Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-05-04
WINES FORTUNE.

glow of the fire-tor Mr.. Josiah May
berry was very queer man, accord
ing to his wifc's opinion, and this
fancy of his to have nasty, ashy fires
all over the splendid mansion be-
fore the weather became cold enough
was one of his "ecccntric freaks, u
Mrs. Mayberry called it, with curl
of her lip, a toss of the head, and a
smile of contempt, directed at the
hale, hearty, honest faced old gen
tleman who had married her for her
face, ten years since, when he was
an immensely rich widower with his
handsome half-grown son for not
undesirable circumference.
They were sitting around the
handsome table, discussing their
seven O'Clock dinner, with the solemn
butler and his subordinate, in silent,
obsequious attention-these three
Mayberrys, father, son, and the
naughty, well dressed lady who was
wearing a decided frown of displeas-
ure on her face-a frown she had
barely power to restrain from degen,
Grating into n verbal expression of
anger while the servants were in
waiting, and which, as the door
finally closed on them, leaving the
little party alone over the wine and
nuts, burst forth impetuously:
81 declare, Mr.. Mayberry, it is too
bad! 1 have gone over this list OF
invitations you have made, and to
think there is not one-no not one
of our set among them, and such a
horrid lot of people as you have
named"
Mr.. Mayberry slipped his wine
contentedly.
81 told you, didn't 1 Marguerite,
that 1T was my intention to give an
old fashioned dinner? And by that
l meant, and mean, to whom it will,
indeed, be cause for thankfulness.-
As to make grand fuss, and seeing
around our table only the people to
whom luxurious dinner is an every
day occurrence-I shall not do it.
And as to the guests on my list be-
ing 'horrid' and common you arc
mistaken, my dear. None of them
have worse failing than poverty
There is not q common vulgar
person among the ten names on that
paper"
Mr.. Mayberry's good old face
lighted up warmly as he spoke, and
Ernest Mayberry's handsome face re-
fected the satisfaction and pride he
felt in his fathers views.
Mrs. Mayberry flushed, but said
nothing.
She knew from experience that
kind and indulgent as her husband
was, there were times when he sut-
fered no appeal from his decision
And this was one of those times.
awe will have dinner ordered tol
twelve O'Clock, as it used to be when
l was a boy. We will have roast
turkey, with cranberry sauce, and
mashed potatoes and turnips, boiled
onions and celery, and all on the ia
BILE at once. For dessert, pie, cheese
and cider, and nothing more. Mar
guerlte, shall give the order to
Lorton, or will you attend to it?:''
Mrs. Mayberry twisted her dia
mond ring almost roughly.
"Oh, don't ask me to give such an
insane order to him! | have no
wish to appear as a laughing stock
before my servants, Mr. Mayberry.-
1t will be as severe strain on my
endurance as l am capable of, to be
forced to sit at a table with such
people as the Hurds, and the Masons
and that Thyrza Green, and hel
lame brother, and that little old
Wilmington and his granddaughter
and"-
Mr.. Mayberry interrupted her
very gently:
"Old Mr.. Wilmington was a frleno
of mine long before he went to India
Since he came home with his sons
orphan daughter and lived in sucf
obscurity-comfortable, although
PLAIN, tor Winnie earns enough az
daily governess to support then
both cheaply-I regard him as moro
worthy than ever. Ernest, my boy
l shell depend upon you to help en-
tertain our guests, and especially a
table, for shall have no servants
about to scare them out of their ap
petites."
And Mr.. Mayberry dismissed th'
subject by arising from the table.
"Would I like to go? Oh,grandpa
l should! Will we 60, do you think?
The little, wizened old man looked
fondly at her over his steel rimmet
glasses.
$50 you'd like to accept Mr.. May
berry's invitation to dinner, eh, Win
ME? You wouldn't be ashamed o
your oldfashloned grandfather, eh
among the fine folks of the family
Remarkably fine folks, for all | cal
remember when Joe was a boy to
gether with myself. Fine folks
Winnie, and you think we'd bette
go?"
81 wonld like to go, grandpa.
don't have many recl eations-I dom
want many, for think contente'
honest labor is the grandest thing il
the world, and the best discipline
but, somehow, I can't tell why, but dc
want to go. l can wear my blacl
cashmere, and you'll be so PROUD
of me-"
"Proud of you, indeed, my child
no matter what you wear. Yes wei
CO."
And thus it happened that among
the ten guests that sat down at Josial
Mayberry's hospitable, overfowins
board that cold, blue skied day, Win
ME Wilmington and the little ole
man were two-and two to whom
Ernest Mayberry paid more devoted
attention than ever his father hat
asked and expected.
OF course it was a grand success
all excepting the hauteur on Mrs
Mayberry's aristocratic face, and
that was failure, because no on
took the least notice of it, so mucl
more powerful were the influence o
Mr.. Mayberry's and Ernest's court
eous gentlemanly attentions.