; | have no patience
to speak of such people. These, forsooth,
are the perSous-these, with their tea and
thin bread and butter and three-penny
worth of cream, and with what they call
eight refrcshment to follow, weak lemon
ade and cheap ices, to charge me with the
crime of oStentation!
1t was not looking at my gold and silver
plate, I suppose, which made my mother
in-law bilious she might have stopped a
long time at some other houses could
name without getting the quality, or even
the Quantity, Of food that would produce
an indiSposition OF that kind. Mind, | do
not blame her; she gave way to an amiable
weakness (it was trufileS), poor lady, and
she suffered for it more than enough,
Neither was it mere ostentation, | suppose,
that caused me to provide her with sick
nurse-Mrs. Maqueechy. My wife, of
course, did everything she could for her
mother, but ours is large household, and
we see a good deal of company so we
thought it best to provide a person eXclu-
sivciy to wait upon her. We had the high
est written testimonials as to character,
and her behavior was everything we could
wish. Instead of interfering" and set
ting the other domeStics by the ears, rs
persons of her class are accused Of doing,
she kept herself to herself, and when any
thing was wanted, she would fetch 1t her
self rather than give anybody trouble. |
lnr xxvnl l. inn "A
house upon these errands, and | noticed,
to her great credit, that though she must
have weighed nearly twelve stone, she
made no noise.
She so won upon me, indeed, for l am
not at all man TO be familiar with my in
feriors, and should certainly not "take a
pleasure in exhibiting my plate to maid
uf-all- work or a crossing sweeper, as some
people have been 50 good as TO affirm. l
say was so pleased with Mrs. Maquee-
chy's quiet and respectful manners that,
finding her upon one occasion in the dining
room admiring my two new Shield-Shaped
SAVERS upon the sideboard, took pains to
explain to her the design of the engraving,
and especially the embossed cipher; with
which her intelligent mind was highly
u.
sure, and if we had wanted a hOuSekeeper,
or any confidential servant OF that sort,
should certainly have retained Mrs. Ma
,ueeChyin that position after her duties as
Il sick-nursc were concluded; and in that
idea my wife entirely concurred. Mrs.
N2guecchv was neither young nor good
looking, but more thoroughly rcSpecta-
blc-looliing person, in her condition of life,
it was not easy to find. Although | had
every confidence in Bowles-Bowles has
had the charge of my plate for these ten
ycarS-yct there seemed somehow double
warranty for the safeguard of my property
while Mrs. Maqueechy was under my root.
She was not suspicious person, Tar from
il. but she once remarked to me, Ill a
meaning way, that the charge OF So much
valuable plate was great responsibility,
and would be even a temptation TO some
people; and | saw she kept 'her eye on
Bowles. As the event proved, alas. Mrs.
Maqueechy had only too good reason to
do so.
Last Wednesday we happened to have
rather large dinner party. l had been
dining out 4 great deal at various clubs
,slcly, and of course it was necessary to
invite my entertainers in return. 1t Is not
thnt | will ask anybody TO come and admire
my plate, but certainly some OF the men
were not intimate friends of mine, but only
acuuaintances. However, | suppose the.tact
Of persons belonging to such clubs as fire.
ouent is sufficient guarantee for their
social position. They were quite good
enough, in my opinion, to meet Mrs. Luci-
fer Matcham at all events, and they met
her. The dinner had gone off uncommonly
well. The shield shaped salvers had been
very much admired, and SO had my new
turcen. The ladies had retired to the
drawing room, aud | had just passed the
yine-leaf claret Jug to Colonel Twankey
ION which the old hunks did not pass the
slightest remark, by the by,) when Bowles
stopped down and whispered in my ear
that person wished to see me in the hall
upon very important business.
"Ask him what it is" said /. 1t is i'm
possible that can leave my guests"
Il did ask him, sir, and he refuses to
state" replied Bowles, confdentially. " 1t
is nv opinion he's a begging-letter i'm
poster; but he says he must see you In
person"
was upon the point of saying "Tell
him to leave the house," when something
or other in Bowles's manner struck me 50
decidedly that Iresolved not to do so. Why
should he say a man, about whom he could
know nothing, was begging-letter impos-
teri Perhaps l placed rather too much
confidence in my butler, as Mrs. Maquee-
civ had limited that very morning. Actu-
ated. by vague preSentment of distrust
and danger, rose from the table, made
-. nlnnrr "a nv, friends and went