The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1878-01-10
NV Wife's New Friend.


Mrs. Jones has quite habit of cult.
waiting new friendships, which have
every appearance of blooming eternally
but which soon wither in the worlds
cold blasts. | used to think this char.
acteristic was confined to schoolgirls
who swear immortal fidelity in letters
crossed and recrossed, but forget each
other as soon as they have caught a
lover.
My wife's last acquisition in the way
of bosom friend is Mrs. Mortimer
Mowbray, with whom she became ac-
quainted last summer, while we were
boarding out of town. Mrs. Mortimer
MOwbray had her carriage with her,
and created quite sensatiOn-in fact,
every lady in the house was eager to
become her confidante; but the amiable
department of Mrs. Jones, combined,
doubt not, with her intellectual accom-
plishmenls, rendered her the favOrite,
and she it was who daily occupied the
spare seat in the coach, and had the
honor of advising Mrs. Mortimer Now
bray In those thousand grave perplexi-
ties under which women suffer.
We returned to the city after the
MOwbrays; but my wife, though usually
very firm on questions of etiquette,
waived her privileges on this occasion,
and made the first call. She was
graciously received, and came home in
high spirits. All that evening she
could do nothing but talk of Mrs. Nor
timer Mowbray. "Such an elegant
establishment" she said. ga footman,
with manners like a prince, waited at
the door. The drawing-room was the
perfection of luxury and taste. Mrs.
Mowbray had on such a sweet cap, and
altogether looked so lady-like. Her
manners were, indeed, most aristro-
cratic, just what those of Countess are
supposed to be,r
In a few Jays Mrs. Mortimer Now
bray returned my wife's call, coming
In shining new carriage, and with a
new span of horses. Her equipage
created quite a sensation in our street.
Mrs. Jones, soon after this, began to
act as if brooding over some vast design,
which not being matured, she deemed
wisest to be silent respecting. At
last the mighty secret was broached.
"I was thinking, JONES'" she said,
one night, just as was composing my
self to sleep on my pillow, "that we
ought to give a party. Not a regular
ball, indeed, but select entertainment,
where few congenial minds may be
brought together. l should like to in
troduce my dear Mrs. Mowbray to
some of the choicest of our set"
Now, / detest parties, small or large; {;
but, as the delicacy of my wife's nerves
does not allow Of her being thwarted, l
made no objection to the proposal
hough l sighed to myself.
"of course, my DEAR" l said. "You
know best"
"Well, about thirty" continued my
wife, warming with the subject.
"There's Mrs. Wharton, and Mrs.
Horace Shinn, and Mrs. Price, and the
Misses Trelawney," and thus the dear
creature ran on, until she had men,
toned about forty names, and l saw
that her "select party of congenial
souls" was going to be, after all, a
crowded rout.
"You have forgotten the two Misses
Howell" | said at last, when my wife
stopped for want of breath.
The two Misses Howell were amia-
BILE, intelligent, and pretty girls, in
whom took particular interest, because
their father had once been an extensive
shipping merchant, but, having become
reduced and died bankrupt, the sisters
were obliged to earn livelihood by
standing in store. They had numer-
GUS rich relations on whom they might
have billeted themselves, but with a
spirit of proper independence, they
preferred to work for their maintenance
instead of eating the bread of charity.
had long nourished a romantic idea
of seeing them married well, and had
consequently made II point always to
invite them to our parties; to praise
them highly to the young gentleman
there, and, in every other indirect way,
to assist In realizing my pet scheme.
My wife, heretofore, had seconded
me in my benevolent plan; but on the
present occasion she hesitated to reply
and knew at once there was something
the matter.
4" "Ahem!" !" she said at last, clearing
her throat. "Ahem The Misses
Howell are very nice girls, to be sure
that is, in their place-but as 1t Is to
be select party, and us 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 /, with sigh,
for saw that my favorites were not to
be invited, "you have given good rea-
sons enough. Itisa greatpity though"