Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1882-05-26

Al DINNER CARD.
madame est servie. y

=
band
Mr.. Huntley, whom long years OF
practice had rendered perfect in meter
Of host. comprehended the almost i'm
perceptible signal, offered his arm to
Mrs. Elphinstone, with whom he was
talking, and moved toward the door.
The company followed in a softly rust
hing procession, Mrs. Huntley bringing
up the rear, on the arm Of Alex Dent,
her husbands junior partner, freshly
returned from China, and the guest OF
the evening There was no confusion
az to place. Mrs. Huntley had reduced
dinner giving TO a science, and each
detail was carefully planned and pro-
vided for. a nod, . blithesome smile
u tie right and left, tile gesture Of 4
lilac gloyed hand, and each person was
ii his appointed place at the table-a
table spread with wondrous fashion of
the day, and to whose adjoining had
gone I'LL the resource and the lavish ap-
pliance If modern decorative art.
The family tinted and heavily en-
broidered cloth was overlaid here and
there with lengths of linen, transpa-
rently fine, and edged with priceless
lace. A multitude Of tapers, rose, red
or green, each with its little lacc-trim-
med shade, east their play CLOVIS on the
low bank Of flowers that ran the tables
length, on the alternate fire and rides
cence Of many hucd glasses. and the
IewcIed gieam Of Salyirti decanters and
snlteeilaFs Beside each lady's plate
stood i'm arrangement Of choice roses
III the form Of horseshoe; for every
gentleman WIS Il boatoaniere of lilies;
and upon the napkins lay exquisite
dinner cards Of white silk, hand-plint-
Hi, and scented with vioIets.
Such dinner tables are too common
III the luxurious life to-day 10 attract
special attention from those to whom
they ARE customary spectacles But
Alex Dent bad gone c. China before the
the tide III modern luxury mLd risen 10
hnlf-llooI, and was too lately returned
O. have grown wonlel to its exhibition.
He admired, and spoke To his adj
miration admired the arrangements OF
the flowers, the beautiful glass, the per-
fect adaptation of detail % effect; and
Mrs Hnnlcy listened IL his cuIugiums
with pleasure. II was an old story to
her but women do rot easily weary
Of hearing their household gods ex-
tolicd
What i land of luxury il has grown
NJ hc' III went Oh. What pains are
layished on the merest trihcsl This
card, even" picking up the one be
SIDE his plate why, il ii Il little work
oi art, really charming
80 i il, admitted Mrs. Hnntley
Those people Ill tile Decorative Art
Society dohavc the loveliest things. A
great many of their designs are made
by real artists you know"
But don't know" Their WAS no
Decorative Art Society when | went
away replied Alex, still studying the
ailken painting intensely As he look
ed, q sudden thought seemed To come
To him. His eyes gave out Il swift
sparkle, then set as though seeing n
vision. For brief moment lie was
OhllyiOti5 III the very existence of his
handsome hostess. This was the pict-
urc that Alex Dents mind was looking
nj room ina stately city house; II
girl seated III i hay window shaded
with amber curtains. painting flowers
at little table; himself il raw, sensi
two boy, seated near her, his hat on
his knees watching the sheen cast by
the amber light ON her satin-smooth
hair. Watching the long lashes which
shaded her eyes, the slender fingers
which played rather nervously with
the paint=hrnsh struggling with words
which he had resolved not TO speak,
wretehed ut the enforced silence, mt
the sense Of coming separation Ii was
4 picture which had frequently risen
before lis mind during the ten Years Of
I'M absence; Int what had revived it
now lie studied the dinner card 10
md out
CSelament Ics. is was group of
cyclanlenthat Evelyn Morris was paint
lng that Inst morning. lIe remembered
u perfectly now. There was something
III tie graceful little picture that re-
called her style. the ehoiceness and
charm which seemed lnseparable from
NIL that she touched or did. And Just
III that moment two tiny letters caught
his eve traced III the shadow Of leaf,
t. NJ. Could they stand for Il Impos-
Flhlel and vet
Ten yelrs had taught the raw boy
worldly wisdom Ills pause Of retro
spet took him much less time than |
have occupied III telling, and he recoy-
cred himself in time t. betray nothing
Ia his bright-eyed hostess Soup and
Chahhs had been followed by fish and
entrees. before, with skillful inadyer-
tcncc, liz returned u the subject Of the
dinner card.
Who creates these dainty things,
DO you SUPPOSE" he queried.
"All sorts of people, no doubt.
They don't tell unless YOU ask. and
perhaps hot then. hut never thought
u ask ! prrsnme great many Things
are the work IL poor ladies who are
glad to earn little something under
the rose
'And arc all these IN the table BY
tile same hand.
'Oh yeF, they come III regular sets
ten N dozen. or dozen and half III
each These silk ones are awfully dear
eighteen dollars the iozrn-but then
they afe the prettiest | ever saw.
Theresa, please show your card to
MT Dent He mas been 50 long iii
China that he isn't used to such vani-
ties rs tie rest of us are
Don't you use dinner cards in
China2 asked Theresa, otherwise Mrs.
Denham. i handsome, sleepy blonde,
with fringe of oddly colored yellow
hair falling above her eyes. She out
did her commission. for She borrowed
her ueighhors' cards left and right. and
placed half dozen of the pretty things
within Alexis reach while she spoke.
ia suppose We must have something
of the sort, but not like these. or sure
" would have enotieed them" he re-
piled, " he studied the cards. The
subjects were various-a spray of wild
azalea; i wooabine tangle with an elf
balanced therein rs iii swing: Il lily
with sleeping fay in its cup; curve
otlasmine framing III reach of pale
sea and one tiny sail. Each and all
bore the impress of the same delicate
taste, and III every one-in the darkest
leaf If the lily, beneath the shadow Of
the woodbne swing, and the crest Of
the breaking wsve-appeared the same
family traced +. NJ. Alex Dent studied
them with an interest that made his
neighbors smile; then recollecting him.
self he pushed them aside, and the con-
yersation shifted t. other matters.
II was not till the ice had come and
gone that he ventured on the question
which through all the progress of the
dinner had heen unnarnnost IN his