The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1874-09-09


our party was given. j.
Next after Kelly in our common
list came the names of the Vyners-
father, mother, and two daughters
without whose eyes to observe ou1
success in securing Fred, the triumph
would scarcely have been complete
All the rich people of our acquain
tance followed; singularly enough
there was not q shadow Of doubt
about any of these, nor about thai
tawny young idiot Northcoat, who
knew the younger son of lord
Two budding barristers from the
Temple were also passed, mem. CON-
"they moved in such good society,"
1 suggested asking the Prince and
Princess ofWales, but found my littfe
Joke received (for the first time, ]
must confess) with chilling silence, as
the awful gravity of tho occasion re
quired.
There was charming unanimity
about asking some of our less i'm
portant acquaintances. Thus poo,
Miss Graham was asked, because she
was so good.natured, and never OBJ
jected to play any quantity of dance
music Then Tomlins could carve
and Yickers talks 80 we'll. Mrs
Grubbins, too, and the three Miss
Grubbinses would be mortally offend
ed if they were left out-so there
was no help for it, we must have
them
Other names caused more discus
sion. I was obstinate, when I found
my wife and Molly were positively
of leaving out my old school
fellow, Dick Wotherspoon-the best
of good fellows, only rather rough in
his manner, as most of these enthusi
astic artists are., Itwas not, however;
on this account so much that my wife
disliked him, as the fact that, though
over thirty, he seemed to be making
no headway at all in life, and ws:
beginning to think he had
mistaken his profession. Indeed, he
was so poor that / had frequently
lent him a FIVE pound note. But
now overruled my wife's objections to
him and insisted on bis being invited
With his name our list of forty-fve
was complete, that number being ten
or fifteen more than our rooms would
really hold; but then, as my wife said.
They would be sure, some of them,
to be engaged; and so we might as
we'll 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
morning to night there was nothing
but consultations about blonde and
muslin, mauve and magenta, or criti'
cal examination of patterns, or fit
tings on For my part, | undertook
to look after the tea supper, and at'
tendance, for all of which it was
absolutely necessary to contract, since
we only kept maid-servant of twen'
ty. 5..
The all.important night arrived at
last, and the fever of expectation and
anxiety which had held my woman
kind all the month reached it's height
l had scarcely taken my position
on the hearth.rug when loud rant
an at the door and a hearty voice in
tho passage announced the first arri.
val. Mr.. Wothcrspoon whispered
nv wife to me with touch of annoy.
ance in her tone; 'he at any rate
takes care to be punctual-knows no
better, 1 suppose When he was
ushered in by one of the imitation
Gootmen, he took much the same view
of our proceedings as I took myself,
and began chatting me in his free and
easy way ; well, now, Miller, to think
of you coming out in such a swell
fashion! What on earth possessed
you to begin giving state-parties, eh?'
But Mrs. Miller-with that increase
Of dignity which the peach-colored
satin always gives her-cut bis auda,
,ious levity short by asking sharply,
well, and why shouldn't we give q
party like any one else, Mr.-a-Mr.
" otherspoon?' The assumed forget
Fulness of his name was master
piece and capitally done, considering
she had never practiced the art OF
,nubbing before. At all events, poor
Dick seemed to have the ground ia.
ken from under him all at once, and
he subsidized into a corner near Patty,
where he seemed to be better vel
coined.
But bark! the roll of wheels-'the
brazen thunders of the door'-soon
not intermittent, but continuous-and
we are presently in the thick OF it.
Kelly came about ten, a little sitter
than usual; but not until half:past did
the Vyners sweep into the room, Mrs
Vyner overwhelmingly courteous and
patronizing in her black velvet dress
But she soon contriyed (without say
ing so) to make US understand that
she wondered We could venture to
invite her, and that she considered ii
no little condcscension on her part to
come.
There could be no doubt that my
daughters, Molly and Ellen Vyner
were the prettiest girls in the room
Yet it was amusing to note the differ
ence in their style and appearance
Molly, whose good-natured, rosy face
above her light blue dress seemed like
a cherub's floating in the sky, was
radiant, full of life. and sweet as q
new-blown rose; but she was o little
too eager to please, and tried too cvi
IDENTIFY to make everything 60 of
we'll. Miss Vyner, on the other hand
..1o ,I:..l< onI ,,,;tb e n a1x, obi q a or