Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1872-12-20
MRS. 5AYERY'S CHRISTMAS DIN.
NER.

YES" said Hugh Wetherill, in de-
cided sort of style essentially his own,
"Pvetmade up my mind to refuse all
such Invitations. If spend Christmas
anywhere, it will be with old Aunt Nancy,
on the farm" .-.
"Well," growled his father, the gentle
man addressed, "all I can say is, that
you're fool. There's Mrs. Avery has
invited you to spend the Gay with them;
and, let me tell you, if you think any
thing of her daughter Maud, you'd better
be working pretty lively. She's not girl
to drop into anybody's hand, and John
Marvin is following her up close. He'll
be there, of course"
81 suppose So" said the other, little
gloOmily. "But that makes no difference.
If she don't love him, she won't, no mat
ter how constant his attendance; and if
she does love him, | can't begin to prac-
<tice self denial in the keeping-away line
any too soon. At all events, | promised
Aunt Nancy last summer that, if could
get off, l would surely spend Christmas
with her, and l mean to keep my word.
So here goes for regret, and very phil.
osophically he went to the unpleasant
task of declining Mrs. Avery's elegantly
worded invitation to her Christmas din
ner. rntf.t.
Decidedly COOL" said that lady, the
nextmorning at breakfast, passing it over
to the little girl at her right, who flushed
rosily as she read:
'Mr. Wetheriil regrets that a previous engage.
ment will prevent his being with Mrs Avery on
December25th, as requested"
II do think" continued the elder lady,
with considerable pique in her delicately
modulated contralto, "that Hugh Weth,
Grill has much too good an opinion of
himself. Previous engagement indeed.
Why, Maud, don't you know asked him
in advance of any of the others, so that
he could by no possibility have engaged
himself to any ore elseS and, even if it
is so, he, might have broken it off for us
out one moments hesitation"
Maud's little nose elevated itself per.
ceptibly at this junoture. Evidently, Mr..
Marvin was no favorite with its dainty
mistress. Mrs. Avery noticed the mo-
ton, and, with LOOK of dissatisfaction,
proceeded;
"Now, Maud, it is very foolish in you
to make faces when I speak of John Mar.
vim. He and Wetherill are decidedly the
best parts of the season. l have rather
given the preference to Wetherill; his
family is the oldest; but Marvin is Just
as wealthy, and just as good looking, and,
what.is more, wants you. Wetherill, by
all signs" with scornful look at the
billet before her." is anything but inter.
ested."
Maud's nose, which had for moment
resumed its natural position, went up
again, higher than before, and the young
lady's face was scarlet as she answered:
81 hate John Marvin, he is smooth and
sleepy; and as for Hugh Wetnerill, / hate
him, too. l wouldn't marry either OF
them for anything. wouldn't marry
anybody; and l made up my mind last
week, just as soon as you mentioned
A.. this hateful Christmas dinner, to have
nothing at all to do with it,.
Mrs. Avery looked at the excited grl
in astonishment, then asked:
May venture to inquire what dispo
sition you propose to make of yourself
on that day?" ~. .s-.F -s-
"Oh, yes; I'm going down to that old
red farmhouse in Connecticut, where
that old couple that fell in love with me
last summer live all alone. Don't you re,
member? was visiting the Mortimers,
apd went over with Carrie one day, and G
thunderstorm came up, and we were
Obliged to stay all night, and had such q
glorious hme--it was so lonesome and
nice, after all the com pany I'd been with
Ilul tno OlI OOHplo dsh6u me 10 stay dnC
visit with them, and did / staid there
q week, all by myself, and I-never hao
such splendid time in my life. They
wanted me to promise to spend Christ
mas with them, and Itold them l would
if ,Ipoesibly could; and l CAMPUS as wei
as not-so I'm going. Now, mamma" al
the elder lady was about to speak, "yor
might just as well let me go; for, If yor
forbid it, I'll snub that horrible old Mar
vim so that he'll never come near thu
house again"
Mrs Avery knew her daughter thor
oughly-knew that when she said thinl
she meant IL; and it was, probably, ow
ing TO this knowledge that the next morn
ing found Miss Maud Avery on the steam
cars, speeding along toward the rambling
old Connecticut farm house.
81 told you I'd come, if | could, and
here / am I" she said to the pleasant faced
buxom old lady who met her at the doc
with a cordial handshake and motherl,
kiss. "Were you expecting meP"
oval" said the old woman, leading he
guest into the cheerful sitting.room
where wonderful log'hTe blased AM