The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1870-10-26

know how ,tneaga IL .pgrseptlY With men,
with 0, good desl,of expression, I. .fatteE,
rsyself, when iending money is shs sat Sd sb. 9
teot OF conversation; but j do not know
how4so refuse lady. !eyep;i when; as in
oharming. t.Aa '.Pi II I
SD I,consented to leave my shady 'fe:.
treat, and came out, quite cheeriu1ly, to
be baked. To those who know any
thing of garden parties, it is unnecessary
to state there was superfuity of girl,
all visibIy and painfully ''gotten up'' for
the occasion, in muslins that rustled as
they went, uncompromisingly stiff; nor,
there being superfuity OF girl, is it
needful to remark there was q scarcity of
men. Among them many were useless
Il was useless.
I had imagined myself asked to look
superior, and to go through the hoops
like London swell-quite q mistake.
1 was asked to airt will, retiring and
plain girls, who, expecting nothing,
not be disappointed.
Jolly for the retiring and plain girls,
but decidedly slow for mo.
I began to swish I were bird" I
should most certainly have s'fiown
away" leaving n message for Jack to
join me at the club. Not being bird,
however, flying away was out of tho
question. I Iresigned myself. The plain
girls were, contrary to my expectations,
rather pleasing than otherwise. They
did all the flirting themselves. I had
only to look sympathetic, which was
comparatively easy, being very much
amused by their manueuvres. There
was one man at whom they all made set.
He was an ''eligible, q lieutenant in the
army-a most singular combination of
circumstances had travelled, and looked
intelligent, till he was required to speak,
when he became inane, and was altoge-
ther decided ''catcb," always suppos-
ing conversation not to be considered
one of the items necessary in husband.
They all, in turn, tried drawing him
out; but though he several times looked
unaccountably bright, I saw, with con-
siderable satisfaction, he never commit
ted himself. Except the merest mono
syllables, he never gave vent 10 O sound.
Plain girls were at discount. They
were more 80, presently, when Jack,
having, supposed, exhausted even his
fertile brain, brought little Lilly back to
her place on the croquet ground. What
were plain girls then? What, indeod9
pretty ones, before Lily's beauty and
Lily's smile, and the magical charm of
Lily's laugh? The girls became silently
detected, the men grew animated, the
lieutenant sprightly. AS for me, went
in for discernment, looking congratula-
tions at Jack, while attending to Lily's
requests, to put chair ''just there, !" and
give her her tea. "No sugar, thanks, -
and eyes, please, the least little bit of
cake"
felt perfectly sure it was all settled.
I saw it in Lily's little nervous move
ments, and studied avoidance of Jack,
and the unconcerned ease with which
Jack himself strutted about, very much
OVERRIDING his part.
An hour later, driving toward town,
in all the glory of summer sunset, I
was proved correct, when Jack, in the
most sentimental tone I had ever heard
from him, asked if it was positively ne
cessary for me to 30 down home next
month, as he should have SO much liked
me to be present at his wedding, Lily
having promised it should take place in
six weeks.
And it WAS who returned thanks for
the bridesmaids.