Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-28
A SURPRISE PARTY.
PART I.

PART L
IL wasabeut 8 o'clock On January Afternoon.
Lady Susan Winstanton and that fashionable
young portrait painter, Fransis Davsnant, we're
sitting by the fire in deep consultations; Miss
Winstanton was near the window enjoying shs
satisfact ton OF thinking that she was reading
Heine, and close beside her was very pretty
and interesting looking girl of eighteen, whom
Lady Susan had recently engaged as COM
psnion to her daughter and servicsable ssstant
to herself. The services which Lady Susan ex-
pected from Fraulein Lorenz were manifold.
She was to be always ready to write letters and
notes, to find missing thimblss and scissors. to
know where books had been laid down and
| left and what had become OF magazines aud
| newspapers. She was also expected to be very
enthusiastic about any matter in which Lady
Susan was interested, a point in which
iiss Winstanton singularly deficient.
Fraulen Lorenz had other tasks to perform for
Miss Nlnstapton. To her she was to serve as
/ dictionary. Having the most rudimentary ac-
/ quaintance with German, Miss Wiustanton took
book full of subtle turns of thought and dlfi-
cult idioms, and read it by constantly referring
| to her companions
What IL Zunkerp" she asked before they
| had sat for five minutes.
Quaker! 1t must be Junker." replied Frau
! lein Lorenz, who had that moment heard
name uttered by MIR. Davenant which keeniy
interested her.
But Junker does not make sense, and the
word looks much more like Bunker. The
j. in this edition do look like rs. though"
Celia, we shall be fourteen" interrupted
Lady Susan. The party Is arranged"
With breathless interest Fraulein Lorenz
glanced at Lady Susan. Was this party going
TO be at her home? Was the person whose
name she had just heard coming TO it, and was
there any chance-any remotely possible
chancs-that she herself, the poor, insignif-
can't little companion, would be permitted TO
bs present? Did great English ladies ever
allow their hired companions to partake of
the joys of parties?
They are only arranging about party"
said Miss Winstanton, who saw that her as
! slstant's attsntion was strdylng.
Don't you want to hear about it?' she
asked.
Oh no. 1 don't. It has just as little interest
for me - it can have for you. You know none
OF the people and am tired of them ALL
lis Herr Moritz going to be there?" asked
Frauisin Lorenz eagerly.
Yes, replied Miss Winstanton, with an odd
smile; indeed he is. poor man."
Celia, have you thought what destruction
OF pilow-cases our party invoives?" asked her
mother.
Yes. dear-thats to say no, dear. Frau
lein. how does one translate 'Deiner denk ich
Im1srdarY Delner seems odd; is it mis-
priutI'
Celia, my love, hope it is we'll understood
that all the ladies' are to wear black dresscs2
No one can distinguish one black dress from
snothsr-that is to say, no man can. Black
dresses are de rigueur, and long black gloyes
Celia, do you think they will be sure to wear
glsvs.?'
20 motherl how can 1 know?'' said Celia,
who felt that she was being too often called
back from the realm of poetry.
My dear, 1t il important foresee danger.
am afraid have spoken Of this party as ii it
were quite an oa-haDd affair. as indeed it il;
Dus II one talks IN that way people are 50 apt
to think that there is no occasion to wear
gloves, aud they must-they really must-for
hands are so recognizable. Mr. Dayenant,
i don't suppose that you are very busy this
afternoon, what do you say to making Hstle
round and seeing all the ladies of our party? 1t
would be such good thing to do. Just go and
! impress on ali OF them that it will ruin every
thing II We are discovered before the proper
time. Long black gloves are what they must
wear and no jewels whatsoever"
IL you really wish it l will CO." said Mr.
Davenant reluctantly. for he much preferred
70 stay where be could see Miss Celia; but /
don't think 1t is necessary. They will surely
know that Now there is some thing else-which
really is important-most important-and taat
is" X
Il thought you told me that befinden meant
How do You do" observed Miss Winstantoh
almost reproachfully.
''Wie be6nden Sic SIGH does.'
1T really doesn't here. just look yourself.
Oh, stay. the word may perhaps be be.inden
German letters are so confusing. Why do they
go ON using those ugly senseless letters that
serve no purpose but to make one look in the
wrong places in the dictionary? Do even Ger
mans themselves know the difference between
capital BIS and Rs and Vs. and little is and ss?"
Il am your dictionary; aud even ii the words
| were printed in English type, you would not
find such word as beslnden," said the COM
panion rather severely, and as to the last ques-
ton she disdainsd 1t altogether.
You are my dictionary, and love your Ian
guage much more since you came. What did
you tell me just now that abgeschmackter was?
am sorry to say have forgotten already"
Her lack OF memory was repaired and then
she exclaimed with thousand times more en-
| thusiasm than could have been expected from
her, What lovely writer Helne isl Is he
thought lovely writer in Germany"
Fraulein Lsrenz gazed at Cslias fair placid
and indolently kind young face in amazement,
made some answer which satisfied her, and
then watched her pretty golden head bend
down once more over the poet wAon she was
reading with such profound insight and appre-
citation.
AT vine sharp, then" Lady Susan was say
ing when Fraulein Eorenz's attention was re-
leased If we are not early he might 90 out
before we arrived, and that would be madden
ing"
| Goodbye for the present Miss Winstanton"
"Punctually at nine, repeated Lady Susan
''Msst punstaally," said he; land those who
| get there nrst must draw up on the other side
| OF the street and walt"
Waltz"
Eyes; we must enter the house in a BODY or
all the effect will be lost. The hansoms can
easily be kept waiting"
why haAsoms?'
ut would never do for people to take their
own carriages and servants. They would be
known at once"
"How foolish not to think Of that! OF course
| we must hanson it, and wait, too. Tell peo-
| pie to be punctual Goodbye. Bye the bye Mr..
Daysnsn.," exclaimed Lady Susan before he
had quite left the room mas 1t occurred to you
| that we shall almost brighten that poor man to
| death? Dressed as we shall be we shall look
| more like the Confraternita del Morti than any,
| thing else"
! He will see the ladies. The sisterhood will
| rob the brotherhood of its terrors," said he
| and With this gallant speech departed.
| Now, Fraulsin," said Lady Susan, ''come
| and write O little note for me while rest"
| "Oh. one moment, mother. please. Just let
Frausin toll me what zernag means You al
ways want her when am coming to the most
exciting parts"
When Fraulein Lorenz was seated Lady Susan
began to dictate: Dear Herr Moritz--'
The pen dropped from Fraulein Lorenz's
hands.
What is the matter?" exclaimed Lady Susan.
II have stupidity dropped my pen and made
| q blot"
.'You should have warmed your hands first
Celia. you keep that poor girl sitting by the