New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-09

attempts he makes at conversation, but
leans back in her chair, looking inexpres-
sibly bored. She eats her food - if it were
nasty, and drinks her wine ss if it were
medicine. She goes away as early IS pos
sible, taking care not to speak to any of the
peopie whom she knows we're asked to meet
her. She makes no attempt to conceal how
glad che is that the entertainment is over,
and how much better pleased she would
have been to have spent the evening else
where. When she gives return dinner
her behavior as hostess is no better than it
was ~ guest. She will invite . large party
and not think it in the least necessary to
be in the drawinR-room when they arrive.
Half an hour after the time dinner ought
to be ON the table she will sail into the
room, her hair dressed in more than
the height of the fashion, her heels
taller than those promised to Hayden
by Prince Esterhazy. She will not attempt
any apology for her late appearance, but
cay with lofty Indifference. that she expects
dinner to be ready some time. Scarcely
shaking hands with the ladies who have
honored her with their presence, and Ger
tainly wasting on them no little polite
words of welcome. che will go and flirt Ian
guidly with some man who has made him
self remarkable in society. and whom she
has captured for her party. When at last
dinner il announced, she has probably for
gotten her husbands directions as to who
was to be sent down with whom. so selects
for herself the person most likely to amuse
her, and pairs of the old gentleman whom
she did not fancy to talk to with her school
gill sister. The present mode Of sending
people down to dinner is certainly not all
that could be desired 1t often prevents
those who would enjoy each others society
most from sitting together, and keeps q
clever, but shy man silent because he has
no small talk for a stupid old dOwager with
whom he is ssddled. But If etiquette should
change in this particular, is will be in order to
make society more agreeable; not merely to
save trouble to our insOlent little hostess,
who, when sitting at the head of her table,
might lust as we'll be alone, so little does
ehe seem to remember any one but herself.
Unaccustomed to entertain properly, she
does not see when things are going wrong,
and, if che did, would pretend not to do 80.
and would not try to remedy them, except
by scolding. Her idea Of fine manners
seems to be to sit still aud let people take
caro- of themselves. If she arranged house
hold matters with fOrethought, and had
servants to whom everything could safely
be left, this would be all very we'll. As
rule, however parrenues make bad house
keepers flOm ignorance, and bad mistresses
from haughtiness. The consequence is that
the dinner party is failure, unless the host
ia q host in himself and looks after every
one making up in pretty speeches for his
wife's want Of attention.
Perhape the dinner is followed by re-
ception. The hostess is tired, and receives
her friends in majestic manner, evidently
wishing them to pass on as people do to a
leree. She makes no attempt to introduce
her guests to each other, or to get them to
enioy themselves. She had done them sufi-
cient honor in allowing them to come and
sec how she is dressed, and how her rooms
are decorated. A lover of pictures gazes
longingly at an artist whom he knows by
sight, and with whom he would give any
thing to have q talk. There are pretty
girls, and men who have plenty to say.
would not object to q little intellectual
Irritation. There are spiritualists longing
to make each others acquaintance.
and discuss the results of the last start
ling seance. There are materials tor
pleasant social party, but the hostess
whose father would probably have slapped
his guests on the back, told questionable
stories and tried to make Ills friends happy.
sits on the stairs and firts behind her fan.
der, tor she has not taken the pains to ven
tilate her rooms; and there is not the ex-
element of trying to make her party 60 of
we'll to keep her up. Her Indifference is q
flaming sword which turns every way and
which allows no genial, kindly spirit to
spread among her uncared tor guests. She
only cultivates people likely to advance her
in society, and never hesitates to kick
away the ladder by which she has risen.
she would do the same BY her
hu sband if she thought it expedient.
Much to be preferred is the party given |
by the good natured young parrenue who |
values her position most for the power it |
gives her Of being hospitable and generous. |
Some young men may sheer ana suggest |
that she should keep an extra house maid |
TO sweep up her his, but she understands |
The meaning of the word salre, and 1t ls to |
% seen in her eyes as we'll as on the door |
nat. She may too often mention her hus-
,and's wineries, but the punches of grapes |
hat grow there find their way to the poor |
md the sick. She may have . secret pleas
Ire in seeing her name figure among peer
uses on charity committees. but she does
lot forget her own poor relations. Her |
riends at twenty are her friends at fifty, |
md she does not attempt to conceal who her
PARENTS were. Her voice may be loud, but 1t |
avs kindly things. She may dress in sky
line or scarlet, but che would give away her
loak to any one In need of it. Ut course
here are il1-condltioned people who will 60
0 her house and laugh at her, but she can /
uOIu w UCdI VAOAAs AOA AOA PoPuA"AASy ~
nassailable among those who know her
7ell. She perhaps talks little too much
bout my carriage and my horses but We
orgive her, for she is always ready to take
ny old fright she knows out for drive, or
, send somebody's children to the panto-
lime. Her manner may be little coarse,
ut it is better than selfish indifference; |
or beauty may be of vulgar order, but
he 10 neither painted nor whitened, nor yet
her hair dyed golden. She is more agree
BILE than the mIncing parrenue who tries
, hide her provincial accent by ecrewing |
D her mouth, and her Ignorance by gong
ito raptures about art, who hops up ana
own on. her toes, and taints at the sight OF
q earwig.-Home Journal.
A Deaf nlute's Prayer.
The Norwich Bulletins Mystic cores
ondent says: "a beautiful incident is
dated to us which occurred only few
Ava ago in the Home school to teach mutes
circulation and lip-reading at Mystic river
[iss F., an interesting graduate OF one OF
IA oldest institutions for the education of
eaf mutes, having . desire to learn to
peak and to read the lips Of her speaking
lends, was recommended by her old
rincipal to try Mr.. Whipper's school,
nd she entered it last term.
be made rapid progress, ana was
luch aided by the natural alphabet
10 invention of her new teacher. This
lphabet curiously suggests sound, or the
ght positions of the organs to utter sound,
l wefl IA form: and whenever 3 mute pupil |