Hand County press. (Miller, Dakota [S.D.]) 1882-1893, 1882-05-24

you ever hear me say word about
having metal wedding, know al
once that am crazy or in my dotage
When we get so low as to invite
people to give us presents, | will &c
round with a subscription paper, but
will never get up the modern farce
Of silver or golden wedding"
"Then, here are the Livingstons. y
pursued the lady. "who, having just
come to town, but real quality peo-
pie, whom it is best to place under
obligations to as; and Square Hard
ing"
"Who invited me to his breakfast
because he wanted my vote, ssspt in
/ pater-familius unpieasantly. But
it's all right, my dear, all right,
suppose, only one can't help wonder
ing what the Savior meant, when he
said: when thou makest dinner
or supper, call not thy friends nor
thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen
nor thy rich neighbors, lest they bid
thee again, and a recompense be
made thee"
Probably that will all be changed
in the new translation" said Alice,
who was disposed to be bit cynical,
like her father, and to see through
the yeneering of society shams.
Let us pass lightly over the dread
ful days of preparation; the turning
upside down of the house from top to
bottom, the polishing of silver, the
importation of crockery and extra
heip(D, and the endless cooking,
cooking, for the Barnes family could
not afford to order their supper from
the local Delmonico's. So the young
er children stoned raisins and beat
eggs, and enjoyed immensely the
confusion and general air of some-
thing coming; and the family SUBJ
sisted upon outside slices of roasts,
unfortunate biscuits and test pieces
of cake. Some things went wrong,
of course, and had to be done over,
and there was hurry and terrible anx-
iety for Mrs. Barnes, who, / am sorry
to say, lost her temper several times,
and developed unknown powers of
scolding. But everything was whisked
into line at the very dast moment,
and the poor lady, with a racking
headache, was trying to get dressed
and composed, when somebody an
nounced the first carriage.
"How dreadfully early some peo-
pie do come. Here, Alice, help me
on with this lace, quick; ! hoped to
have moment to breathe"
"Mamma, these new boots hurt me
atTully," groaned little May, an un-
comfortable child, who had not yet
learned the ways of the world. 81
would rather wear my old ones"
mo, no, never mind if they do
hurt little, they are lovely, so slim
and high, and such perfect match
for your dress" And SO the poor
child stood in simple misery all the
evening. taking her first lesson in the
ways of the world.
AT THE PARTY.
"Good evening, my dear Mrs. Rol-
Inns; how kind of you to come early;
we shall have time for a real little
visit before there are other arrivals"
Mrs. Barnes had headache; per-
haps she had forgotten what she said
upstairs.
But why describe the usual rou-
tine of hollow compliments, of pretty
nothings, of flattest platitudes, which
make up the conversation of such
gathering. OF course, the guests
discussed the flowers, the few pic
lures, the music, the supper, each
others dresses and the minister. o,
much enduring clergy, what would
society do without you, and the
weather?
The supper was really good, and
that constituted the "entertainment"
mostly. There was some soulless
music, for Miss Alice played the
piano little-of course, all young
ladies must, whether they have any
music in their souls or not.
The gentlemen smoked after sup
per, but that was done one side
somewhere, as questionable things
usually are.
About midnight the last guest had
vanished into the darkness, each one
saying in, due form with his good
night: "a delightful evening, Mrs.
Barnes; your companies are always
so chsrming"
AFTER THE PARTY.
Remarks like these in the going
home carriages: "Such stupid
affair! Why will people like the
Barneses try to ape gen.ility, and
give fashionable parties when they
don't know how?"
"Why, indeed! Everything was
stiff as poker; and what supper!
such vulgar profusion in everything;
and so little silver or table orna-
ments."
Did you notice the spoons were
plated, and half of them borrowed, l
do believe. As for me, I wouldn't
have party if / couldn't afford the
largest size napkins"
swell, we must at least give Mrs.
Barnes the credit of being most
charming hostess. l think she thor
oughly enjoys seeing her friends; but
L., l,.La,d ,,,..t ka an <-raa< tr;.l a.,