The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-06-01
THE GENTLEMEN's PARTY.

| IL IL pe IellC VI tllo Oiu pliuC,
said Captain Chipfeld, rubbing his
hands. "a regular old bachelor frolic. !"
"Y-e-s," observed Mr.. Milwarden,
feeling his chin obviously; "but what
! will your wife say, Chipfeld? And
mine? And all the other fellows
wives?"
"Say? How are they to know any
thing about it? I shall tell Mrs. Chip
field that I am going ont of town on
business. Eight of us precisely the
sleigh to be at Merriplay's at seven
Merriplay wife is up in Vermont, and
it'll be good place to rendezvous-and
supper to be served at Etherell's at
eight. Tell Mrs. Milwarden you've
got dying client mp in the woods; tell
her there's to be 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 her"
"I'd like to get your receipt, said
Mr.. Milwarden. "Well, I'll join you if
it is possible.
And he took his leave.
Little Mrs. Chipield. mending socks
in the adjoining room, had heard it all
through the closed doors, which chanc-
ed to stand the least trife world ajar.
ga bachelor party, eh?" said Mrs.
Chipfeld, nodding her pretty head, all
glittering with red gold curls, ga
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 sec
ond-story front room, getting ready to
quilt"
"Why don't you buy your quilts
readymade?" asked. Mrs. Chipheld.
"Wby do you make such drudge Of
yourself?"
"Ihey cost too much,' deprecatlngly
answered Mrs. Milwarden, who was a
tall, slight woman, with long eyelashes
and voice like a turtle-dove. 'Mr.
Milwarden thinks
"Never mind what he thinks" breez-
lily interrupted the little lady with the
balsam complexion and red-gold curls.
"My dear, I'm going to get up sleigh
ing party and srpper-five dollars
head! Will you join us?'
Mrs Milwarden opened her hazel
eyes wide.
Dorothy Chipfeld, are you crazy?'
"Not that I'm aware OF" said Mrs.
Chipfeld, serene'y. "Will you Gomez"
Certainly not.
"And why?"
"Mr Milwarden says that all unnec-
essary expenses"
"Oh, but [ can prove to you that
this is exceedingly necessary" said
Dorothy. "Just look here, Louisa.
Milwarden himself is going. It's to be
regular bachelor frolic-sleighing,
supper and cards-on Wednesday even
ing, at eight. You are to be told one
story; another. Mrs. Merriplay is in
Vermont; Mrs Bellows has sick sister.
Susy Lee is one of the sainted inno-
cents who never suspects anything they
say; but I'll throw a bombshell into
that camp, or I'll know the reason why.
I'll telegraph to Mrs. Merriplay, and
whisper secret into Mrs. Appleton's
ears. For you see, my dear, 1 over
heard 'em planning their nice little ar
rangements.
"It cannot be possibler' said Mrs.
Milwarden.
81 might have said the same myself
if I hadn't heard it with my own ears, +"
said Mrs. Chipfeld.
"What shall we do?" gasped Mrs.
Milwarden.
"Just what 1 propose. Wen have
supper. I've been to Etherell's,I I know
just how the rooms are arranged; I'll
uluhG UilCLl lct llb OiiC
that's separated from the gentlemen's
banqueting saloon only by folding
door. And when the speech-making
and cigar smoking are at their height,
ney, presto! open go the doors, and we
face the music. Hurrah! won't it be
fun?"
And Mrs. Chipfeld clapped her
hands and burst into perfect jubilee
Of dimples and laughter.
/ Wednesday evening came, bright
with starlight, pearled with the shine
of well-packed snow.
"You won't be late, dear?" purred
Mrs. Chipfeld, as she stood at
the door to watch' her husbands de-
parture. 81 do wish these horrid
Band Director Meetings were over"
L IL IL. l. -. n L