The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1873-05-22

came the names Of the Vynen-father,
mother and two manifestations whose
eyes to observe our success in securing Fred
the triumph would scarcely have been COM
plete. All the rich people Of our acquain-
tance followed; singularly enough, there vas
not . showdow of doubt about any of them,
nor about that fanny young idiot Northcoat,
Who knew the younger son Of Lord. Two
budding barristers from the Temple were
also passed mem. coa.-"they moved in such
good society" I suggested asking the
Prince and Princess of Wales, but found my
little joke received for the first time must
confess with chilling silence, a. toe awful
gravity of the occasion required.
There was also . charming unanimity
about asking some Of our less important &C.
quaintances. This poor Mis- Graham WIS
asked, because she was 40 good natured. and
| never objected To play any quantity OF dance
music" Then Tomlins could carve, and,
vicIes talk 20 we'll. Mn. Grubbins, too
and the three Miss Grubbina, would be NOR
tally offended il they were left out--sO 'there
! was no help for it; We must have them"
Other names caused much discussion.
was obstinate when I found my wife and
Molly we're positively thinking Of leaving
L
the best of good fellows. only rather rough
in his manners, az most Of those enthusiastic
artists are. 1t ia not, however, on this ar
count 40 much that my wife dislikes him, a.
the fact that, though over thirty, he seemed
to be making no Roadway at all in life, and
was himself beginning to think he had mis-
taken his profession. Indeed, he was 20
poor that l had frequently lent him five
pound note. But now overruled my wife's
objections to him. and insisted on his being
invited. With his name our list of forty five
was complete, that number adding ten or if
teen people more than our rooms would re-
ally hold; but then, as my wife said' ''Tbey
| would be sure, some of them, to be engaged !;
and 40 We might as we'll have the credit Of
inviting them all a. not"
To be in proper form, We gave ten days
invitation. and the interval was ruled over
by the milliners. From morning to night
there was nothing but consultations about
blonde and muslin, mauve and magenta, or
critical examination of patterns, or Fittings
on" For my part, l undertook to look
| after the tea, supper and attendance, for all
of which it was absolutely necessary to con-
tract, since We onlv kept fat maid servant
Of 20 whom my wife, on the strength of
her being able to boil potatoes hard and re-
duce mutton chops to cinders, dignifed with
the name of "cook") and one little girl of
l3. scarcely able to lift slop-pail, whom We
called our "house-maid."
must say l never felt myself in such a
ludicrously mean position a. l did when /
was bargaining with the unctuous uphol
sterer in the next street for a stylish supper
on hired dishes, to be handed round ty three
imitation footmen. being the upholsterer's
assistants. The whole thing did seem such
a sham, like playing the peacock with Dor.
rowed feathers.
The all-important night arrived at last,
md the fever of expectation and anxiety
which had held my womankind all the
month reached its height.
Long shall! be in forgetting the prepara-
tons and fuss of that dreary evening-the
hurried tea, the laborious dressing, the sol-
elm single knock OF the npholsterer's men,
like the undertaken bringing a coffin; the
frantic appeals of Sarah To ''c0me and fasten
me-" the rustic Of skirts in the passage; the
flying about of distracted cook and house
maid; the staid, meihodicsl movements OF
the lOns-visaged walters. But as the clock
struck the fatal hour of 9 We were all Assem-.
bled in state wai:in. for the first conner, my
wife bGttOning her white kid gloves, and
-tiIl red in the face with her nervousness
and exertions. As a proof that her exer-
tons had been attended with some success,
may state that overheard one of our young
barris,ers telling Nor,hcoat, "She looked d
very handsome Dutch Venus, indeed.
had scarcely taken my plsc. on the
hearth-rug when a loul ran-ian at the door
and hearty voice in the la-.,gc announced
The iist arrival. "Mr. W0therspoon y
whispered my wife 10 me. with touch Of
annoyance in her tone; che, at any rate,
takes care to be p;,nc,,,sl Knows no better,
| suppose" When he WIS ushercd in by
the same view Of our proceedings a. l took
and free way, "Well, now, Miller, to think
Of you coming out in such a swell fashion
What on earth possessed you to begin giving
that increase of dignity which the peach
colored satin always gives her-cut his auda-
cious levitv short by asking sharply, well,
why shouldn't We give party like any one
else. Mr.-a-Mr. Wothenpoon ~ The
assumed forgetfulness of his name was mas
,erpisce. and capittlly done, considering she
had never praciiced the art Of snubbing
before. At all events, poor Dick seemed to
have the ground taken from under him a:
once, and he snbsided into corner near
Patty, where he seemed to lie better vel.
coined.
Blu, hark! TIE roll of wheels -'.;he brszen
Ihunders of the dOOr"-soon not in.ermit-
ent, but continuous, and We are presently in
the thickest of it. Kelly came about ~
o'clock, little sitter than usual but moi
ill half past did the Vyners sweep into the
room. Ms. Vyner overwhelmingly cour-
,eous and patronizing in her black velve,
dress. But she soon contrived without say
ing sol 10 make us understand that she VOL
iered We could venture to invite her, and
that abe considered j, no little condescension
on her part TO come.
There could be no doubt Il at my daughter |
Molly and Ellen Vyner were the pretliest |
girls in the room. Yet it was amusing to |
note the difference in their style an appear
ance. Molly, whose goo natured rosy face
above her light blue dress seemed like a |
cherub's floating in the sky, was radiant, full |
of life, and sweet az new-bIown rose, but |
she was little too eager TO please, and tried |
too evihe.,!y to make everything go Of we'll. |
Miss Nyner, ON the other hand-pale, |
slight, and With finely -chiseled features
moved through the ROOMS q very statue of |
dignity ard seif-rossession. Quiet, perfectly |
weil-bred and polite, she rather discouraged |
the advances Of her admirers, including |
Kelly; but her very Encouragement seemed |
only 10 make them more attentive. II she |
had fault, it was that she evidently knew |
her own value 10 we'll; she might have been
a Dukes daughter instead of brewers
though, il deed, believe Vyner aud many
of his business think a brewer or banker |
nowadays a greater grandee than any no.
blemin.
l am glad to say the party ITSELF no.
withstanding our misgivings, went of with |
out any particular hitch. In fact, it aeemed
very like thousands Of similar >ffairs given
by people Of the idle classes who know
no better. There WAS the same stiffness and
reserve At first, since in such miscellaneous
gathering very few Of the guests were &C. |
auain,ed with each other; the same gradual |
thawing az We got up little dance (which,
with hypocrisy that deceived nobody, We
pretended to extemporize); the same intense |
heat in the rooms, the same jamming in the |
the door ways, the same forlorn groups in
the corners, groups that looked as is il they |
knew they ough, to he enjoying Themselves
and were hot.
Ard 9hen the novelty Of the position wore |
oil, | did no, End it very difficult to play the
par, of host. So tried to say pleasant