The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1878-03-20

I ANR'J' @A1A 4 huSH aS OtfNC tIEts
was something tAe matter.
''Ahem !" she said at last, clearing
her throat. Ahem The Misses
Howell are nice girls. to be snrs
that is, in their plsce--but as it il
20 be q select party. and as I haze
already mentioned rather too many,
aud as Mrs. Mowbray may not want
to meet all sorts of people, aud
as
Stop. my dear" said with .
sigh, for l saw that my fayorites
were not 10 be invited, "you have
given good reasons enough. 1t is 8
great pity, though" And [ sighed
again-a sigh eloquent Of passive
| resignation.
My wife heard my sighs. and her
tender heart was touched. She pans.
ed moment in embarrassment, and
perhaps even resolved the idea Of
yielding to my wishes; but in the
end she raised herself GA her elbow,
and said:
"Mr. Jones. do listen to reason.
You don't know how foolish you
make yourself about those Howell
girls. They've been unfortunate. to
be sure, and they're very passable.
indeed but there's prejudice, you
are aware, against girls who stand
in stores and who knows but Mrs.
Mowbray would take offence at my
inviting such persons TO meet her. |
shouldn't like TO do it. indeed with
out first asking her; and / can't do
that this time. She is very particu-
lar, and so excessively highbred."
"Then / don't think she'd regard !
you the less, my DEAR" l ventured |
to say, ''fOr being acquainted with
two such excellent girls as Patty and
Lizzy Howell.
Mr.. Jones, don't be a child" re- I
piled my wife, fingiag herself to the |
other side OF the bed. "At your age
you should know something Of The
world. Exclusive people, like Mrs.
MOwbray, don't care to meet no
bodies. She was very choice, as
you saw. whom she admitted 20 her
acquaintance this summer; may
say, indeed, that am The only one, /
of all she met, whom she recognizes
now.
To have pretracted the conversa-
tion would have excited my wife's
nerves and deprived her of sleep, SO
l said no more, but closed my eyes
and courted slumber anew. / have
no recollection of anything after that
I'LL l weke up next morning. and
leaving Mrs. Jones abed, as usual,
went down TO see that the fires we're
all right, and to do the marketing
while breakfast was being prepared.
The invitations to the party were
issued that week, Mrs. Mowbray
graciousiy promising TO attend.
When the important evening ar
rived my wife was all nerves. At
every ring of the bell the color rose
to her face with expectation, but
guest after guest entered without
Mrs. Mowbray appearing. Her ner.
vousness soon began to change to
anxiety, and this, as the hours wore
on, to disappointment and dismay.
She delayed the supper for full
hour, thinking that her new friend
might yet arrive, but in vain.
What can be the matter?'' she
,a d to me. as soon as we were alone.
i hope the dear babe is well. Per-
maps, however, Mrs. Mowbray is her
self sick. Dear me, / am afraid /
shall not sleep for anxiety. The
irst thing I'll do tomorrow will be
% call on Mrs. Mowbray and see
What is the matter"
" wouldn't that be against
.tiquette ventured to ask. 1T
seems to me that Msr Mowbray
should send you note or message,
,r something of that sort, to apollo
,ize for her absence" :"
Mrs. Jones did not reply in words, I
,ut she gave me look. And such
. lookI 1t expressed all the indig-
latiOn which her outraged bosom
elt at having the slightest suspicion :
ast upon her friend.
When / came home 10 dinner that
lay. I saw at a glance that some {
hing had occurred to rnffie my wife's
Ierves. She had nothing whatever !
0 say to me. but she scolded the !
ervants and children necessarily.
wac too wise to inquire what was
vroug. | knew that Mrs. Jones, if
he thought proper, would tell nae
nd, if not, that idle questions would !
My aggravate her secret trouble.
But, the next day, having heard
omething that cast light on Mrs. I
absence from our party.
could not contain myself when |
anne home.
Did you ever hear my love" said Z
/, as / began to carve the turkey,
that the Misses Howell had mar 3
l.