The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-05-10

10 ChlCu WYNN Nh plAlH AH5ASuJ OuA
pIrty was given.
| never could quite understand how
this young Kelly, who was in the Civil
Service, COntrived to make 80 many
mothers and daughters run after him.
Perhaps las quantity is often preferred TO
quality II was only because there was SO
much OF him, for he stood over six feet;
but then no was as thin rs laih, and
nearly as white, with feeble attempts at
the "straw.colOred mustAchs and hay
Colored beard" that Thackery speaks Of.
More probably the reason was that he
had in perfection the cool Ojibbeway
manner Of the man about toWn-that al
iectation of stony Indifference which
passes for the height OF fashion in all eX-
Cept the best circles, where people can
dare 10 be natural. lie was never genial
never animated-neVar even interested;
indeed, TO my mind he was more like Il
machine, that had been taught 10 talk d
little, than q man; because, 10 save him
self trouble, he seemed 10 have pet
phrase for everything. All persons be-
low the Civil Service were shaw, those
cads"-the depth Of his reprobatiOn was
mot good form, you know"-the height
oil his approval was expressed by "tol.
lol," meaning "tOlerable;" though once l
certainly heard him 60 so far as 10 call
thing "ralher jolly" My younger daugh.
ter, Patty, who is very observant, used to
laugh and say that Kelly was very wise to
be lacksdaisical about everything, be-
cause, as he knew so little, and had no
feelings aud no ideas, If he was not lackR.
daIsical he would be nothing. And from
q pretty long acquaintance with him, l
can safely say that, ii he had any ideas,
be was always admirably successful In
conCealiDg them. In u word, he was
quite the hero Of certain modern novel
lists; and the very difficulty Of thawing
this fashionable iciclc made Molly and
several other young ladies attempt the
enterprise. But as yet the icicle remained
an icicle, and would melt to no warmth
they could apply.
Next after Kelly in our common list
came the names Of the Vyners-father,
mother, and two daughters-withOut
whose eyes to observe our success in Sc
curing Fred the triumph would scarcely
have been complete. All the rich people
Of our acquaintance followed; singularly
enough, there was not shadow Of doubt
about any OF these, nor about that tawney
young idiot Northcoat who knew the
younger sou Of lord. Two budding bar.
risters from the Temple were also passed
non. cOm.-"they moved In such good SO.
CIety." suggested asking the Prince and
Princess Of Wales, but found my little
joke received (for the first time, | must
confess with chilling silence, as the awful
gravity OF the occasion required.
There was also a charming unanimlty
about asking some Of our less important
Thus poor Miss Graham
was asked, because she was so gOOd-na.
tured, and "neVer objected 10 play any
quantity OF dance music" Then T0mlius
could carve, and Vickers talk so we'll
Mrs. Grubbbin, too, and the three Miss
would be so MORALLY offended
i they were left Out-so There was no
help for 1t We must have them"
Other names caused more discussion.
was obstinate when found my wife and
Molly were positively thinking Of leav-
Ing out my old school.Gellow, Dick Woth.
best Of good fellows, only
rather rough in his manners, as most Of
these enthusiastic artists arc. 1t was not,
however on this account so much that my
wife disliked him, Us the fact that, though
over thirty, he seemed to be making no
Roadway at all ia life, and was himself
beginning TO think he had mistaken his
profession. Indeed, he was so poor that
had frequently lent him q flve.pOund
note. Rut now overruled my wiles OBJ.
jections to him and insisted OH his being
invited. With his name our list Of forty.
five was complete, that number being ten
or fifteen people more than our rooms
really hold; but then, my wife said,
"They would be sure, some oil them, TO be
engaged; and so we might as well have
the credit Of inviting them all as not"
To be in proper form, we gave ten
days invitation, and the interval was
ruled over by the milliners. From morn,
ing to night there was nothing but con-
sultatiOns about blonde and muslin,
mauvc and magenta, or critical examIna.
ton OF patterns, or fittings on For my
part, undertook TO look alter the tea,
supper, and attendance, for oil Of which
it was absolutely necessary to contract,
since we only kept q "a! maid.sGrVant Of
twenty, Whom my vile, on the strength
of her being able to boil potatoes hard
and reduce mutton chops to cinders. dig
nIlied with the name Of "cook,' and one
little slut Of thirteen, scarcely able TO lit
a slop.pail, whom we called our "hOuse-
maid"
must say l never felt myself in such
ludicrously mean position as did when |
was bargaining with the unCLiOus uphOl-
sterGT In the next street for stylish sup.
per on hired dishes, 10 be handed round
by three imitation fOotmcn, being tho up.
hOlsterer's assistants. Tho whole thing
did seem such q sham, like playing the
peacock with borrowed ieathera.
The all.important night arrived at last,
and the fever Of expectation and anxiety
which had held my woman.kind all the
month reached Its height,
Long shall l be in forgetting tho prepa.
rations and fuss of that dreary evening"
the hurried tea, the laborious dressing
the solemn single knock Of the upholster.
er's men, like tho undertaken bringing a
coffin; the frantic appeals to Sarah to
"Come and lasten me-" the rustic Of skirts
in the passages; the flying about Of dis
tracted cook and house.maid; the staid
methodlcal movements Of the long.vis-
aged walters. But as the clock struck the
fatal hour oil nine we were all assembled
in state ready for the first conner, my wife
buttoning her white kid gloves and still
rcd in the face with her nervousness and
exertiOns. AS proof that her exertions
had been attended with some success, I
may state that l overheard one Of your
young barriBteFs telling Northcoat, "She
looked . very handsome Dutch Venus in.
decd"
l had scarcely taken my place on the
hCarth.rug when loud rantan at the