Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1874-05-01
THE GENTLEMEN'S PARTY.

Captain Chipfield, rubbing his hands, "a
regular old bachelors frolic.''
"Y-e-s,'' observed Mr.. Milwarden,
feeling his chin obviously ''but what will
your wife say, Chipfeld ?-and mine P
And all the other fellows wives ?"
"Say? How are they to know anything
about it !? l shall tell Mrs. Chipfeld that
I am going out of town on business
Eight Of us, precisely-tob be at Merriplay's
at -Merriplay's wife is up in Yer
mont, and it'll be a good place to rendez-
vous-and supper to be served at Ethe-
rell's at eight. Tell Mrs. Milwarden
you've got dying client up in the woods !;
tell her there's to be a caucus of lawyers
to revise the constitution of the United
States tell her anything. You don't train
her right man. Mrs. Chipfeld will believe
anything | tell herr
cpd like to get your recipe" said Mil
warden. "Well, 1 join you if it is pos
sible.''
And he took his leave.
Little Mrs Chipfeld, mending socks in
the other room, heard it all, through the
closed doors which CHANGED to stand the
least trife in the world ajar.
"a bachelors party, chip said Mrs.
Chipfeld, nodding her pretty head, all
glittering with red gold curls. "A
sleigh supper at Etherell's at eight. Upon
my word I'll go and talk it over with
Louisa Milwarden."
Mrs. Milwarden was up in her second
story front room, getting ready to quilt.
'sWhy don't you buy your quilts ready
made ?" asked Mrs. Chipfield. "Why do
you make such drudge of yourself"
"They cost too much" deprecatingly
answered Mrs. MilWarden, who was a tall
slight woman, with long eye-lashes and q
voice like turtle-dove. 'sMr. Milwarden
thinks -
s'Never mind what he thinks" breezily
interrupted the little lady with the balsan
complexion and the red-gold curls. "My
dear, Pm going to get up sleighing par
ty and a surper-fve dollars a head. Will
you join us ~
Mrs. Milwarden opened her hazel eyes
wide.
''Dorothy Chipfeld, are you crazy -
mot that am aware Of" said Mrs.
Chipfeld, serenely. evil you join us ?'7
"Certainly not"
"And why ?''
s.Mr. Milwarden says that all unneces-
sary expenses"
ooh, but I can prove to you that this is
exceedingly necessary" said Dorothy
'sJust look here, Louisa, Milwarden him
self is going. It's to be regular bache-
lor's frolic-sleighing, supper and cards
on Wednesday evening at eight. You are
to be told one story, another. Mrs. Mer-
riplay is in Vermont; Mrs. Bellows has q
sick sister. Susy Lee is one Of the sainte5
innocents who never suspects anything
they say but I'll throw bombshell into
that camp, OF I'll know the reason Why
III telegraph to Mrs. Merriplay, and Whis-
per a secret into Mrs. Arlington's ear.-
For you see, my dear, I overheard them
planning their nice little arrangements. T"
Scan it be possible - said Mrs. Milwar-
den.
II might have said the me.myself, If 4
hadn't heard it with my own ears" said
Mrs. Chipfeld.
sWhat shall we do ?' gasped Mrs. Mil
! warden.
s'Just what 1 propose. Well have a
supper. I've been to Etherell S, and know
Just how the rooms are arranged, and LII
make them let us have an apartment that $
separated from the gentlemen's banquetlng
saloon only by folding door. And When
the speech-making and cigar-smoking are
at their height, hey, presto open go Uhe
doors, and we face the music. HufIah
won t it be fun ?"
And Mrs. Chipfeld clapped her hanos
and burst into perfect jubilee OF dlmples
and laughter.
Wednesday evening came, bright WIN
starlight, pearled with the shine OIL wen
packed snow"
oYou won't be late, dear p purred Mrs'
Cbipfeld, as she stood at the door to Watch
her husbands departure. II do wish 0hese
horrid Bank Director meetings were over. ,
ssNo later than can help, Dorothy puC
at all events, don't sit up for me.
ooh, of course not, said Mrs. Chlp !
The sleigh was ready in FROM OF Cle
Merriplay mansion, and away ehey
SKINNED, to the music Of the GINNING ~,
bells and gay laughter. But all the wliiie
another sleigh followed, until, at the cuhn
of the road, it dashed on ahead.
81 wonde: where these people are so-
ING % said Mr. Benedict Lee. Sd" q
very pretty face as the light from oul
lamps flashed on them-not unlike oile