The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-10-25

| that is, in their place-btlt as it is to
be a select party, and as 1 have already
mentioned rather too many, and as
Mrs. Mowbray may not want to meet
all sorts of people, and as
Stop, my DEAR said 1, with a sigh,
| for saw that my favorites were not to
be invited, "you have given good
reasons enough. 1t is a great pity,
though" And L sighed again-a sigh
eloquent of passive resignation.
My wife heard my sighs, and her ten
i der heart was touched. She paused a
moment i'll embarrassment, and perhaps
even revolved the idea of yielding to my
| wishes; but in the end she raised her
self ON her elbow, and said:
"Mr. Jones, do listen to reason. You
don't know how foolish you make your
self about those Howell girls. They've
been unfortunate, to be sure, and they're
very passable, indeed; but there's a
prejudice, you are aware, against girls
who stand in stores; and who knows but
Mrs. Mowbray would take offense at my
inviting such persons to meet her. I
shouldn't like to do it, indeed, without
first asking her; and I can't do that this
time. She is very particular, and SO ex-
cessively high-bred.''
"Then don't think she'd regard you
the less, my DEAR" 1 ventured to say,
60 for being acquainted with two such
excellent girls as Patty and Lizzy
Howell. -
Mr.. Jones, don't be child" re-
piled my wife, finging herself to the
other side of the bed. cat your age
you should know something of the
world. Exclusive people, like Mrs.
Mowbray, don't care to meet nobodies.
She was very choice, as you saw, whom
she admitted to her acquaintance this
summer; 1 may say, indeed, that L am
the only one, of all she met, whom she
recognizes now."
To have protracted the conversation
would have excited my wife's nerves and
deprived her of sleep, so 1 said no more
but closed my eyes and courted slumber
anew. [ have no recollection of any
| thing after that till [ woke up next
morning, and leaving Mrs. Jones abed,
as usual, went down to see that the fires
were all right and to do the marketing
while breakfast was being prepared.
The invitations to the party were is
sued that week, Mrs Mowbray gracious
ly promising to attend.
When the important evening arrived
my wife was all nerves. At every ring
of the bell, the color rose to her face
with expectation, but guest after guest en-
tered without Mrs. Mowbray appearing
Her nervousness soon began to change
to anxiety, and this, as the hours wore
on, to disappointment and dismay. She
delayed the supper for a full hour,
thinking that her new friend might yet
arrive, but in vain.
"What can the matter be ?" she said
to me, as soon as we were alone. 81
hope the dear babe is we'll Perhaps,
however, Mrs. Mowbray is herself sick.
Dear me, L am afraid L shall not sleep
for anxiety. The first thing I'll do to-
morrow will be to call on Mrs. Mowbray
and see what is the matter"
| "Wouldn't that be against etiquette?"
[ ventured to ask. cit seems to me
that Mrs. Mowbray should send you a
note or message, or something OF that
sort, to apologize for her absence"
Mrs. Jones did not reply in words, but
she gave me look. And such a look
It expressed all the indignation which
her outraged bosom felt at having the
slightest suspicion cast upon her friend.
| When / came home to dinner that day
CURED to ruffle my wifes nerves. She
had nothing whatever to say to me, but
she scolded the servants and children in
cessantly. / was too wise to inquire
what was wrong. / knew that Mrs.
Jones, if she thought proper, would tell
me; and if not, that idle questions would
only aggravate her secret troubles.
But the next day, having heard some
thing that cast light on Mrs. Nowbray s
absence from our party, could not con-
tain myself when came home.
''Did you ever hear, my love-" said I,
as began to carve the turkey at dinner,
:" that the Misses Howell had married
sister?"
Mrs. Jones looked sharply up, as if
she suspected I meant more than said,
and then answered laconically:
81 heard it casually, but never asked
further
s'It seems" I continued, 'tthat Mrs.
Mow bray is that sister"
''I've heard so SINCE" said Mrs.
Jones, sharply; and turning to our sec
ond child, who was asking for the wing
bone, raped him over the head, exclaim-
ing, "Haven't L told you to wait till
you're helped2 Take that, now, and
learn manners Z"
| / allowed minute or more to clapSe,
in order that my wife's ebullition might
subside, when I remarked:
'Mrs. Mowbray, it seems, expected
to meet her sisters here"
81 shouldn't wonder if she did, snap
pishly said Mrs. Jones, looking down
into her plate, and apparently absorbed
in ps rting wing joint.
"When she found" I continued,
'sthat her sisters were not asked, she
grew indignant. She heard the reason,
| it seems. Yodr friend Mrs. Wharton,
| whom Won have made a confdaute told