The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1876-04-15

cord,ngly it was settled that next week, Tues
day they would have Croquet party, ana In
vitations were issued at once.
"Of course the Vsnderpoo tribe will De on
hand" remarked Mrs. Van Hayden, Ihey
always come to crliclsc, and make iun OF
everything l do think they are the most
disagreeable family, taken all together, lever
saw. Mrs. Vanderpool Is really vulgar L
like to say thlsgs to cut her up
Now, the fun of 1t was, Mrs. Nanderpool
always fancied she was saying something to
cut up Mrs Van Hayden.
II understand what they are fishing Tor,
she said TO her daughter Maria, when tue IN
vitatlons to the croquct party were received
"They want to get young Shelby IN the,I
clutches. That Lefty is determined she II
catch him, if it's possible thing; ana thls
party Is only a bait. She tried to monopoize
: him at our sociable, and declare was
ashamed of her, and limited TO her mo'heI
that thought such boldness rather low ana
coarse, and you ought to have seen now req
she got 1t did me heap OF good ior sue
couldn't say anything back. YOU'D pet'er
ret YOU some new dresses, girls. They'll
probably come out IN new suits, calculating
to take the shine off you altogether. l think
Shelby is foolish, if he sees anything IN that
Lefty to fancy"
But he don't" said Miss Maria, very de.
cidedly. He told me he thought she was
really vulgar.
Mrs. Vanderpool was delighted to hear that
Mr.. Shelby's opinion correspondent 50 CLOSE
ly to her own, and took fresh courage. Shel,
6y was rich, and had seemed quite impressed
with her Maria. If she only coald make a
match for her with
The eventtul day came, as ala the ahuer'
pools, IN full force. Mrs. Nanderpool was ar
rayed in maroon silk, making her look IKE
la big, double hollyhoc, as Miss Lefty wills
pered to Mr.. Shelby, who was the first arrival.
Whereupon he laughed good deal, and
squeezed Miss Letties hand, with some indis
tinct remark about her sarcastic w.t. which
made HAT young lady fairly beam with pleas
ure. The Miss VanderpoOls were arrayed in
new silks, likewise, much to the delight OF
the Van Haydens, who we're In plain white
muslin, and who remarked to MIR. Shelby, IN
a tone intended for the VanderpoOls to hear,
that it was strange some persons always
showed such shocking taste as to 60 to SIM
pie little party, and an outdoor one, especially,
dressed as il they were going to the opera or
q grand ball. 1t looked so much Ike shod'
dy. Whereupon Mrs. Nanderpool was aoou!
to get off one of her cutting remarks, and had
opened her mouth for that purpose, when
| nj lsS Jennie Uckhcu " w oh'ij ohN WV
Hook any ill-bred low nsinuations, for some
people couldn't help showing what kind OF
stock they came from. All of which was
heard by the Van Haydens as was intended
Immediately after which Mrs. Van Hayden
asked Mrs. EapderpOol, IN her blandest tones,
if the soap factory Mr.. Vanderpool had oper-
ated go successfully was in operation yet. 10
whicA question Mrs. VanderpoOl made very
confused reply, and got So red in the face that
Mrs Van Hayden was covered with triumph
Presently playing began. Mrs Van Hay.
den, the Miss Haydens with the exception
of the Youngest, and Mr.. Shelby, were match
ed against Mrs. Vanderpool and two OF her
daughters and young gentleman from the
village. Mrs. Vanderpool on her second turn
of play, succeeded in croque,ing somebody's
ball against Mrs Van Hayden's foot, causing
that lady to turn red and pale, and give evi'
dcnce OF having felt the blow quite kcenly
much to the delight of the lady playing, and
her daughter, who Uttered behind their hand
kerchiefs, as Mrs. Van Hayden llmped Oft t
the corner, where Lefty was holding Mr.. Shel
by spell bound by her rtcitals of some thrill
ing event.
Mrs. Van Hayden watched her opportunity
and removed hair.pn from Mrs Wander
pools hair without being caught at it. The
result of which was that during an exciting
turn at play, Mrs. Vanderpeol's chignon tum
bled off, and Mrs. Van Hayden screamed GU
to her opponent that her back hair was com
ing down Just as it came Oft, making her looh
like hen in mouting time, as Miss Lefty re
marked to Mr.. Shelby: whereupon that gen
,leman went off into another paroXism o.
delight, while the Vanderpool trio looked
black with rage, and the maternal member Of
the party picked up her chlgnon, and pro
ceejed to re-adjust it, At which Mrs. Var
HAYDEN very magnanimously removed sew
cral hair.pins from her own hair, letting il
down all about her shoulders, so that every
body could see that it was her own, and ten
dered the pins to her chagrined opponent
who accepted them with very i'll grace.
Pretty soon Miss Lefty accused Maria o
cheating, and thereupon followed an angr,
and heated discussion, in which some re
marks, not strictly elegant, but highly forci
BILE, were made by both parties. IL was dur
Ing this little squabble that Mrs. Nanderpool
who was determined to win the game, mad
u famous run, and knocked Mrs. Van Haydel
and Lefty, out helped all her side to become
rovers, and so displayed her skill and general
= ship, that in five minutes more she hit th
post with her ball, and looked around upoI
the vanquished party with victory pcrche'
upon her banner. WhereupOn Mrs. Val
O. Hayden remarked to Mr. Shelby that it wa
easy enough for any one 10 win the game VIII
didn't scruple TO play unfairly. For her parI
when she caught anyone cheating it Away
destroyed her interest in the game.
Other players took the place of those wh
had just been vanquishod, and Mrs. Van Hay
% den aud Mrs. Vanderpool sa, down with grou
81 of elderly ladies TO say cutting things to cac
other, while the young people strolled off i
all directions. Mrs. Vanderpool saw, wit
delight that Mr. Shelby had transferred hi
attention TO her daughter Maria.
Presently little shower came up, whlc
- drove them into the parlors. Some one cal
! ed for singing, Miss Maria considered hersel
very superior singer and her mother reque'
ted her To sing that beautiful new song sh
had been praciicing. Whereupon she ss
down to the piano aud sang an 0peretic ali
Dis to the great amusement of the Van llayde
CHI girls, who remarked that they liked that SON
IL r,l.r. ~.