Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-01-26
WlNNIE'S FORTUNE.


The handsome dining room in the May
berry mansion was all a-glitter with foods
of gaslight and the genial glow of the
tire-for Mr.. Josiah Mayberry was very
"queer man. according to his wife's
opinion, and this fancy of his to have
nasty, ashy fires all over the splendid
mansion before the weather became cold
enough was one of his eccentric freaks, !"
Mrs. Mayberry called it, with curl of
her lip, toss of the head and a smile,
almost of contempt, directed at the hale,
honest-faced old gentleman who had
married her for her pretty face ten years
ago, when he was an immensely rich
widower, with his handsome half grown
SON for not undesirable encumbrance.
They were sitting around the hand
some table, discussing theirseven o'clock
dinner, with the solemn butler and his
subordinate in silent, obsequious atten-
tion-these three Mayberrys, father, son
and the naughty, well dressed lady who
was wearing decided frown Of dis
pleasure on her face-a frown she had
barely power to restrain from degenerat-
ing into a verbal expression of anger
while the servants were in waiting, and
which, as the door finally closed on them,
leaving the little party alone, burst
forth impetuously:
81 declare, Mr.. Mayberry, it is too
bad! l have gone over the list of invita-
tions you have made, and to think there
Is not one no, not one-of our set
among them, and such horrid lot of
people as you have namedw
Mr.. Mayberry slipped his wine content
edly.
Il told you, didn't I, Marguerite, that
it was my intention to give an old-fash-
ioned dinner2 And by that meant, and
mean, to whom it will, indeed, be cause
for thankfulness. As to making grand
fuss, and seeing around our table only
the people to whom a luxurious dinner
Is an everyday occurrence shall not
do it. And as to the guests on my list
being 'horrid' and Common you are
mistaken, my dear. None of them have
asworse failing than poverty. There is
not common vulgar person among
the ten names ON that paper.n
Mr.. Mayberry's good old face lighted
up warmly as he spoke, and Ernest
Mayberry's handsome face reflected the
satisfaction and pride he felt in his
fathers views.
Mrs. Mayberry flushed, but said moth
ing.
She knew from experience that, kind
and indulgent as her husband was there
were times when he suffered no appeal
from his decision. And this was one
those times.
"We will have dinner ordered for 10
o'clock, as it used to be when I was O.
boy. We will have roast turkey with
cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes
and turnips, boiled onions and celery,
and all on the table at once. For des.
sert, pie and cheese and nothing more.
Marguerite, shall | give the order to
Lorton, or will you attend to it2"
Mrs. Mayberry twisted her diamond
rings almost roughly.
"Oh, don't ask me to give such an in
sane order to him. | have no wish to
appear as q laughing stock before my
servants, Mr.. Mayberry. It will be as
severe a strain on my endurance as / am
capable of to be forced to sit at table
with such people as tine Hurds and the
Masons, and that Thyrzra Green and her
lame brother, and that little old Will
mington and his granddaughter,
and"-
Mr.. Mayberry interrupted her gently:
Old Mr. Wilmington was friend of
mine long before he went to India.
Since he came home with his sons infant
daughter and lived in such obscurity-
comfortable, although plain, for Winnie
earns enough as daily governess to sup
port them both cheaply regard him as
more worthy than ever Ernest, my boy,
| shall call upon you to help entertain
our guests, and especially at table, for 1
snail have no servants about to scare
them out Of their appetites. y
And Mr.. Mayberry dismissed the sub
ject BY arising from the table.
X Il
"Would like to go9 Oh, grandpa,
/ should Will we go, do you think ~
The little, wizened old man looked
fondly at her over his steel-rimmed
glasses.
So you'd like to accept Mr.. May
berry's invitation to dinner, eh, Winnie 2
You wouldn't be ashamed of your old
fashioned grandfather, eh, among the
fine folk of the family ? Remarkably
fine folk, I hear for all I can remember
when Joe was boy together with my
self. Fine folk, Winnie, and you think
,uia,d hattor ,r, 2,f al3asss