The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1883-03-01

a. trsi regiment OF tff nome aIAt"ss @"N
the rery small city OF San Pablo. Cal, VA
ia tnmult Of excitement over the event
This company had been in existence JUS
one rear. 70 il vas called grand annisersa
~ ball. With several other aourishes which
made the programmes look aOubly stylish
and important printed AS they we're Oh
white satin in gold letters.
The dining room Of the principal sote
was decorated With evergreens and flover'
until il looked lMe veritable garden. All
the tables, three in number. had beer
placed together In one end Of the room
aud chairs were placed thereon, forming
the musicians platform. -Four chairs
we're placed there, so 1t was remarked that
the music would undoubtedly be fine.
There was TO be a bass viol. cornet. vi.
cloncello and a violin. which Harris. the
hatcher, was TO manipulate, his strong
paint being when be callod out, "All prom
easde. and sawed away vigorously at the
Arkansas Traveller,
The sapper was laid in kind OF shed
buik fsx the occasion, and the rough
boards we're hidden in a wilderness OF eg'
argreen The tables were laden with good,
though homely fare, and one could see
through the chinks between the boards
piles of golden doughnuts and slabs Of
cheese. cold ham, picked tongue, chick
ems, pies and cakes, to say nothing ofthe
piles OF luscious fruits that render Califor-
MIA so famous, and the odor OF coffee and
tea came hot from the kitchen aud min
gled with that Of the wilderness Of flowers
that Allod the old Mission garden at the
back OF the hotel, for here it was that the
old Spanish priests had founded their mis-.
sion more than hundred years ago. and
had planted the pear orchard that was the
chief attraction OF the sleepy little town
aud even to this day the garden is kept up
with all its luxuriance and blossom as in
the days of yore.
The hotel had also received extra atten-
ttion for the present occasion, and rs the
enterprising proprietor remarked, ''The
choicest wines, liquors and cigars were OBJ.
"a inable in illimitable abundance.
All the afternoon parties were arriving,
&C ming thicker and faster toward night
ia u. many coming from Martinez, Benicia
an d some even from San Leandro while
o. kland sent fair deputation and few
ca me over the bay from San Francisco. to
as list at the great ball. Some parties
ca ne on horseback, the girls carrying
bai idboxes with their evenings toilet fast
enc to the pommels of their saddles,
Sot ae came in lumber wagons ten or fif-
teei together, and some came in smart lit
tie buggies just big enough to hold low
ing couple, and all brought the inevitable
bunt lie OF clothes for the festive occasion.
Ii had been raining hard all day, and most
Of th Q guests were spattered with mud,
and not very festal looking throng
Nearly all the ladies retired precipitately
to the g. 'adies' dressing room" where tho
mothers of small infants nursed them into
tran1uilit, and then dressed for the ball
None of tia N wanted any refreshments, as
all were say ing up their appeti.es for the
famous supper.
All this while am losing sight Of my
little hero inc. and will now present her.
She was a pretty. avery pretty young girl,
who lad ately come to the neighborhood,
that is to say, within about ten miles OF
San Pablo, aud she lived with her father.
Her mother had been dead years. ever
since she was seven years old. and from
then until now she had been her fathers
little housekeeper, and she had cooked
and scru bbed and worked with all her
might, and she was now a grown girl Of
seventeen pretty and lovable, hut very
much more ignorant than she Should have
been. She had 80 much work to do, and
her father never thought books were for
poor folks. Indeed, book would have
been the last thing he would have consid-
cred suitable to please q girl, had he been
buying her present. aud she had grown
up as untntored, but as sweet. as wild
| riar rose
One day farmers wife rode over from
M artinez to get ''settin' OF eggs" from
NJ ,ry's famous Brahma hen, and she had
wi at she called "a serious talk" with
the father, and told him he he ought to
allo " Mary more recreation, and that she
did not have any Of the pleasures of yonth
and in short that he ought to take her to
this coming ball.
Mary can't dance" he urged but she
replied:
.'Shc eau learn all there is to it in twen.
" minutes after she gets there and sees
OF tho rest do. Perhaps you haven't no.
i ccd il, fathers never do. but she is look
in. !, little peaked this winter, and it ap-
pea rs like little change would do her
goo.I. I'm going, and II you like Jim
and NELL take her along. II you don't
want 10 60.
Ma " came in just now. and the uneasy
father Looked and as he noticed the white
ness OF Of the broad forehead and the deli
cate flu sh Of the pretty cheeks could not
help bn I see that the pure oval face did
indeed COX frail and delicate. and he gave
a hasty md full consent. for he loved her
with q profound tenderness, under his
rough ext error
Mary ga yea pleased look Of gratitude
when her sth~ said:
"Mary. 'ould you like TO go TO the ball
a, San Pabl next weeky You would eh'
why didn't you tell me sos Here is
couple Of slu gs to fx you out. for want
-, A., io,k ~ wall as any of 'em