Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-02-22

but the unccreInOUlOuS ciOSinS Vi tnc
door cut short Mrs. Tooiey's shower of
blessings and unnecessary details. DR.
MAYNARD went slowly down the echoing,
uncarpeted stairs, with his hands in his
pocket, and bis brows contracted, in y
brown study.
As he entered his office several blocks
below, the first thing that met his eyes
] was note, written on pcrfumed pink pa
per. and sealed with a gorgeous heraldic
| device in rosc-colered wax.
"Hum-mr' muttered the doctor, bet
ween his closed lips. "Mrs. Napier's
compliments; pleasure of DIR. Maynard'S
comrany to dinner on Thursday evening
| next at 6 O'Clock Another the cham
pagne and turbot receptions, eh? We'll,
well, well, these things are not much to
my fancy but believe I'll 60 this time;
| believe -I-will," repeated the doctor,
thoughtfully stroking his chin, a habit he
often had when his mind WAS busy at
work.
And then he sat down to his desk an1
wrote formal note Of facceptance, as stiff
and short rs he was himself.
The Napier mansion, a showy edifcc
of stucco and plate glass, after a rather
doubtful style Of architecture, was all in
blze of light and flowers when DR..
MAYNARD arrived there, on the evcntful
Thursday evening, few minutes before
six O'Clock. Mrs. Napier, in a silver
green MORE antique, and qrliverirg orna-
mcnts of pearls, received him with smil-
ing urbanlty; and Miss Theodesia Agnes
Napier, in an artless toilette of white
muslin and half-open rosebuds, emblem
attic of her own youth, directed her sweet
est glances toward the stiff old bachelor
doctor, whose wealth was reruted 80 con-
siderable. Other guests were also as
sembled, the elite of the city, and Mrs.
Napicr's heart thrilled high with pride
and pleasure as she glanced round upon
the various personages grouped about
her rooms.
Mrs. Napier was a Napoleon in her So
cial Ii e-an Aiexan Ter in crinoline If
she had been man she would have left
an impress on the shores of time being
woman her sphere was necessarily more
contracted. Born parvenu, she had re-
solved, from the very first, to conquer the
walled citadels of society. Always strug
Cling with limited means, adverse cir
cumstances, and unlucky combinations
OF events, Mrs Napier had yet set her.
self to work to conquer Fate, and she
had nearly achieved her p1rposc. Out
ward appearance WAS her forte; and as
to principle, Mrs. Napier was an unscru-
pulous as any modern European states
man. Now at length she was beginning
to +, ap the harvest he had watched and
waited for so long, and her spirit rose up
within Eer, exultant i'll spite Of the super
ciiious insolence with which many of the
guests treated her.
"They despise me STILL" thought Mrs.
Napier; ''bat | will conquer them yet"
Meanwhile DR.. Maynard said little;
nevertheless his keen eye was taking note
of all the elegant triilcs and costly gim-
cracks that were scattered so fully and
so lavishly around, and at length when
the company were assembled at the long
dining table, where hot house roses glow
ed in crystal epergnes and cut glass spark
led, and massive silver (who was to know
that it was hired for the occasion?) CLEAN
ed, he lifted his eyebrows and compress
ed his thin Ii ps.
"They need lesson, these foolish as
piring upstarts," he said, within himself,
land this is the NEST fitting opportunity
TOR admiaiste. ing it"
SO the tide of dinner table talk ebbed
and flowed, and bon nos sparkled with
evanescent glitter, and people laughed
at they scarcely knew what, and the rose
beaded champagne circled round and
round the board, and Mrs. Napier thought
triumphantly to herself, cit will be . sue.
cess"
Just then DIR. Maynard's calm monoton-
ously pitched voice, broke in upon the
silence that had momentarily settled up
on the festive assemblage.
"Mrs. Napier" he said, looking full at
the hostess, ''this is very elegant table
cloth"
Mrs Napier smiled blandly and inclined
her head, until the paste ornaments tin
kled softly. 1t was very singular re-
mark, but then every one knew that DIR.
Maynard was one of those eccentric &C.
muses. that nobody pretends to under
stand or criticise.
-AIlu tilcSt Ha FhIbo dit ao "'ittS 10 NV
driven snow," went on the doctor; critic
ally examining the double damask on his
lap.
Again Mrs. Napier bowed.
"Moreover," pursued the doctor in the
same calm unvarying tone, 81 have been
admiring Miss TheodoSia's white muslin
dress"
"Ah yes" simpered the gratified nam
ma. "white is very becoming to my Theo-
dosia's style.
And she glanced towards Theodosia,
who was playing with her Black Ham
burg grapes in a manner eminently cal
culated to display her rings.
"You must have very good laund-
ress," said the doctor, abruptly.
81 believe Mrs. Tooley is quite compe-
tent to her business" answered Mrs. Ma
pier, a little puzzled, but trying to indi-
cate her claims "to the best society by
expressing no symptoms Of surprise
whatever.
"You are quite satisfied with her, then
madam?'
"Ouite"