Maryland free press., 1867-04-25
THE sELEcT PARTY. J

strange LADY at Mrs. Camppelfs, and In
yite her to your party?" br. .,.. -. ~.
"Iudeed do notl intend that my
party shall be very select and of course
i.don't mean to ask every body"
"T suppose not" said Susan, ''but you
ought surely to'pay some attention to q
stranger, and to one whose appearance and
manners evinee that she is perfect lady,
"Really, you can see further into o
milestone than any one else. Susan pray
did you discover that Miss Brandon is q
perfect lady? Have you been to see hcr?"
"No. but I met her at poor old Mrs.
Wood cottage, and the kindness Of her
manner to the old woman, and the perfect
ease and selepossession with which she
met nv embarrassed efforts to commence
n conversation convinced me at once of
the goodness of her heart and of her ia
,miliarity with refined society," ts. q. -.,
"Well Ihaveno doubt that you are
an excellent Judge, but as 1 happen to
know something about the family of this
lady., T. believe shall adhere to my own
determinatiouy and mot Invite her to a
party 'whichI intend shall be particularly
select."'4f h"as1'auol' d''sl'a..sa .s..a '...
stWhy, what do you know about Miss
Brandon's family, Mary?" said her broth
er, who had been silent but not inatten-
tive. listner. to the conversation of the
cousins. -, .-......'. .,....... '' .T''
'a."Why, George Benson told me that he
hadigood reason to believe that her father
was mechanic, and that he knew she had
brother who at one time was a school
'"George Benson is fool and really,
Mary, though do not wish to speak
harshly; I must say that your conversation
does not do much credit to your understan-
ding. I have the pleasure of Miss Bran
don,s acquaintance, and I assure you that
i'll could flatter myself that you would
ever resemble her, l should be prouder
than have yet had reason to be of my
sister,. d..
Mary Spencer curlod her pretty lip and
tossed her head in dislain as her brother
ceased to speak, but she did not reply and
to change the conversation. Susan enquir-
el Of Henry when Mr.. Wilmot was ex-
pccted in the village.
at is probable that lie will be here
this afternoon. ....,
"Oh. / am so glad" said Mary. forget
ting her anger. ~ "Hc will be here in
time for my party. a..
Bat, Mary ;" interrupted her brother,
show do you know that Wilmot is suffi-
GENTLY geuteel to make one of party
which is to be 50 very select?'
,."Pshaw Henry, have done with your
nonsense-you know as we'll as do, that
he is one of the most distinguished men
in the State, and that his society is court
cd byaii the first families "
''Weil, expect he will arrive in the
stage this afternoon, and if he is not other
wise engaged, will bring him here to
mass the evening. AMI you can judge OF
his pretensions to be ranked among the
eli'e." ,...... ... '....
$ Mary Spencer was the helle and the
beauty of the village in which she resided.
Her mother being widow in easy circum-
stances, and having but two children had
adopted the orphan niece of her deceased
husband, who was nearly of the same age
as her own daughter. Pleasing, though
not beautiful in her person, and of dis
.position to shun rather than court obser-
yation, Susan Maxwell was completely
ecipsed by her brilliant cousin. The
natural diffiicncc of her character being
increased by her dependant situation, it
required more than ordinary penetration
to discover the refined and cultivated mind.
the fcrvid, affectionate nature which were
concealed by her uuobstrusiyc and some
what cod manner.
WestvilIc is beautiful little village,
g. and its inhabitants are respectable, and
for the mos. wealthy. 1t contains, be-
ii sides. mineral spring, which, though not
g. celebrated enough to render the village a
place Of fashionabln resort, is sufficiently
20 to attract those who are willing to es
cape the dust and heat of the city, without
the eclat ofa visit to the springs.
No visitors, however, had ever appeared
Of so much Importance as the one who was
now expected. Charles Wilmot though
! stll a young man, had distinguished him,
self in the counsels of his nation, and won
name and reputation among the great
asmcn of the day which rendered him an
Important pesonage in a far more extend
cd circle thm that of Westville. No
wonder, thcr that the little village was
in flutter of expectation when it was an
,nounced in the newspapers "that the fion'
c. W2nlot having loelincd apublic dinner
tenGred him by the inhabitants Of,
h. weald arrive in few days at Westville,
there he would remain for some weeks for
the benefit of his health" The excite
ment caused by this paragraph was par
taken Of by the family of Mrs. Spencer
all the members of which though for diff,
;, ferent reasons, were anxious to see the
distinguished stranger. Henry. who had
known Mr.. Wilmot the preceding winter
at Washington, was anxious to renew an
acquaintance from which he had derived
both pleasure and instruction. Mary
wished for an opportunity of trying the
power Of charms, which she believed re-
auired only an opportunity of display tc
prove irresistible. Her motto was
t'Let me be seen, could that wish obtain,
All other wishes my own power would gain,