Middletown transcript., 1869-01-16
Popular Talts,
Minnie's Refreshment Table.
A NEW YEARS STORY.

What bright, exhilarating New Years
Day it was There was heavy fall of
snow on the ground none of your icy,
slushy eompound-half mud, half frozen
dirt, which New Workers, by courtesy,
call "sleighing, but real snow-snow
which erouchcd under your feet with the
genuine sound of snow, and set all the
sleigh bells in sympathetic jingle at once
To be sure, there was a keen wind, for
what could you expect of the first of jan
uary? Winter was winter, and the sky
overhead, deep, dazzling blue, as if it had
been carved of turquoise, would have re-
conciled you to the blasts of Greenland!
OF all the pretty damsels who were
making elaborate toilettes for the pleasures
and exoitcmcnts of the first day of the year.
there was not prettier one than Minnie
Archer, az she came down into her draw
ing room at twelve o'clock, with her two
blooming cousins, Rachel and Evelyn
Ford, to whom New York New Years
Day was something unknown and splen-
did.
Minnie Archer was not one of the fra
gile, zephyr-like beauties, who resemble
wax dolls seen through the small end of a
telescope. She was tall, with the indc-
scribable willowy bend and sweep of the
figure that no art can acquire, unless it be
natural-born; fair as a wild lily, yet with
rosy bushes of bloom on either check, and
with sly dimples lurking around her scar
let mouth. Her hair, cut short, clustered
in wavy ringlets, of the glossiest brown,
around neck and temple and blue-veined
forehead, while her large brown eyes, Sc
rious and smiling by turns, lighted up her
whole face with the wonderful charm of
expression. Rachel and Evelyn were both
pretty girls-pink- checked and blue-eyed,
with hair ,frise, and toilettes irrenroacha-
BILE; yet, beside Minnie, they looked like
ordinary close-pinks contrasted to the roy
al splendor of a fringed carnation.
90 1 can't look like Minnie let me initiate
her as much as will; 1 can't carry my
head or move my feet as she does," laugh
ed Rachel, with a little tinge of irritation
in her tone. ." believe it's because am
village bred girl" Evelyn, for PHYS
sake, do stand little straighter." "Dear
Minnie, it's not your fault-but you make
us lcck Ike wa;tingg-mnids."
Ano ula"ihS tVoh haue pIvuUy caSKet
for the three jewels who occupied it. 1t
was large, high-ceiled room, rather lon
ger than it was wide, with walls tinted in
pearly gray, and curtains of blue satin
Ilooped up with cables of gold. The car
pet was of gray velvet, strewn with pat
tern of pale, blue blossoms, and the blue
velvet chairs and fauteuilS correspond with
the predominant tints of the apartment !;
while pictures, brackets, statuettes, and
flowers, made graceful confusion that was
very pleasing to the eye.
Minnie was just taking magnificent
scarlet japonica from a moss basket on the
table, to arrange in Evelyn Ford's hair.
when her arms were lightly pinioned from
behind and pair of glowing black eyes
looked laughingly down into hers.
Edgar ?"
My first all-unceremonious and un.
announced. Minnie, you are like rosebud
this morning. Miss Ford--Miss EVELYN
the compliments of the season !''
Edgar Ashley, the afianced lover o.
Miss Archer, was a stalwart, handsome
young man, worthy of her shy beauty, as
he stood there with an arch, apdacious ex.
preston of countenanoe.
"I'm going out presently, in state, with