Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-07

Mrs. Pickering's or Col Lees, and walked
home with her. He would do so without
asking leave beforehand, or with asking
leave, as might happen. Indeed, this illus
tration was the only one he used, in tbs
lame attempt he made to excuse himself to
Sarah as they rode together. why, of
course you were to go with me, from the
first moment we talked it over at Madam
Endicott's. I should as soon ask Parson
Bentley to come and preach next Sunday.
l no more thought of asking you to come
with me than 1 thought of asking you to
walk home with me from my mothers"
The young people of 100 years ago Ger
tainly knew how to enjoy themselves. Here
were more than 80 gay couples, each lad and
each maid dressed and well dressed for win
ter; here were more than 90 gay horses, or
spans of horses, who enjoyed the frolic
as much as those who drove them. Here
was an innocent earth white with "inno-
noeent snow" and over it heaven of un-
spotted and unclouded blue. The country
rolls a little, just enough to vary frost.
There was forest enough, and not too much,
enough for the cheerful suggestion of life
and strength and shelter which invariably
belongs to the grave, good-natured, hospit-
able evergreen, while through open fields
and with long afternoon shadows the merry
party could scamper on. Sometimes they
shouted to each other. Sometimes one sleigh
party struck up song, and the neighbors
before and behind, took it up, and
in a long trailing fugue it ran
on the voices of half mile of
singers. More often, what Lady Delacour
called propinquity did its perfect work, and
the two partners said aloud to each other
what they need not whisper, and talked of
one or another trihe or of one another of the
eternities. More easily than they could
have talked were they looking into each
others faces, or were there any possibility
of another listener.
And so, in an hour and a half of the
liveliest life which can be conceived, the
gay young party, driving always north in
the bright afternoon, came to the hill on
which Ipswich stands, and almost for the
first time the drivers drew rein little as
the horses walked up to Squire Beers
tavern. The sun vas just setting in the
unclouded west, and as one after another of
the ladies was'almost lifted from the sleigh
by her cavalier, the party grouped together
to watch the daily wonder as the red ball
sunk down behind the hills. For moment
only, and then they all rushed into the open
halls of the great tavern, and welcomed
the preparations which had been made for
them.
- No one had forgotten to send word to Mr.,
Beers. Bellies might have been forgotten,
but not the entertainment for the evening,
A messenger had informed him the day be-
fore that a party of the gayest and bright
est and best of Salem would be there, and
half Ipswich had been at work 10 make the
proper preparation. There was FIRE of oak
in every fireplace of every room. In the
hall there stood great pitchers of flip, which
only needed to be heated; and in the great
fireplace of the corner room, which was 4
sort Of room of entrance, were a dozen
pokers at white heat, waiting to be used at
the moment of arrival. As one girl after
another was led in by her attendant, he took
her to one or another of the tables on which
these great pitchers of sweetened cider, per
haps with little spirit, stood, and one or
another laughing attendant brought the
heated poker and plunged it in. No 9irI
thought that she did anything wrong "a She
slipped from the hot cup which her attend-
ant poured out for her. There woulS ha
some joking about little ashes. more 4.
less, which stuck, perhaps, to her red nose
or fingered on her lip; but a Ne,
a generation before the time -
anyone would have said to herithat sba ~. -.
violating any law, human or divine "a 81
refreshed herself. After this welcome fbs
girls scattered to places where they were led
BY the ready maidens Of the tavern. and