Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-01-26
/ Harry to give tea parties to their dear girl

| friends?
You always fancied woman at a tea ia
| BILE, her dainty wrist visible through falling
ruffles of lace as she poured out the fragrant
! Pekee, whenever you thought of a tea party
! at all, didn't you?
Well, to be candid, so did / until re
ceived quite an astounding invitation only
| the other day:
"Will you not come and have cup of ties
on Tuesday afternoon at at Mr.. So-and
| SOS studio?"
Il had heard that Mr.. So-and-so lived in q
studio had even heard it rumored that
| he sometimes made a sketch, although
had never seen one in any ILLUSTRATED paper
| but l was curious to find out what he
meant by sending out engraved invitations
| to tea party.
| winter visit to the metropolis" said my as
tute friend Polly, land he is probably en-
tertaining in order to make her acquainted
with his friends all at once"
| But when / reached the studio on Tues
| day afternoon / found this was not the
| case. Indeed the picture that met my gaze
| made me want to laugh.
| The curtains were closely drawn, so that
no ray of light from the wintry sky pene-
trated into that mellow toned interior.
where candles famed under pink silk
| shades The odor of heliotrope, which !
learned afterward was Mr.. So-and-so's ia
vorite perfume, hung delicately and eva
sively in the air.
looked around in wonder The studio
was thronged with young girls, middle
aged women, even elderly women, but not
a man was there to be seen save Mr.. So
and-so.
In few moments he came toward me
with tea and cakes.
"Charming idea, this, of girls teas-cr-
don't you think soS" he lisped.
"Where are all the mem" dared to ask
MEN? Oh, do you think I'd mar the
the-euphony of this charming day by hav-
ing a brute of a man here? Pm awfully
selfish, l know, but you see quite dote on
pretty girls just as do on pictures or flow
ers," said Mr.. So-and-so enthusiastically
II like to see lot of them together. Look
at that group in the corner against the net
work of the palms. Isn't the effect perfect
ly charming? Now, your dress is a sort OF
pale heliotrope, and how exquisitely it
shows against that yellow satin pillowi Do
you suppose l could bear to see such SYM
phony of color broken by pair of horrid
gray trousers or a mans hideous black
coat?"
Mr.. So-andso shuddered at the thought
50 that the divan tremb!ed and my cup tot
tered.
This is girls day." he continued, with a
drawl. "Oh, it's so refreshing after knock
ing around with a lot of men at clubs and
that sort of thing, don't you know"
Yes, ] suppose So" answered fatty. 81
should think you would enjoy it."
Pm in clover!" he cried.
Just then tall girl in white dress with
baby sleeves trailed languidly toward us,
moving with n one sided swing
"Dodie,'' which l learned afterward was
Mr.. So-and-so's pet name, won't you
sing9"
Dear girl. I'm as hoarse as frog" he
protested
"Oh, Dodie, you mustp, cried three 9TH
ers, futtering around him.
Very we'll, then What shall it be?" and
he picked up n guitar that stood against
the wall.
By degrees every girl and woman in the
place was gathered around the divan, and
Mr.. So-and-so, enthroned like a god, was
singing French chanson with a very poor
accent.
But, oh, dear me, the amount of patter-
ing from gloved hands when he was done
and the gasps of EXPLANATIONS of pleasure!
Mr.. So-and-so took all this very kindly
and made more tea. Then before we left
he presented each of us with pink satin
ribbon, decorated by himself, as memento
of that marvellous afternoon.
AS he stood bowling us out he wore in his
buttonhole n huge bunch of roses. No
wonder it was huge Each of his visitors
had been required to give him with her
own fair hands bud from the bouquets
he had provided.
No doubt Mr.. So-and-so enjoyed himself,
but except for the girls who called him
Dodie, and who probably had done their
share toward making an affected idiot of
him, l thought there were some who felt
as did-that it was a ridiculous parade of
vanity.
Some days after l received another card
from friend of Mr.. So-and-so's as follows
Twill you not come and have cup of tea
on Saturday afternoon at at Mr.. Airy
Nothing's studio:"
Another?
mo, thank you, Mr., Airy Nothing. One
bachelors tea, where one finds only weak
Oolong, horde Of gushing women and a
man who reminds you of q piece of angel
cake, is quite enough in the season!'' said
as with feeling of satisfaction watched
the dainty card burn to curled gray fake.
KATE JORDAN.