The Republican journal., 1883-08-16


Where flowers immortal bloom for thee
Fanny FORESTER
Meg's Advice.
1t was the dav after the party, and
can any day be any more utterly wretch
ed | mean, of course, to the people
who have given the party especially
when. like my uncle and aunt, they are
OF Quiet-going habits and moderate
means, and must let their guests dance
in the dining room and have supper in
the biggest bedroom.
1t was the day after the party, and
every individual in the house was miser-
able. The days before the party had
not been remarkable for comfort, but
they at least had been tingcd with the
radiance of hope and bright anticipation,
while nothing remained but "dregs and
bitterness" and 10 clear away and Get
the house into order again. This would
| have seemed rather dreary task in any
circumstances. darc say but it was
greatly aggravated by the fact that we
were all in very low spirits, or to put it
honestly, in dreadtuly bad tempers hay
inc each and all a special grievance OF
our own
My uncle's household consisted of
| himself and my aunt, Mr.. and Mrs. Gil
bee, their two sons, Christopher and
Peter, their two daughters, Lottic and
Sophy, and myself, Meg Morton, the
orphan daughter Of my aunts only sis
ter. My mother had died when | was
eight years cid, and my father whose
habits were 10y no means Of a domestic
kind, sent Inc to school, and allowed me
to spend all my holidays at my aunt's
and, when he died ant. all my sch00idays
were over, my temporary home became a
permanent one. This came to pass quite
naturally, and was taken as Il matter OF
course by my kind hearted cousins and
aunt Charlotte, who had always regarded
me as one Of her own children, never
seemed to suppose that she was confer
| ring any particular favor upon me by Civ
ing me happy home among them all.
But ] appreciated it, and endeayored to
prove my gratitude in every way posi-
ble. was older than Lottie and Sophy,
and left school before they did, and be
came very useful in the house Aunt
Charlotte was 0t nervous, timid nature,
and as J happened to be self possessed
and cool and decided, she soon came to
rely entirely upon my judgment and en-
ergy, and in a year or two | was house
keeper in chief, and my advice was
asked and pretty generally taken on
matters both small and great indeed,
''Megs advice" became proyerbial in
the household Naturally | grew a lit
tie dictatorial, for often wondered what
they could have done without me. Chris
was the only one could not manage
"Bully the others as much as you like, >
he would say, 'but you shall never bully
me; :" and some how or other never felt
inclined to try.
"Tit1s" occurred amongst us now and
then; but, on the whole. we We're Il very
happy family until the day after the par
! ty, when, as | have said, we We're each
and all miserable. My uncle was confin-
ed to his room with a bilious attack,
where he lay groanng and anathema-
tisng " that champagne" My aunt
looked very haggard when she first
came down in the morning, and hel
appearance did not brighten as she and
| | investigated the state of the crockery
| etc
Il shall never give party again." she
said quietly, but it was the quetness OF
despair. "Nine champagne glasses brok
en-, two sherries, and three Of the best
china plates, and great stain on the
drawing-room carpet. We might have
been entertaining set Of barbarians. :"
Christopher and Peter, usually the
most at1ectlonate of brothers, were not
now on speaking terms with each other
as my aunt and | discovered at break.
tast-time: and instead of going to bust
ness together, Peter fingered until Chris
had gone, and then started about five
minutes afterwards. This unfriendlines
arose, as well knew, because of a stylish
disagreeable London belle, whom some
friends of ours had brought with them t(
the party, and who had tlirted desper
ately, but with maddening impartiality
with both my deluded cousins. Hence
their coldness toward each other thi
morning. As for Lottie and Sophv,
wished, before the day was out, that the,
were not on speaking terms, for the,
were nagglng at each other all the time
and finished just before dinner with
downright spitetul quarrel and aun
Charlotte cried. Their grievance wa
about two brothers, Tom and Harry
Nowill; for Lottie liked Harry best ant
SOphy liked Tom; and with the usua
contrariness of mankind, Harry was il
love with Sophy and Tom with Lottie
50 it was usual, after every merry maxim!
we might have, for Sopby and Lofty t,
fall out about them. | felt veXed will
everybody; but | think was quite. jus
tilted in being so, for they would all per
sist in believing-or saying that they be
lieved-that was in love with ridiculou
John HOwarth, just because he happen
ed to be in love with me, and took car
that every one should know be was, too
did think some of them, ut least, nigh
have had more sense. And now this fin
London belle had appeared on the seen
oh, ] felt tempted to break anothe
best china plate and all the remainin:
sherry glasses as thought about it . Ant
if aunt had only known the state of min,
| was in, she never would have truste,
me to wash them up and put them away
Even our Newfoundland dog seemed t
share the general dissatisfaction, ant
kept coming from his kennel as far a
his chain would permit, and utterin,
long and dismal howls. The cook sail
that it was the sign of death; but tn
hOusemaid persisted that it foretold
wedding. | did not feel as if | care
much which il was or what happened
only | think | felt more inclined for
funeral than wedding, especially if th
wedding entailed a breakfast and-an
other party.
Nv amt and | had been uD as early a