Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-02-07
TAKEN By SURPRISE.

IL seems good, after all-now dom
1t, Patty to have the house lighted uI
sgain, though it's made deal Of work
and a considerable fuss and trouble for
Just day. But folks will have their
whims; and i, ism, often my folks is
whimsiful, 50 don't complain and I
know YOU don't. Patty"
No, Mrs. Dobson, said good natured
Patty; d" I'm willing to work and take
pride hxin' up for Miss Dolly; it's her
party, you know. And Jsques tells me
al the young ladies is TO bring their own
partners. There'll be sleigh ride to-
morrow morning, for they do say there
never was such sleighing as there be this
year; and in the evening the German.
And what time is the supper tonight,
Mrs Dobsoa:'
Half past ten. replied the house
keeper, "and here it is quarter of nine,
and the train due at half past. Well,
they'll have a good supper no, but W ha,
We could have done without that Fren ch
cook sent with Jaques. for don, hoid
to French cookery, and never shall: il s
my idea taa, frogs and crokits and N.Y.
nice Is del,.rious 10 Americans that was
brough, up on the Mayfower, and baked
beans. and good stiff pumpkin pie. And
they Il have an appetite for 1t, ridin' across
the cold hills through the drivin' wind in
that great straw ridge sledge Of Greats
the only thing tha, could be pitched
upon TO hold sixteen; and there's sixteen
coming, all told"
Dear me e.' said Patty And |
wonder who Miss Dolly's partner is: II
It's ths, pretty, curly-hesded Mr.. Ned
Ber,on, don't blame her for goin' agin'
Mrs. Derwent little. Now, what does
make Mrs Derwent hate Mr.. Ned =
and she does hate him in dead earnest. A"
al can tell you,' said Mrs. Dobson ;
'',is because she has got another husband
in her eye for Miss Dolly. If she has,
what bizness is, of mine: What bizness
is't of yours, Patty: You ough. to know
better than TO be meddling with the sf-
fairs Of your be,;ers-a young thing like
you."
Whereupon the gossips parted, Mrs.
Dobson 10 20 down stairs and watch the
salad dressing lin which even TO her sat.
isfsc,ion the French cook pla yed the pre-
scribed third part of mailman 10 stir
i, up" and Patty to 20 up stairs for a
last look at Miss Dolly's room. which
was all in order, and like baby
house. so Patty thought, for cunnin'
things"
A real girls room it was. though Dolly
was young lady grown, eighteen her
last birthday. and "out" this winter.
As Patty fitted round the room, feather
duster IN hand. and fingered fondly at
the "duchesse," as Mrs. Dsrwent called
the lace drsped toilette whose mirror was
bestuck with cards and photographs, a
card dropped from somewhere and lit
upon the blue pin-cushion. Patty lifted
it, somewhat troubled. for she had been
ordered not to touch the mirror, and she
knew by one transgression Of that order
that if the array came tumbling down
like a csrd-house there was no putting 1t
up again to cheat Miss Dolly.
She looked at the men,ento ruefully.
1t was large card, with gray crest in
the corner and few written lines. She
turned il over. On that side, too, there
was writing. but in different colored ink,
and much finer. Patty could not read
handwriting, but she said TO herself,
This card is Miss Dolly's; shall / try
TO put il back in the mirror. and perhaps
push down the others, or, perhaps, put
it in the wrong place, so Miss Dolly will
know have been touching them: No;
III Just stand it up this way, with the
crest side outward, right in front OF the
pin. cushion. and she'll see it and know
it's her'n
Then Patty took her last look At the
pet room, turned down the lights and
shu, the door, and went, with less en-
thusissm, through the other guest cham
bers. And before long the great sledee,
with its six horses and its hundred bells
and its merry people came rushing and
jingling and singing and shouting up 10
the door. And supper was ready and
the young people just few to their rooms
to drop their wraps. And then, at the
last moment, il was discovered there
were seventeen guests instead Of the siI-
-. ov;dad for. and Miss Dolly. with