The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-03-10
SELECT STORY.
From Scribner, for March,
THE OLD FOLKS PARTY.
CONCLCSION.

old gen ntleman, large in the waist, oaio,
with an apoplectic tendency, wheezy
asthmatic voice and full white beard.
Nellie wore her hair in row Of
white curl on each side Of her head and in
every detail of her dress and air affected
the coquetti-h old lady to perfection, for
which, of course, she looked none the
younger. Her cheeks were rouged TO go
With that style.
Frank was the ideal of the sprightly
little old gentleman. With his brisk air,
natty eyeglasses, cane and gloves, and
other items of dress in the most correct
taste, he was quite the old bean His
white hair was crispy, brushed hack,
and his snowy mustache had rather
rakish effect.
Although the transformation in each
case WAS complete. yet quite enough OF
the features, expression. or bearing, WAS
apparent through the disguise TO make
the members of the party entirely re-
cognizable to each other, though less in
innate acquaintances would perhaps
have been at first rather puzzled. At
Henry : suggestion they had been photo
graphed in their costumes, in order to
compare the ideal with the actual when
they should be really old.
at isn't much trouble, and the old
folks will enjoy it some day. We ought
to consider them a little," Henry had
said, meaning by "the old folks" their
future selves.
1t had been agreed that, in proper
Difference 10 the probabilities, one, at
least, Of the girls ought to illustrate the
fat old lady. But they found it impossl-
BILE to agree which should sacrifice her
SELF for no one Of the three could in her
histrionic enthusiasm, quite forget her
personal appearance. Nellie fatty re-
fused to be made mp fat, and Jessie as
= atty, while both the girls had too much
reverence for the sweet dignity of Mary
FelIows's beauty to consent to her TAX
ing the part, and so the idea was given
up.
1t had been happy thought of Ma
ry's to get her two Younger sisters, girls
of eleven and sixteen, to be present, to
enhance the venerable appearance of the
party by the contrast of their bloom and
freshness.
"Are these your little granddaugh-
ters ?" inquired Henry, benevolently in
specting them over the tops of his spec
tacles as he patted the elder of the two
on the head, liberty she would by no
means have allowed him in his proper
character, but which she now seemed
puzzled whether to -~aent or not.
"Yes," replied = ry, with an indul-
gent smile. They wanted to see what
an old folks party was like, though
told them they wouldn't enjoy it much.
I remember thought old people rather
dull when was their age"
Henry made little conversation with
the girls, asking them the list of fatuous
questions by which adults seem fated to
illustrate the gnlf between them and
childhood in the effort to bridge it.
annie, dear, just put that ottoman at
Mrs. Hyde's feet" said Mary to one Of
the little girls. "I'm so glad you felt
able to come out this evening, Mrs.
Hyde understood you had not en-
joyed good health this summer"
81 have scarcely been out of my room
since spring, until recently" replied
Jessie. "Thank you, my dear" Ito the
little girD, "but DR.. Sanford has done
wonders for me. How is uour health
now, Mrs FelIows?"
"I have not been so well an entire
simmer in ten years. My daughter,
Mrs. Tarbox, was sayiug the other day
that she wished she had my strength
You know she is quite delicate" said
Mary.
Speaking of DR.. Sanford" said Hen
ry, looking at Jessie, ''he is really re-
markable man. My son has such con-
fdence in him, that he seemed quite re
lieved when I had passed my grand
climacteric and could get on his list
You know he takes no one under sixty
three. By the way, Governor" he added,
turning around with some ado, so as to
face George, al heard he had been treat
ing your rheumatism lately. Has he
seemed to reach the dificulty?"
Remarkably" replied George. tend
erly strokin9 his right knee in an absent
manner. "Why, don't you think I
walked half the way home from my Of
fee the other day when my carriage was
-lata 81
,.onder you dared venture it," said
Jessie with shocked air. "What if you
had met with some accidentw
That's what my son said." answered
George. "He made me promise never to
try such thing again but like to
show them occasionally that I'm good
for something yet"
He said this with "he, he," of senile
complacency, ending in an asthmatic
cough, which caused some commotion in
the company. Frank got up and slapped
him on the back, and Mary sent Annie
for glass of water.
George being relieved. and quiet once
more restored. Henry said to Frank:
"By the way, Doctor, I want to con-
gratnlate you on your sons last book
You must have helped him to the mater
ial for so truthful picture of American
manners in the days when we were
young. fear we have not improved
much since then. There was a simpli-
city. a naturalness in society fifty years
ago, that one looks in vain for now
There was. it seems to me, much less re-
gard paid to money, and less of morbid
social ambition. Don't you think so,
Mrs. Tyrrell?"
'It's just what was saying only the
other day." replied Nellie. I'm sure
don't know what we're coming to nova
lava Girls had some mndestv whom I