Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-11-03

IOf me, woven anu emUlOIuelcu Will
beautiful flowers. Another is gown
of foamy Canton Grape as white as
snow, and they are so pretty | am
sure I shall never dare to wear them.
Grandma says they shall be kept for
my wedding. Aunt Esther says it is
not seemly for such thoughts to be
put into maiden's head, but Aunt
Content gave me the other day a
whole piece of linen from the fall
bleach to be kept, she said, for day
of need.
At all events my finery is packed
away in gums and spices in foreign
box, and is not likely to turn any
silly maiden's head at present.
Cousin has returned to Boston,
and yesterday he sent by a trusty
messenger another sea chest. II is
large box of tea, the first that was
ever seen on the island, real Chinese,
which Nat himself procured IN China.
1t is of a greenish color, with little
shrivelled leaves, and when eaten
dry has pleasant, spicy taste. Per-
haps when I send this letter / can
enclose some that you may see what
it is like. He also sent letter say
ing that when he returns to Nam
tucket, the owner of the ship in which
he voyaged, Capt. Morris, will come
with him from Boston to pay us a
visit.
We are again making master prep
arations for visitors; and if you will
believe it, the great parlor, which
has not been used since Mehitable's
wedding, is to be opened. The floor
has been newly waxed and polished,
and we have spread down here and
there beautiful mats which cousin
Nat brought, with many curious and
handsome things which are hung on
the walls and spread on the table and
mantel piece, and the huge fire of
: logs the sharp weather now renders
e needful in the chimney sends out
! such a glow that you can have no
conception how finely the room ap-
q pears. was admiring it this morn
ing when Aunt Esther rebuked me
:, gravely, saying, The bright things
of this world are of short duration !;
but dear, gentle grandma said, with
q a smile, that it was natural and right
i for the young to admire beauty, al
II which Aunt Esther seemed much dis
e pleased. / sometimes think she does
d not like me because 1 am young, bu
y that cannot be. Yet / cannot quit,
l. understand how, being my own swee
he mothers sister, she can be so unlik,
t. her.
ut We have just had tidings tha
~ cousin Nat and his friend Captain
er Morris intend to arrive here on th
is 31st of December. Uncle Nathanie
le says he will have tea party and in
1t vite Lieut.. Macey's family, and Un
in Gle Edward Starbuck's family, and
st few others to meet our guests, an
n to sit the old year out and the ne
r. year in
nd We cooked beautiful dinner an
er our guests all came. / wore my ne
n blue gown with some lace grandm
gave me in the neck, and my ow
a dear mothers gold necklaces
at tied back my curls, that cousin n:
ell will not allow me to braid, with
es blue ribbon which he bought in Lol
don. Aunt Esther said men disliE
SIX to see girls look so brave, but gran,
'af pa kissed me and called me "a bonn
ny bluebell'
ow Aunt Content has been much pc
ers tered in her mind because she kne
ar not how to serve her tea or cook
and after our neighbors were assen
ell bled she confided to them her perple:
ar ity. They all gathered around Il
ON chest, smelling and tasting the fl
IA, grant herb. Mrs. Macy said 81
re, had heard that it ought to be W,
ons cooked to make it palatable Au
My Edward Starbuck SAID lady in Bo
md ton who had drank tea told her
ing needed a good quantity for steepin
Tay which was the reason it was so e
ne. pensive, so Aunt Content hung Il
de, bright five-gallon bell-metal kettle
to the crane, and putting two-qua
18th bowlful of tea in it with plenty
18th water, swung it over the fire, al
the Aunt Esther stayed in the kitchen
be keep it boiling.
her While I was laying the table
ys, heard Lydia Ann Macy say, L ha
OK heard that when tea is drunk it gives
ust brilliancy to the eyes and YOUTH
his freshness to the complexion. 1 q
) a afraid thy sister-ln-law failed to p
IT'S in enough of the leaves. So Au
oft- Esther put in another bowlful. VIII
the the tea had boiled an hour my cous
and Capt. Morris arrived. Then
tall tea, which had boiled down to abo
and a gallon, was poured into grandm;
zed silver tankard and carried to the
ms. BILE, and each guest was provid
,iry with one of her silver porringer
ND also with cream and Jumps of sugs
in The captain talked to me befo
He dinner, and told him before 1 KIN,
all | was getting confidential how y
ex- were all off in the wlds. He said E
hall terprise was what the new count
needed, and that it was not best
ted have Nantucket peopled entirely w
his Starbucks. That / was one of