The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-10-31
Mr.. PERTWINKLE'S PARTY
BY MRS pERiwINKLE.

Mrs. Smith Jones, their toibles have
been held up TO create amusement. AS
an aggrieVed female, and married one,
| desire to paint the other side of the
picture, and to sketch "the lords Of the
creation" not as they seem to their sat-
istied selves, but as they really are.
Mr. Periwinkle is as worthy, have no
doubt, as most Of his sex; but as l often
tell him, he is ''neither inspired nor in
tallible." He seems to think, for in
stance, that all the troubles of the mat
rimonial connection are concentrated on
his head, aud that consequently he alone
has the right to grumble or be cross. No
matter how much the Sc wants have Wor-
ried me during the day, no matter how
yexatious the baby has been, Periwin-
l1le expects me TO greet him with smiles
when he comes home, and If he Is in
bad humor, to talk him into a good one.
am not, l believe, naturally unamia-
BILE, but he often makes my blood boil, L
own, by such behavior. l thank, heay-
en-, | tell him, at these times, that this
is not Turkey, and that women are not
slaves.
much as an evening party. He is always
cross when he has to accompany me to
one. and would never allow ME to re-
ceiye my friends in this way, ii was
not duly sensible of what owe to So
ciety. and therefore firm. He tells me
that he is tired out at night, that he
don't care for dancing, and that We
women do nothing but chatter idle gos-
s,n ALI the evening. But l reply that
wives. who are kept at home all day oc-
cupied in domestic duties, need some
| re ecreation; and that they rarely obtain
IL except at a tea-party or ball; and
add that If our sex talks gossip, his
talks politics, which ls worse.
| Last winter l tried to get Periwinkle's
| consent, for once, to give a party. Al
Wavs before | had issued invitations on
NV own responsibility, and, when every
\ thing was arranged, had told him what
| + had done. But wishing to see if it
was nosslble for a man to be anything
hut a bit OF concentrated selfishness,
determined to make the experiment of
obtaining his consent. 1t was, however,
in vain, And all got for my pains was
The general laugh OF my female ac-
Guaintance, to whom i had told my plan,
and who triumphed over its failure, for
they predicted IL.
| TO these, however, there was one eX-
| oention, Kate Krazee, a wild slip OF a
thing. and own niece to PeriWinkle, res
oInteiy maintained that we did injustice
10 her uncle, that he was only plaguing
me. and that he would give dashlng
marty before the season was over. She
| went SO far as to bet me pair OF gloves
that she was right and 1 wrong. AS if
she knew PeriWInkle betGer than l did !
| to whom every Granny OF his mind and
corner of his character was as visible as
sDecks of dust on my parlor carpet.
Couceited thingi But conceit runs In
the Periwinkies.
| One night as Periwinkle and l sat in
the dining-room, he reading and L sew
ing, | thought l would make last effort,
ouite forgetting that if l succeeded,
| should lose pair Of gloves.
"Periwlnkle," said, "about this par.
tv-when shall it be?'
"Hang the party" he retorted, throw
| ing down the newspaper. Am | never
to hear the last of il? l thought told
YOU, long ago, wouldn't consent to any
such thing"
| | fared up, as woman should, at
| such language. He had been testy all
the evening, and l had borne it meekly !;
but this passed the bounds of endur-
| ance.
"You needn't make such FUSS" l
said, land lose your temper, nor will
allow ANYBODY to talk to me in that way
let me tell you that, Mr.. Perlwinkle."
"Hoity toity," he began, but stopped
abruptly, for, at that instant, the bell
was rung with violence that threat
eped to pull down the the house, and di-
rectly heard feet running up the stair
case. and the voices OF several OF my ac-
Quaintances.
/ stepped to the door OF the dining
room Just in time to meet my friends.
They nodded and Went up to the cham
Der as if all was right. l followed them
| | nOtinnA thay
dressed in ball attire. When they saw
nv plain gown they seemed little dis
concerted, and moment after noticing
that no lights were lit 10 the chamber
they appeared more SO; however, Kate,
who was one of them, said: II thought
Pd come early and bring Jane and Har.
riet with me; there, Ill light the gas, il
You'll help the glrls off with the moods
and things"
She took it so naturally that l saw all
! at once. The little vixen had evidently
made plot with .Periwinkle, and to-
gether they had got up party, keeping
me in the dark about it, till the scheme
was actually executed. / had half a
mind TO be angry, but thought better OF
it. determining TO receive the company
as If | mad been at the bottom OF it all
Ifor this, / knew, would be the best way
to annoy Kate. Only l resolved that,
alter the guests were gone, PeriWinkle
Lshould have bit Of fmy mind.
4 And now carriages began to dash to
the door; the bell was rung necessarily !;
visitors arrived in a continuous stream.
| Hurrying into spare Chamber, hastily
i changed my dress; then ordered room
/ to he arranged for the gentlemen; and,
lin five minutes, all told, ran breath
tlessly down TO receiVe my company.
jPeriWinkle was already there, in earnest
Iconversation with Kate, but pretending,
as soon as he saw me, TO be more Ill
humored than ever. l took no notice of
him, however, but devoted myself to my
guests. 1t was hard work, for there
| was no music. And when the refresh
ments were brought in, l saw how little
men knew Of sucn things, for Periwinkle
lhadnt ordered half enough iee-cream,
and had bought twice enough oysters.
| l held in, irm TO my resolution, till
the last guest had departed. 1t was
Kate who hade Periwinkle and me
"Good night" with a demure look, as
she tripped Irou the door with her lover,
| Harry Cousins. Then my indignation
burst forth. LNrning to Periwlnkle, l
| pushed him III aEd slammed the door
| violently. ....... ...-