The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-09-06
OUR EVENING PARTY.

double supply of my favorite hot buttered
mullins awaiting me, and my slippers so
nicely aired on the hearth. But was sure
of it when my wife said, smiling. hope
you like the tea, dear; put an extra spoon
! full in, because it's such bleak night for
you;' and when my eldest daughter Molly
! laughed so very heartily at my old story OF
the Chinese missionary, which l think so
good that take every opportunity OF re-
peating it.
/ "Now, Molly" said |, as l took down
my meerschaum after tea; "now, Molly,
what is it ~
"What is what, papa % said Molly; but
she blushed and laughed conscious little
laugh all the same.
Come retorted, "let us have it
! What is it YOU want to coax out of me
! now 20
"Well, Molly, as papa seems so cunning
at finding us out, | think we had better
tell him what we have been talking about, -
said my wife, with slightly nervous tit
! ter.
! GA great deal better, you most artful
of women" said I, with all the sternness
! | could muster; "and no more compli-
ments to my superior wisdom, if you
/ please. am quite aware you are only Oil
| ing the machinery to make it run round
your own way. All attempts too, to bride
| the court with more mullins will only
! iniure your case. Proceed, therefore"
"Wel, James," replied my wife, 1.-THE
girls and l have been talking all the after
noon, and, ahem p"
"All the morning, too, | have no doubt.
/ So far the court quite agrees with you,
madam" | interrupted, blowing out one
of my most sarcastic wreaths of smoke.
"These poor things, James, do so want
you to give them an evening party-some-
thing little stylish, you know-like other
people," my wife continued. hurrying on
like the stream when it has come to the
brink of the precipice.
can evening party l repeated in
| amazement.
"Oh, yes. do, papa" said Molly, sitting
down on the hassock at my feet, and put
ting her rosy cheek on my knee. She is
an admirable hand at coaxng, is Molly.
eyes, dear, why should we not be like
our neighbors, at least sometimes-like
Mrs Vyner, for instance9" pursued my
wife, skillfully singing out an acquaint-
ance who was my pet aversion.
"Wel, because we can't, if we tried;
we haven't got the money!" l replied
{" y on must surely see what nonsense it is
to talk of our being like Vyner, when his
partnership in Double X brings him in a
thousand a year, and l have barely as
many hundreds"
"Wel but we might just show Mrs.
| Vyner we know what's what"
1t was a mean advantage which my wife
Jane was taking, and she knew it. Mrs.
| Vyner was from the same county town rs
myself and on the strength of her father
| having had thousand n year in land, (and
heaven knows how much more in rustic
stupidityD had always considered herself
entitled to play the part of 4 superior be-
ing toward us. Nor was she content with
thinking this, but was determined we
should admit her glorious supremacy in
style, house, furniture, and belongings
| In word, she was my special adherence;
and if there was one thing should lave
liked, it would have been to see Mrs. Vyn-
ner " brought down a peg" Jane knew
this weakness of mine very well, and l
consider it an ungenerous action on her
part to have appealed to it. However, for
the present resisted the temptation firmly.
In truth, the notion of our giving an
evening party was very ridiculous one
l was Secretary to city company, with
about three hundred a year. We had al
ready sacrificed TO the graces of London
y-appearances-by taking a decent
house at Noting Hill, and had hard work,
what with Ned's schooling and the " finish
ing" of lny two daughters, to keep our
heads fairly above water. So, like sensi-
BILE man, had hitherto always insisted on
dining at J, and had never received my
friends otherwise than at tea and supper,
III Iue pldlHeSt VI piaih Nayo' ~ my
liked to drop IN at such times, land many
of them did, J we were always delighted to
see them, and under these circumstances
had many pleasanter chat and laugh,
dare say, than fall to the lot of grander
houses. The very freedom of this kind of
visiting, the knowledge that you can come
and go when you like, do and talk as you
like, and that the more you please your
self the better you will please your host,
suit my constitution exactly; and l be-
lieve that in liking it am only one of a
vast number of London gentlemen. For
the ladies dare not speak.
When we went to bed, however, my wife
returned to the attack, and did not leave
me till she was victorious. Her chief argu
ment now was that we &c ought to give
Molly a chance; and Molly thought so her.
self. There was young Kelly looking
very sweet at her; but how could we ex.
pect a respectable young fellow like hin,
to come forward unless he saw we knew
somebody and we've not quite out of the
pale of good society ?"
"My DEAR" said l, "pray don't put
these silly notions into Molly's head. Kel
ly always seemed to me to be rather
spooney on Ellen Vyner, and not at all or
Molly"
"Ah, the Neyners always try to make
out that he is quite devoted to them; bu
/ fiatter myself know white from blacl
when I see it-yes, yes, think so indeed.
"Well, if you really think we ought tc
give Molly this party" said |, reluctantly
"Yes, that would be a good excuse fo
beginning. But think we ought to Civ,
one every year for the future"
! groaned in spirit and said, " Pray lie
US get safely over this before we talk o
any more. | confess | think the who'll
notion absurd-the expense, the trouble
the probable breakdown with such serv
ants as ours. But | suppose you mus
have your way"
Accordingly, in the morning my wifi
!, and two daughters formed themselves int