The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1880-04-18
OUR EVENING PARTY.

from tho city ana found double supply
my favorite hot buttered mullins awaitin
me, and my clippers 80 nicely aired on th
hearth. But ! was sure OF IL when my vii
said, smiling: II hope you Will like the tel
dear; put an extra spoonful In, because It,
such black night, for you;' and when m
eldest daughter Molly laughed SO yer
heartily at my old story OF the Chinese mie
sionary, which think 80 good that talk
every opportunity Of repeating 1t.
NOW. Molly" said /. as took down m,
meersehaun after tea, "now, Molly, wha
Ia Ii ~
What Is what, papa ?" said Molly; bu
abe blushed and laughed conscious littl
laugh. oil the same.
Come" retorted, "let us have 1t. Wha
Is 1t you want to coax out of me now2"
well, Molly, as papa seems SO cunning q
finding us out, think we hsd better tell hin
what we have been talking about" said my
wife, with o slightly nervous litter.
"a great deal better, you most artful o.
women, " said I.with oil the sternness coulc
muster, and no more compliments 10 my
superior wisdom, II YOU please. | am quite
aware you are only oiling the machinery to
make 1t run round your own way. All at.
tempts. too, to bride the court with more
mullins viii only iniure your CASE Proceed
therefore"
swell, James," replied my wife, "the girls
and ! have been talking oil the afternoon,
and--ahem r
And oil the morning, too, have no doubt
40 lar the court quite agrees with you, mad
Rm,' ! Interrupted, blowing out one of my
most sarcastic wreaths of smoke.
These poor things, james. do so want you
70 give them an evening paTty-something q
rth T.,
my wife continued. hurrying on like the
stream when 1t has come to the brink of the
preoiploe.
An evening party" / repeated in amaze
fnent.
"Oh, yes do, papa" said Molly, sitting
down on the hassock ut my feet aud putting
her rosy cheek on my knee, She liz an admira-
BILE hand ut coaxlng, la Molly.
Yes, dear, why should we not be like our
nI.elghbors, ut least sometimes like. Mrs.
cling cut an acquaintance who was my pet
aversion.
well, because we can't, II we tried: we
haven't got the money" replied. You
must surely see what nonsense 1t Is to talk
of our being like Vyner, when his partner
ship In Double X brings him In q couple Of
thousands year. and have barely as many
hundreds"
well, but we might just show Mrs. vyner
we know what's what"
1t was mean advantage which my wife
lane was taking, and she knew it.. Mrs.
Vyner was from the same county town as
myself, and on the strength Of her father hav-
Ing had thousand year In land land heaven
knows how much more In rustic stupidity y
had always considered herself entitled to play
the part OF D superior being toward us, Nor
was she content with thinking this, but was
determined we should admit her glorious gu
In style, house, furniture and be-
longings. In word. she was my special alb
horrenee. and II there was one thing should
have liked II would have been to see Mrs. v.
ness OF mine very well, and consider 1t an
action on her part to have ap-
pealed to 1t. However. for the present re-
sisted the temptation firmly. Lin truth. the
notion Of our giving an evening party was a
city company with about three hundred a
year We had already sacrificed to the
graees OF London society-appearanoes-
by taking o decent house at Not
ling Hill, and had hard work, what with
Ned's schooling and the finishing" OF my two
daughters to keep our heads fairly above
water. 30, Ikea sensible man, | had hitherto
Always insisted on dining at / 80, and had
never received my friends otherwise than at
lea and supper, in the plainest of plain
ways Ii they liked to drop In ut such times
and many OF them did, we were always de-
lighted TO see them, and under these cireum-
stances had many q pleasanter chat and
laugh, / dare say, than fall to the lot OF
grander houses. The very freedom of this
kind OF visiting, the knowledge that you can
come and 40 when you like do and talk as
you like, aud that the more you please your
sef the better you will please YOU host, suit
my constitution exactly: and L believe that In
liking IL am only one OF o vast majority of
London gentlemen. For the ladies dare not
speak.
When we went to bed, however, my wife
returned to the attack. and did not leave me
lntil she was victorious Her chief argument
low was that we ought to give Molly q
chance; and Molly thought so herself. There
yas young Kelly looking very sweet at her
elbow like Hun to Come forward unless he saw
ne knew somebody, aud were not quite out OF
he pale OF good society"
My DEAR" sad |, pray don't put those |
'iily notions Into Moily's head. Kelly always
md net on Molly"
"Ah, the Vyners always try to make out |
hat he 10 quite devoted to them but tiatter |
myself know white from black when see
ives, yes, indeed"
dollie this party said Reluctantly
Yes, that would be good excuse for be- |
INNING. But ! think we ought to give one |
very year for the future"
4 groaned In spirit and said: "Pray let us |
ret safely over this before we talk of any
4NoA0. SShsSSS tuiuh lU6 WHO'S upLlOu aD-
uru-thes expense, the trc uble, the proba-
llity OF o breakdown with such servants as
urs:, But suppose you must have your
Fay,"
Accordingly. In the morning, my wife and
wo daughters formed themselves into per-
lament committee OF ways and MEANS They
ecided that things could not possibly be got
eady under month. and for the whole OF
hat time we were In state Of disturbances.
Inst, 1t was found out that the drawing
DOM curtains were old and shabby, and we
aust have new ones; then the dining-room
arpet did not suit the Northumberland Won
fould not wish people TO think We had no
sste, dearY said my wife. Now, 1t was my
Id bookcase that had to be showed into an
nObtrusive corner, where had to go and
unit for my papers In the desk; next. one
early broke ones neck over q new music
land which had arrived that morning. and
az 10 The passage s'only just for minute,
u the carpet was put down." then, II my
'iendo came In, there was scarcely q single h
lace where one could sit down. In q word,
u our quiet, homely, comfortable ways were
an end; and what with upholsterers, car q