Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1873-09-11
dancing in a minister's house |!

"Why yes, certainly" replied his
wife, coaxingly. "You will not dance;
the party will be mine; and then, we
have been to similar parties all win
ter"
"True, true" he muttered with a
perplexed air, and sat silent for some
time as if considering. At length he
spoke:-
eyes, Nancy, you must have a
party, give dinner, and your guests
desire it, you may dance"
THANK you, my love-" she cried,
putting her arms around his neck.
"But / have some stipulations about
it" said he; 81 must select and invite
the guests, and you must allow me to
place some of my tavorite dishes on
the table"
GAS you please, love" she said de-
lightedly; "but when shall it be?"
"Next Wednesday, ifyou please
"But our furniture and window dra,
perry are very old fashioned. Is it not
time we had new?'
81 should hardly think it necessary
to rcfurnish our rooms, Nancy. Oul
furniture is excellent of its kind"
"But our smooth carpets, white
draperies and cane chairs have such 6
cold look. Do consent to have the
rooms new fitted we can move these
things to the mfunished chambers"
"And of what use will they be ii
those rooms which we never occupy
Besides, it is near spring, and to fiji
up now for winter is superhuous.
"Well, | would not care" she per
sisted, "only people will call us par
simonious and ungenteel.'
"Oh, if that is ALL be said, 81 vii
promise to spend a thousand dollars
on the evening of the party, not il
furniture, but in q manner tar more
, grateful to our guests and profitable
, to ourselves, and which shall exoner
ate us from all imputations of parsi
mony; and you may expend in dress
eatables and dessert, what sum yol
please
And so the colloquy ended.
He resumed his studies, and sh'
gave her mind to the consideration O
the dress which would be most be
coming, and the viands that wer,
most expensive. The next day sh'
went busily about her preparation
wondering all the time how ne hus
band would expend his thousand dol
lars; but, as she had discovered some
thing Of the eccentricity of his char
acter, she doubted not that he mean
to give an agreeable surprise anc
her curiosity grew so great that sh'
l
could hardly sleep during the interval
AT length the momentous day ar
rived. The arrangements were al
complete, and Mrs. N retired tt
perform the all-important business o
arraying herself in fine attire. Sh
9 fingered long at the toilet, relying ol
the fashionable unpunctuality of fash
ionable people; and when the hou
struck, left the chamber, like tn
. Judith of old, gloriously, to allure tn
eyes of all who should look upon hel
and full of smiles and graces, notwith
-, standing the uncomfortable pinchin!
of her shoes and dress. Her HUSBAND
= met her in the hall.
Sour guests have arrived" he sale
i and opened the door of the receivin
" room. Wonderful! wonderful
What a strange assembly. Their
J. were congregated the crippled, tn
o MANNED, the blind, the palsied, tn
+ extreme aged, and group Of childre
T.. from the almshouse, who regarded tn
# fine lady, some with open mouths
. others with hands in their hair, Will
n some peeped from behind furniture
d the covert to which they had retreate
from her dazzling dress. She VIZ
# petritied with astonishmeut then
dash of displeasure crossed her fac'
!" till, having run her eyes over the gro
d tesque assembly, she met the comlcall
:" grave expression of her husband
n- countenance, when she burst into viz
At lent laughter.
"Nancy!' at length said her hu
'e band, sternly.
to She suppressed her mirth, stamme
+ ed an excuse, and added,
n "You will forgive me, and belle,
d yourselves quite welcome"
''rhat is we'll done" whispered Nj
N.
le "My friends he said. ''as my wi
~