The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-12-05

are fond OF dong, at the simple yet ele-
giant little home of the Ryders, Ned
offers wine freely, and, though he
drinks sparingly himself, he was
not shocked and heartsick as Nellie
was when young Harry S. drank too
freely the other night, and had to be
guided home. "Such things often hap
pened," he said; "the only thing was
not to 90 too far.'' And as all this
flashed through the young wife's mind,
she interrupted her husband eagerly.
"But don't ask you to have wines;
we don't need them at ALL"
ooh, Puss, any one could tell you
have lived in the country good share
of your life; why, child, you could no
more give party to our gentleman
friends without wines then you could to
our lady friends without Delmonico
salad, walters and hired musicians.
Come, I'll give up the wines if you give
up the walters, ETC., and give regular
old-fashioned tea drinking. l know you
couldn't do it,"
81 take you at your word, Ned!
/ No, don't say any thing more; just
give me a check for what you think we
can afford to spend on tea-drinking,
and consider yourself engaged for-let
me see, this is the 21st-well, the 28th
of October"
"I'l give you a check, Nellie Bly,,
but stipulate that, if you shock our
friends, or the whole affair falls through,
l am to give stunning wine-party in
November"
"And if 1 succeed, dear, and Harry
and Dave (Ned's chums) say they enjoy
it, will you give up offering wines?''
| The gentle hand, laid on his shoulder
so lovingly, trembled as he clasped it.
"Why, darling, do believe you are
nervous about wines; you couldn't give
tea-party to the Van Rensselaers,
Phillipses, Livingstones, and such; but
there, won't discourage you. I'll stick
to my word, and even agree to your
amendment of the resolution-here, I'll
write it, and the check, at once"
How the blue eyes shone, as Ned
laughingly wrote: "Agreed, that if
Mrs Ryder invites and successfully en-
tertains on October the twenty ghth
Cor thereabouts) our mutual friends and
acquaintances, from to 10 O'Clock,
without extra walters, salads Except
home-made), or hired musicians, /, Ed
ward Ryder, will entirely renounce the
sad habit L now have of offering wines
to my friends, and, indeed, will drink
no wine from that day.
al may as we'll add that, Puss," he
said, as he signed his name, "for only
care for wines when have friends about
me; and, any way, you'll never do it
you can't"
Nellie went to the piano for she could
not trust her voice at once; but Ned
laid check On the music before her, at
which she exclaimed, "One hundred
dollars, and you want to be careful! /
can do with half that
"Nellie, you are dear little wife,
but you just know nothing about money.
How much do you think that reception
last Tuesday cost the Livingstones?'
"Three hundredp''
"Fully thousand at the lowest, so
your tea-drinking may cost more than
one hundred dollars. l don't limit you
to that amount, only as to walters, etc.,
as per agreement. Now sing for me.
There was gladstone ring in her
voice that Ned had not heard for some
time, and as love had quickened his in
sight into her character, he began to
suspect how much his dear young wife
had thought of the use and abuse OF
wine. Nothing more was said on the
subject till, as Ned was leaving for his
office the next morning, in answer to
his question as to her plans for the day,
she said, 81 am going to invite our
friends, or at least make out my list" He
laughed, and kissed her good-by.
The moment the door was closed Mel
lie set to work. The first thing was to
send for sister Mary, and while Ann
was taking the note to her, Nellie chose
her guests from her visiting list. Fifty
was her limit, and though several new
acquaintance had to be set aside, still,
as Nellie only resided in the city since
her marriage, the number covered all
her intimate friends. At luncheon she
told Mary of her plan, saying nothing,
though, of her agreement with Ned, as
she would not let even sister Mary know
and her husband differed in opinion.
Mary thought it queer idea, but de-
cidedly original, and that with care it
might prove successful.
s. met your friend, N. 7. W., last
night, Nellie, and if he calls within a
day or two Gas he assured me he would)
you might persuade him to help along
the evening with one or two of his won
derful recitations."
ooh, Mollie, that is lovely idea
and about the tea? But first help
me with the invitations so that
we can leave them tomorrow. | sup
pose we must give them from Saturday
till Thursday, even for tea-drinking. -