The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-12-31
A Danbury Family Scene.

A family Of some pretensions, living
on Nelson street, had party Of I'VE to
tea on Thursday evening. The table
was set out in fine style, as the company
were from the city, and 1t was Sbso-
lutely necessary to show them that folks
may live in town like Danbury and
yet understand the requirements Of good
society. When they were all at the ta-
BILE and the lady was preparing to dish
up the tea, her little son, whose face
shone like the knees of country cler-
gyman's pants, pulled her secretly by
the dress. But she was too busy to no.
tice. He pulled her again, but received
no response. He whispered:
ma! map
"What is it ?I
"Ain't this one of Miss Perry's
knives ?" holding up the article In his
hand and looking, as he properly should,
very much gratif1ed by such an evil
dence of his diseePnment.
She made him no reply in words, but
she gave him a look that was calculated
to annihilate him.
The tea was dished out, and the party
were buttsring their biscuit, when the
youth suddenly whispered again, look
ing at his plate with a pleased express
sion:
"Why, ma, my plate is different from
the Others"
"Thomasm she calculated under her
breath.
"Why, it is, ma,n persisted Thomas.
''Now just see here. This plate has|'
"ThomasW again calculated his moth
er, with crimsoned face, while his faith
er assumed a frown nearly an inch
thick, ''if you don't let your victuals
stop your mouth, Pll send you away
from the table,"
This quieted Thomas at once. He
was not very particular boy, and he
concluded that the difference in the
plates was not of such moment as to Ad.
S1nit of tedious argument at that time.
Several minutes passed without any
further interruption. The young man
industriously attended to his food, but
at the same time kept close eye on
what was going on around him. Eo
was lifting up his cup for q sip, when
his eye unfortunately fell upon the
saucer. 1t was but a glance, but with
the keenness Of a young eye he saw that
the two were not originally designed
for each other.
"Why, ma" he eagerly Whispered,
"this cup don't belong to"
Then he suddenly stopped. The ex-
PASSoAOh OA LIS lace AHkuAliV
rendered him speechlesz, and for a mo-
ment he applied himself to his meal in
depressed silence; but he was Young
and of an elastic temper, and he soon
recovered his beaming exprSssion. A
little latter he observed a lady opposite
putting spoon of preserved grSpes in
her mouth. Then he twitched his moth.
er's dress and said again:
"Map
The unhappy woman shivered at the
sound, but his remark at this time ap-
peared to be on an entirely different
subject as he asked:
"Ain't Miss Walker funny WomanH
"Funny?" said his mother with .
sigh of relief. And then turning to the
company with the explanation, "Mrs.
Walker is an old lady who lives across
the way" she smiled on her hopeful
son and asked, "What makes you think
she is funny?"
"Why, you know, you know" began
Thomas in that rapid, moist way which
an only son assumes when he isimpart-
ing information before company, in re-
sponse to cordial invitations, "when 1
went over there this afternoon to get
the spoons, she said she hoped the COM
pany wouldn't bite 'em, as it would
dent-n
Thomas ~ shrieked the unhappy
mother, as soon as she could break in.
"Young man p' gasped the father,
fleave this table at once v'
And Thomas left at once. His father
subsequently followed him, and the two
met in back room, and had both been
dying express trains coming together,
there could have scarcely been more
noise.-Danbury NeaOs.