The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-07-17
Selected Storp.
A New England Dinner.

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bring humiliation it is trying to make
a show beyond ones means"
&C think it is only due honor to a
guest to give him the very best thing
possible" the oldest daughter, Mrs.
Grey, said, in her positive voice.
And the house is so elegant-look-
ing" Mrs. Prince said.
'' And he will probably never be here
again." Mrs. Lacy put in.
" And If we impress him he may fall
in love with Lucia" Mrs. Shattuc said.
That was too much for Mrs. Now
bray. Lucia was the one lamb of her
flock and the darling of her heart.
And you want your sister to marry
man who fell in love with the dinner
she gave him9"
The girls Qhey would always be " the
girls " laughed and pretended that it
was all joke, while Ellen Lacy leaned
over Marion Grey's chairback and said,
under her breath, " Mamma has been
widow so long that everything but
the romance of married life has been
forgotten"
1t was true. Not one of the five
daughters had more than dim recollec-
ton of their gay, handsome, young
father, who died when the two pairs of
twins were almost babies and before
little Lucia was born.
He had left them the handsome
home and securities which had, until
the last few years, paid fine income,
but at last these had become almost en-
tirely worthless, and the widow and her
youngest daughter knew the meaning
of fine economies.
The four older girls, the two sets of
twins, had all married for love strug-
Cling young business men, who would
all reach the top of the ladder by and
by, and were ready in any way to lend
helping hand to I" the mother,n as
they called dear Mrs. Mowbray.
But proportionally as -" the mother"
was precious was she also proud AS
long as she had her chickens in the
backyard and her home she and Lucia
were independent upon all ordinary
occasions - But this was an occasion
extraordinary.
Mrs. Mowbray had had letter from
an old friend and distant cousin, one
who had been her bridesmaid when she
was married and whom she had not
seen since. She was pretty Mary Shell
don then, but had married a great New
York banker and financier, and nova
days was leader of society, equally at
home in Paris, London or New York.
She had kept tender place in her
heart for her old friend, and they had
exchanged photographs of their chill
dren from time to time and kept up an
intimacy on paper, although their lives
were as far asunder as the poles.
This letter was tO cav that hpr appOp1
son, Robert, who was lieutenant in
the Fourth Cavalry of the United States
Army, would pass through Weston, on
his way to join his company in the
West, and would stop some hours to
meet his mothers old friend. OF
course he would come at three O'Clock
in the afternoon and stay until mid
night. Everybody knew the way of
trains in Weston. So there was moth
ing for it but to have him to dinner,
and it was this dinner that was under
discussion.
Mrs. Mowbray wanted to have regu-
lar old-fashioned country tea, insisting
that they would all feel more at ease
than at such a dinner as she felt able
to give. Lucia had also voted for the
tea, but she was, as "the girls - said :,
too young to understand the impor-
lance of food, She had put on her best
dress and gone out to make visits this
afternoon, leaving her mother in the
hands of her sisters.
Finally Marion said, &" he wants to
see us all doesn't he?'
g So his mother wrote"
Well, if we are all coming | don't
see why we can't have New England
dinner"
- A New England dinner What on
earth is that? Pumpkin pies, and that
sort of thing?"
''No, indeed. But when some New
England families have family dinner
parties every one of the married
daughters brings a dish-one the meat,
another the dessert, etc. 1t seems like
very good idea in this case"
So the daughters considered it, and
overriding all of Mrs. Mowbray's
scruples, they decided that the dinner
was to be given in this way, and then
they made out the menu. They were
to have celery soup; Mrs. Mowbray
was to supply that, of course. Mrs.
Grey was to bring roast chickens, stuffed
with oysters, and asparagus. Mrs.
Lacy eagerly offered to make the aspic
jelly. Julia, Mrs. Prince, was to bring
a salad. She would not say what, as
she meant to ransack the cook-books of
the town for something quite unique
while Mary Shattuc promised the very
king of plum-puddings.
When Lucia came home and she and
her mother sat down TO their simple
tea they talked the matter over again. -"
1t is so very kind of the girls"
Lucia said, " but / must confess, moth
erie, that it seems like a great sham,
and if it don't fall to pieces somewhere
shall be surprised. Who is this Mr..
Lieutenant Devries that he can not
have a simple tea, such as we should
offer to any other guest?'
Poor Mrs. Mowbray sighed and
hardly knew. But deep down in her
sweet motherly heart she thought il
would be a great deal better for her
darling to be married happily than to
live along in the old home nest, and
I,l. ~ f1n do IS Il,