American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1879-11-01

Mr.. Gherkrn's face was almost as
bright as the sunshine as he descended
the steps of the Somerset house. at
begins well. And now for the others.
Tra-la-la, tra-la-la, tra-la-lan' he sang
to the great delight of the blue-eyed sis
ter who hung on his arm. Back to their
own street they went, and called at
number (their number was ~. Mrs.
Brewer was out, but the servant
promised to deliver the invitation
to her the moment she returned
home. Then to number 10: a large
family-one grandfather, two grand
mothers, father, mother, three aunts,
four uncles, six children-all delighted
to come. Across the way: Miss Lally's
boarding-house. Miss Lally would Gel
tainly be there, and thought she could
answer for all her boarders gentle
men, four ladies, and a baby, all of
whom, she assured Mr.. Gherken and
sister, We're extremely select. Next
door to boarding house; lame-boy, with
iiiseparable companion large Newfound-
land dog, mamma an invalid confined
to her room, papa, orphan cousin, and
! nurse. Lame boy, dog, orphan cousin,
and nurse only too happy to be among
the invited, and sure papa would be too.
Next door other side of Miss Lally's:
two old gentlemen in the coal trade
office in the basement-supposed to be
misers. '' Your servant, sir. Oh, not
coal, A party? We never go to par
ties.'' Then, at Mr.. Gherken's earnest
solicitation, thought they might break
through the rule for once. Number Z:
mysterious old woman living all alone
by herself. Popped her head out of the
second-story window, after they had
rang the bell six times, and told them
to 90 about their business. They went.
Handsome house on the corner: no one
to be seen but oldest SON. "Would
come, and bring the governor and the
girls; old lady going to Il concert-'pon
honor. Hadn't doubt it would be aw-
full fun-'pon honor And so on, until
all the people on both sides of the block
had been invited. Then to the florists,
the confectioner's, the bakers, and
home again.
The evening of the pretty widows
birthday arrived-a lovely evening it
was, too-and the man who was to play
the violin arrived, and all the invited
guests arrived, and We're ushered by the
maid in jaunty new cap with pink rib
bons, and apron to match, the ladies to
the second-story front room-N1iss
Philomela's own sacred apartment-and
the gentlemen to the back room, same
floor, and from thence to the fiower-be-
decked parlors. Annie-that was the
maids name-had an intimate friend to
assist her in her unfamiliar duties, and
that friend, to whom such duties were
very familiar, was one of the maids from
the house in the other street To think
that Miss Gherken, with all her clever
ness and keenness of vision, had never
discovered this friendship!
The very first arrivals, by-the-bye, af-
ter the man who played the violin, were
Mrs. Somerset, Miss Somerset, Master
Aubrey Somerset, and the banjo. The
presence of the latter had been specially
requested in note written to 'sTom,"
by the little widow, at the suggestion of
Mr.. Gherken.
Such merry time as they had!
They danced, they sang. they played
games, they ate supper. A delightful
supper: cold chicken, cold tongue, fried
oysters, salads, cake, ice-cream, lemon
ade, and many other things. And in
the midst of the supper a carriage drove
up to the door-there was SO much
noise no one heard it-and an elderly
woman jumped out before the driver
could get down from his seat to help
her, and stood a moment on the side
walk, staring at the brilliantly lighted
house. Only moment did she stare,
however. Then she stalked up the
stoop, pushed open the front door,
which stood son a JAR and in a mo-
ment more confronted the merry party.
Annie, the maid, in the act of handing
an ice to Miss Lally, who, seated beside
her poorest boarder, was beaming as
she had not beamed for years, caught
sight of the apparition first, and stood
with hand extended as though turned
to ice herself Then Mr.. Gherken raised
his laughing eyes-Miss Thomasina had
just said something very funny-and
exclaimed, d" Philomelai''
"Of the vale," added his fair guest,
and following his gaze, also beheld the
late conner.
eyes, Philomela!'' repeated Miss
Ghcrken, in her most .fife-likc tones
''And pray may l ask what is going on?
Why are all these strangers hcre?'
"These friends, replied Orlando,
g have been kind enough to join me in a
celebration of sister Mary's birthday"
"And that dog?'' pointing with stern
finger to the corner where the lame boy
sat RECALLING his faithful four-footed at
tendant with ice-cream.
''Is friend, too" said Orlando, quiz
city.
3" Bravoi'' said Miss Thomasina, I'M
der her breath, but in voice perfectly
audible to the gentleman. Ut trans
pired afterward that the state of affairs
i'm the Gherken establishment was well
known to the inmates of the house on
the other street.)
Miss Gherken cast a glance of the
greatest contempt at the assemblagc,