Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-05-20
Sfleft Story.
Mrs. Strings Reception.

Mrs. Strings Reception.
4wHrs thou makest dinner. or supper, call
not thy friends, nor thy bTefnTen, neither 'hs
"Aud so we are really settled in ouI
own house. 1t seems too good to be true
don't it?"
AS John Strings pretty wife was
speaking, she let down the soft, heavy
falling. brocatslle curtains of the hand.
some room, half parlor, half library,
where she sat with her husband; turned
on little more gas, 80 that the Italian
peasant girl, and the dark, bright span
fsh woman, on the alabaster shade OF the
drop-light, might display their beauties
vet more gIowingly; and then seated
herself in little easy-chair, beside the
lounge where,her husband lay stretched
out in the enjoyment of the masculine
comforts-eveninge ease and household
sovereignty. Taking up dainty bit OF
bright-colored knitting, she went on:
"It was very nice, TO be sure, board
ing at mothers, but it was sort OF va
cant life. after all. This is so much bet
ter. 1 have something to do now"
John Stirling smiled.
"And something to govern. After all
I believe it is the love of power thai
makes you women 80 delight in homes
Of your own. don't doubt, gentle a
YOU women seem, that yeur servants
find you as austere as the Great Mogul. !
81 declare, John, you are too bad;
never scold and I'm sure every thing has
gone onaso nicely since we have been
here-r,,,. = ~ 81
IA whole week and all the brooms
new. But don't look. 1 have every
confidence in your ability to keep the
wheel moving"
She sat silent while, until her hus
band began to want to hear her voice
again, and rallied her from her abstrac-
ton. ff.
"What Is it, little one? You seem in
q brown study about something. he,
member Pm your prime minister, and
Of government"
II was only wondering, John, wheth.
or YOU would see certain matter as
do. Do YOU realize how many parties
we went to while we were ut mothers:
There were the Hurlbuts asked us three
times, and the Graysons twice, and you
know we went everywhere"
John Stirling knew that very WELL
Somewhat reserved of nature save to
those of hisown household, and not fond
Of general society, going to the continual
round of parties had been one OF the sac
rifices he had made during the first win
ter of his marriage, to please his gay
little wife. The idea crossed his mind
IS she spoke, that she, too, had wearisG
Of 30 much excitement, and was going
to propose, for the future, quieter life
fYes, / like it," she said, with little
embarrassment, for her woman's lntul
tion OWNED the course his thoughts haC
taken, 81 was only thinking, John
that. having accepted so many invita-
tions, every one would say we were
mean if we did not give at least one
large party in return. 1t would be just
the best time now, don't you see? Every
thing we have is SO fresh and new-eul
drawing-rooms are really elegant!
should SO like to gathereu friends round
us, and give a sort of house-warmingP
hrhat's q primitive, comfortable
sounding term, Nellie. How much
would this friendly affair cost us?"
"Oh! I've thought it all over. We
should have to ask every one we know,
1t wouldn't do to slight any. Besides,
the more the merrier, you know
We could have Smith get up the
supper and furnish the decorations. His
bill would be about three hundred and
fifty-say fifty mere for music; and q
new dress for me-" r-i1 -
Five hundred dollars, eh, Nellie?"
"Yes, Pm sure could make five hum
dred do it handsomely. l could send
out the invitations for week after next" "
"Well, dear, ysu must let me dream
over it. [ really didn't know receptions
were such expensive affairs. Five hun
dred dollars for an evenings entertain
ment; and the prospect of a hard win
ter, and much suffering among the poor!
Well, I'll tell you in the morning. If /
can make up my mind that it is right,
you shall have the party"
The rest of the evening was little
constrained. The young wife, seeing
that her husband did not care to talk
about the reception any mere just then,
struggled brsvely to avoid the subject,
and, inasmuch as it held possession OF
all her thoughts, was rather an absent
minded companion.
That night, after his wife was quietly
asleep beside him. John Stirling spent
an hour of not untroubled thoughts
Unlike Nellie, he had been brought up
in a quiet country home, where five
hundred dollars weuld have been
thought by no means inadequate pro-
vision for the support of the whole fam
lily during the entire year. Was it right,
could it be right, to spend it upon one
evenings entertainment, for the sake,
too, of people who would be in no wise
benefited thereby-whose choicest
pleasures were so common that they
had already palled upon their senses!-
But then, as his wife had suggested,
haH ont r1nnah-Unnld
this drawing back from a return of CIV
llities look very mean? And John
Stirling shrank, with all the pride of q
sensitive man, from the least imputa-
ton of meanness. They were not rich.
True, his capital was his own, and his
business was good; but he had not
felt that he could spend more than three
thousand a year on home expenses, and
here was five hundred extra, upon which
he had not counted, coming at once
Surely he could not dare, for such g
cause, to stint his contributions for the
relief of the suffering? Could he afford
it without? Nellie, the INDUCED child
Of wealthy parents, knew nothing oi
such anxious thoughts; she only heard
the result in the morning. Before he
gave her his good-by kiss, he said, in a
tone little more sober than he meant
it should be.
Well, dear, you shall have your
party. You can begin making your ar
rangements at once. Here is hundred
dollars for the feminine adornment;-
will pay Smith and the music after
ward.n
That was all. John Stirling had a
sunny, ulselfish temper, and when he
had made up his mind to grant his wife
the indulgence she craved, it would not
have been like him to spoil her pleasure
by any indication of dissatisfaction.
Still, as I have hinted, her intuitions
were strong and her nature sensitive
and impossible, and she had a certain
sense of having persuaded her husband
somewhat against his own wishes, that
rather disinclined her to commence her
preparations. 1t was nearly eleven
O'Clock before she dressed herself for the
h. At