The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-05-11
wINNIE's FORTUNE.

A1dl OClt1 hiohoiOh W Us uii w ltf
floods of gas.light and the genial glow
of the fire-for Mr.. Josiah Mayberrl
was every queer man." according t
his wife's opinion, and this fancy of hi
to have nasty, ashy fires all over thu
spendid mansion before the weather be
came cold enough was one of his ecccn
trio freaks, Mrs. Mayberry called ii
with curl of her lip, a toss of the hca,
and smile, amost Of contempt, direct
ed at the hale, hearty, honest-faced ole
gentleman who had married her for he
pretty face, ten years ago, when he wa
an immensely rich widower with hi
handsome half-grown son for not un
desirable encumbrance.
They were sitting around the hand
some table, discussing their sever
o'clock dinner, with the solemn butlcl
and his subordinate in silent, obsequi
GUS attention-these three Mayberries
father, son, and the naughty, well
dressed lady who was wearing decid
ed frown of displeasure on her face
frown she had barely power to restrain
from degenerating into verbal expires
sion of anger while the servants were il
waiting, and which, as the door finally
closed upon them, leaving the little
party alone over the wine and nuts
burst forth impetuously:
81 declare, Mr.. Mayberry, it is toe
bad l have gone over the list of invi
tations you have made, and TO think
among them, and such horrid lot oi
people as you have named!"
Mr.. Mayberry slipped his wine con-
tentedly.
"I told you, didn't 1, Marguerite, that
it was my intention to give an old-fash.
ioned dinner? And by that / meant
and mean, to whom it will indeed, be
cause for thankfuness. As to making
grand fuss, and seeing around our ta
BILE only the people to whom luxuri
GUS dinner is an every day occurrence
I shall not do it. And as to the guests
being horrid and common, you are mis-
taken, my dear. None of them have 6
worse failing than poverty. There Il
not q common, vulgar person among
the ten names on that paper"
Mr.. Mayberry's face lighted up warm
ly as he spoke, and Ernest Mayberry's
handsome face reflected the satisfaction
and pride he felt in his fathers views
Mrs. Mayberry flushed, but said moth
ing. She knew from experience that
kind-hearted and indulgent as her hus
band was, there were times when ht
suffered no appeal from his decision
This was one Of those times.
"We will have dinner ordered fol
twelve o'clock, us it used to be when
was boy. We will have roast turkey
with cranberry sauce, and mashed po
tatoes and turnips, boiled onions ant
celery, and all on the table at once. Fol
desert, pie, cheese and cider, and moth
ing more. Marguerite, shall I give thu
order to Lorton, or will you attend to it p
Mrs. Mayberry twisted her diamond
rings almost roughly. "Oh, don't asl
me to give such an insane order to him
l have no wish to appear as laughing
stock before my servants, Mr.. Maybcr
ry. 1t will be as severe a strain on my
endurance as l am capable of to be forced
to sit at table with such people as tht
Hurds and Masons, and that Thyrz,
Green and her lame brother, and tha
little old Wilmington and his grand
daughter, and"
Mr.. Mayberry interrupted her gently
"Old Mr.. Wilmington was friend o
mine long before he went to India
Since he came home with his sons or
phan daughter and lived in such obscur
Uncomfortable although plain, fo
Winnie earns enough as daily governes
to support them both-l regard hin
more worthy than ever. Ernest, m,
boy, shall depend upon you to hell
entertain our guests, and especially a
the table, for shall have no servant
cbout to scare them out of their appe
tites."
And Mr.. Mayberry dismissed the sub
ject by rising from the table.
"Would l like to go? Oh, Grandpa
l should! We will 60, do you think ?
The little, weazened old man looket
fondly at her over his steel-rimme,
glasses.
$50 you'd like to accept Mr.. Mayber
ry's invitation to dinner, eh, Winnie
You wouldn't be ashamed of your old
fashioned grandfather, eh, among tn
fine folks Of the family? Remarkabl,
fine folks, hear, for all l can remem
ber when Joe was q boy together wit
myself. Fine folks, Winnie, and yo1
think we'd better goT
81 would like to go, grandpa, for
don't have many recreations-I dom
want many, for think contented, hon
est labor Is the grandest thing in tn
world, and the best discipline-but
somehow l can't tell why, but l d
want to go. can wear my black casf
mere, and you'll be SO proud of me-"
proud of you, indeed, my child; II
matter what you wear. Yes, we'll go.
And thus 1t happened that among tn
ten guests that sat down to Josiah May
berry's hospitable, overflowing boar
that cold, blue-skied day, Winnie Wi
mington and the little old man wer
two-and two to whom Ernest Maybel
ry paid more devoted attention tina
even his father had asked and expected
Of course it was a grand success-a
except the cold hauteur on Mrs. May
berry's aristocratic face, and that was
failure, because no one took the lea
notice of it, SO much more powerfr
were the influences of Mr.. Mayberry'
and Ernest's courteous and gentleman
| ly attentions.
~ only hope you are satisfied" Mr.
Josiah said, with what she meant to
whitening sarcasm, after the last guei
was gone, and she stood moment b,
fore the fire; ~ only hope you are sa
isfled-particularly with the attentio
that Ernest paid to that young woms
unnecessary attention, indeed"
I. Mr.. Mayberry rubbed his hands +
gether brlskly. Satisfied? Yes, than
full to God I.had 1t in my power to NAL
them forget their poverty, if for on
i one little hour. Did you see little Jir
5 my Hurd's eyes glisten when Erne
gave him the second triangle of pi
" Bless the youngsters heart, they wor
. want anything to eat for week."
81 was speaking of The young Ia,
II who"
\ Mrs. Mayberry was iciiy severe, b
J. her husband cut 1t short. $50 "
" were-pretty little thing as ever sa,
A ladylike, graceful little girl, wi
e beautiful eyes enough 10 excuse the b.
], for admiring her."
= "The boyl You seem to have forg'
ten your son Is twenty-three-o
enough to fall in love with, and MARI
: ! even a poor, unknown girl, you we
a. s.st -. A. II