The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1886-01-27
INTERESTING STORY.
A NEW YEARS DAY.

If you please, mem, it's the butchers
boy. He wishes you happy New Year.
Mrs. Fitz Audley frowned. She was pick.
ing out the few round, fair oranges that
were to be found in a basket of damaged
fruit that she had bought cheap Mrs. Fitz
Audley had q weakness for bargains), and
she did not care TO be disturbed in the avo-
cation.
Maria,n said she, tartly, az should
think you would know better than to come
here with such ridiculous message. Tell
the butchers boy to 60 about his business,
and then rub up the silver as quick as you
can, for it's past ten, and Miss Theoline will
want you presently to do her hair"
And accordingly Maria went back, and
blighted the hopes of the butchers boy,
who had dreamed of nickel, or, at the
very least, sugar-cake, in return for his
good wishes.
Missus amt one of the generous kind,
she ain't," said Maria, with sardonic
smile.
Make haste, Maria I" screamed Mrs.
Fitz Audley, over the basement stairs.
The parlor mirror wants polishing OF,
and the doorsteps are to be scrubbed, and
he covers must be taken of the furniture,
and the umbrella-stand cleaned. And,
Maria.n
Ma'am!"
&c Has the cake come from Signor Sal
Eratos ?"
Yessum -
"And the picked oysters ?n
They're down stairs, mem, ON the
kitchen-table, in tin pail"
g Be sure you're very careful not to let
the cat get near them, Maria And the
wine, Maria-is it properly iced ?H
:" Mr.. Fitz Audley, mem, be saw to that
yrumbled Maria, beginning to lose pa.
tience.
Very well, said the lady. "Ill come
down and cut the cake directly. And there
are the boa-6ons, and the nuts and raisins
to arrange yet, and the coffee to make. Oh,
dear I wish rheoline would be little
more prompt in dressing We're getting
all behindhand !"
But at one o'clock Miss Theoline Fitz
Audley made her appearance, in all the
glories of rose-colored silk gown with low
neck and short sleeves, kid gloves wrinkled
up above the elbows, fan as big as tea.
tray, and long, loose, yellow curls foatine
down over her shoulders.
- How do look, ma 2" said Miss Fitz
Audley, pausing before the mirror with O
languishing air.
Like an angel, love ~ said her mother,
who had just succeeded in buttoning her.
self into an uncomfortably-ti light black velvet
dress, and whose Rhinestone diamond
sparkle with lack-lustre beams.
81 don't think you've got flowers enough
on the table, na," said Theoline, with a
critical glance toward the back parlor where
the hospitable arrangements of the day
were now compete.
81 know, dear." said the pertnrbed ma
tron but fowers are so shockingly dear
on New Years Day. Tea-roses, twenty
cents each smilax, half a dollar yard ;
and yiolets, four dollars hundred-and
your father perpetually preaching econo-
my ~
"Oh, wouldn't pay any attention to
pas nonsense, said the dutiful Theoline.
" You might have hired few camellias and
lemon-trees and things, to fill up the ugly
angles of the room, for What's this on
The floor? ?"
"Ies your Aunt Kerenhappuch's letter."
,aid Mrs. Fitz Audley. " must have Drop
ped it out of my pocket"
s.Tiresome old thing! said Theoline,
practicing the effects of various graceful
attitudes on the sofa. THE idea Of her
wanting to come hero aud pass New Years
Day with us But it was capital idea Of
yours, ma, to write back that pa was sick,
and the house would be closed to callers
his year"
Something had to be done," said Mrs.
Fitz Audley, arranging the draperies of the
window little more to her taste. We
couldn't have such an old antediluvian as
that in our parlors if Why, good grac-
ious there she comes now !"
Theoline ran to the window with little
shrek.
Sure enough, there was cheap cab stop
ping at the door, with a moth-eaten hair
trunk, studded with brass nails, on the top,
and a stout old lady in a poke bonnet and q
mangey squirrel-skin cloak issuing from its
depths.
"Put ont the gas, mai" screamed Theo.
line. "Lcck the drawing-room doors
Tell Maria to say we're not receiving
Where's my pinaigrette? do think shall
faint awayl"
Mr.. Fitz Audley, who, in u brand-new
suit, silk hat, MS yet unpaid for, and
straw-colored kid-gloves, was just about
issuing forth to make calls, was hustled
back up stairs, and hidden by the flustered
Maria " not to stir out until missus had
spoke to him."
Tbeoline remained pe,du in the darkened
irawing-room. Mrs. Fitz Audley, with
serge wrapper thrown over the splendors Of
the black-velvet gown, advanced to meet
Aunt Kerenhappuch Johnson, from Owl
Creek, who had thus inopportunely ar
rived
"My dear aunt" she cried; what
very unexpected pleasure this is"
Thought I'd surprise you" chuckled
the old woman. "And If George is SICK
there can't be no better nurse than I be-
I've fetched along some o them YARDS !
gethered and dried myself, and o bottle Of
Widow Crupman's cough syrup, and He
amt no wuss, is he? P'r'aps I'd better go
to him direct"