Worcester daily spy., 1872-12-02
a Queer Party.

Dickens, in one OF his letters, gives the follow
ing droll account of an evening spent with
some eccentric ladies. 90 Aud now, sir, | will
describe modestly, tamely, literally the visit TO
the small select circle which promised should
make your halT stand on end In our hotel were
Lady A. and Lady B., mother and daughter,
who came TO the Peschiere shortly before we
left it, and who have deep admiration for your
humble servant, the inlmitabe B. They are
both very clever. Lady b. extremely well-in-
formed in languages, living and dead; books
and gossip; veiy pretty; with Two little children
and not vet five and twenty. Lady A plump,
fresh and rosy; matronly, but full OF spirits and
GOOD LOOKS Nothing would serve them but we
must dine with them; and accordingly, on Fri
day at six, we went down TO their room.
knew them to be rather odd. For instance,
have known lady A., full dressed, walk alone
through the streets OF Genoa, the squaid Italian
by streets, to The governors soiree; ana
announce herself at the palace of state by
shocking at the door. | have also met Lady B..
full dressed, without anv cap or bonnet, walk
ing mile to the opera, with all sorts of iin9ling
wells about her, beside sedad chair in which
sat her mamma. Consequently, was not sur
prised at such little sparkles in the conversation
(trOm the Young LADY, as 'Oh God what a ser
mon we had here last SundayP And did YOU
ever read such internal trash as Mrs Cores p
and the like. Still, but for Kate and Georgv
(who were decidedly in the way, as we agreed
aiterwardsl, l should have thought it was all
very funny; and, as it was, | threw the ball
back again, was mighty free and easy, made
some rather bread jokes, and was highly ap
plauded. You smoke, don't youP said the
young lady, in pause of this kind of conyer-
sdtlUn. Yes / said, | generally take a cirar
after dinner when am alone IN give you a
good 'un, said she, when we 70 up stairs
Well sir, in due course we went up stairs, and
there we were Joined by an American lady resid-
ing in the same hotel, who looked like what we
call in old England a regular Bunter' fluffy face
(r1uged); considerable DEVELOPMENT of fiJure.
one groggv eye; blue satin dress made with low
short sleeves, and shoes of the same. Also a
daughter, face likewise fluffy; figure likewise
developed; dress likewise low, with short
sleeves and shoes Of the same; and one eve not
actually groggv, but going TO be. American
lady married at sixteen; daughter sixteen now
often mistaken for sisters, etc, ETC., etc. When
that was over, Lady b brought out a cigar box,
and gave me cigar, made Of negrOhead she
said, which would quell an elephant in six
whils. The box was full Of cigarettes-good
large ones, made of pretty strong tobacco;
always smoke them mere, and used to smoke
them at Genoa, and knew them we'll. When
lighted my cigar, Lady lighted hers, at mine;
leaned against the mantlepece, in conversation
with me; put out her stomach, folded her arms
and with her pretty face cooked up sideways
and her cigarette smoking away like a Man
chester mill, laughed, and talked, aud smoked
in the most gentlemanly manner ever beheld
Lady A immed lately lighted her gar; Ameri.
can lady Immediately lighted hers; and IN five
minutes the room was cloud OF smoke, and
us tour In the centre pulling away brayely
whlle American lady related stories of her
'HOokah up stairs, and described different
kinds of pipes But even this was not all.
For presently two Frenchmen came in, with
whom, and the American lady, Lady Is sat
TO whist The Freuchmen smoked Of course
tthey were really modest gentlemen and seemed
dlsmayed), and Lady B played lor the next hour
or t@o with cigar continually in her mouth
never out of it. She certainly smoked six or
eight Lady A gave in soOn--l think she only
did it out OF vanity. American lady had been
smoking all the morning. ! took no more; and
Lady y and Gthe Frenchmen had it all to them.
selyes'