The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-07-26
The Anti-A1onopoliSt.

to doa graceful thing without asking,
retorted Mrs. Ovington. 'However,
that s neither here nor there. l can
wear these odious, old-fashioned gar
nets on the evening of my party
that S very certain
''Why not!''
ssWith Mrs. Major Cornleigh's dia- |
mond solitaires outblazing me, and
Mrs. Delany Wybron,s emeralds!'
'sOctavia, that's nonsense!' said
Mr.. Ovington, more brusquely than he
was in the habit Of speaking. 'sDld
you ever hear of the crockery pot that
tried to sail down stream with the iron
pots!''
Nonsense, Fletcherr'
"My dear, you're in fair way to
find out there's good deal OF SOBER
sense in the old fables and adages,
said her husband. eff these fine new
acquaintances Of yours are going to
make YOU discontinued with your old
life and all that appertained to it, why
l should say, the sooner you rid your
self of 'em the better
.sIt's very unkind of you to speak so,
Fletcher" said Mrs. Ovington, with
little hysterical gurgling in her throat.
''Of course / should like to bring
YOU all the prescious stone in Tiffany $
store, if / could afford them soothed
Mr.. Ovington, patting his wife $ head.
ssBut as I can't, you must cen make
the old garnets last you while long
en-"
So saying he went off to business,
leaving his wife to her own medlta-
tons.
Now Mrs. Fletcher Ovington had
issued scented note invitations to "a
quaint little social evening" dated
some four or five days ahead, and the
number of guests had insensibly swell
ed until the affair began to assume
quite formidable size.
Tea, coffee and sponge-cake hao been
her first idea, with Betsy, in d white
cap and frilled apron, to hand it round;
but the present arrangement admitted
only of colored walters, chicken salad,
chocolate russes and wine jelly. She
had originally intended to play quad
rills on her own piano-but after Mrs.
Delaney Wybron had dispatched an
acceptance, Mrs. Ovington sent for two
long haired foreigners, one OF whom
manipulated the violin, the other the
harp.
1--WE may as we'll have things sty-
lish while we are about it, said Mrs.
Fletcher Ovington.
And-of which fact she had quite
ommitted to apprise her husband-she
had taken the advice of Mrs. Delaney
Wybron, and got herself asset of pearls.
.sMy love-" said Mrs. Delaney Wy
bron, s'you are just the style to wear
pearls. Positively you would be divine
in pearls!
She was to wear pearls-a necklace,
breach, and pair of ear pendants
but she had not bought them. Mrs.
Fletcher Ovington knew very we'll that
she could not afford pearls. She had
hired them of fashionable jeweler
at twenty dollars for the evening.
sit is a great price, said Mrs. o.
vington, family.
sNot at all, ma am said the jewel
er, spreading out the palms OF his
hands. -"Only consider-you own a
six hundred dollar set of pearls for the
occasion. 1t is all the same as it they
, had been in the family for a century
And look, ma am-only look at the
.. size and lustre of those gems!'
, And Mrs. Fletcher Ovington laid
= down the twenty-dollar bill which wa:
, to have furnished her comfortable
winter cloak. and ordered the pearls
, sent to her address.
.Hellor' said Mr.. Ovington, wher
! comming up to dress, on the evening
of the grand occasion, he saw hi
wife in pale blue silk and glistenins
> ornaments. 'Pearls!'
: Mrs. Ovington grew scarlet.
= "You haven t borrowed sem hope!
o cried her husband.
:. Il have hired them, Fletcher, sal'
), the lady, trying to assume an ease sh
:. did not feel.
: sHired theme'
f "Of course 1 have hired them. IT.
4 often DONE
s'Then a particular mean and petit.
:. thing is often done,' said Mr.. Owing
ton, dashing the cologne over hi
:. pocket handkerchief.
> "Fletcherr'
"And thing which hope you Wi
r not repeat.
O Mrs. Ovington would have burs
t into tears only that she knew tear
e Redeemed her eyes and swelled he
II nose; so she took up a fan instead, an
swept down stairs with all the dign
j. ty of an offended princess.
K The guests arrived, thick and fast
I The little rooms were soon crowded
N their utmost capacity, and supper wa
d Just announced, when there was rim
at the boor bella new arrival.
id "Gracious mer' said Mrs. OyingtoI
v under her breath, s'who can that be!
e. And the next minute her hnsban
i, came forward, with pleasing face.
as MY DEAR said he, ''here is plea
1 ing surprise for you. My aunt Dorcs
# Daisyfeld, and my brother Harold
VS. wife,
e. ssAunt Dorcas was short, BROW
:" skinned, keen-eyed little woman,
lie black silk and poke bonnet. Mr.
p Harold Ovington was tall and han'
n, some, with pleasant. cordial fac