Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1895-08-03

NO! You should' LOU ilioso certain
ly should"
"Well, | don't just know which one
is the hostess" confessed the butcher.
give seen Mrs. Grammercy drive IN
to my store in her carriage, but you
know fine feathers make fine birds,
and don't just place her."
"Mrs. GrOmmercy is at the end Of
the ROOM" suggested LOOMS. "The
lady in the velvet dress"
"Hannah, follow me with the girls,
and do Just as do" said Mr.. Bissel,
after question or two addressed to
Mr.. LOOMS.
Elbowing his way across the room,
with IN occasional glance over his shout.
der to see That the family procession
had not become entangled, the butcher
stopped before Mrs. Grammercy and
extended his brawny palm.
"Pleased to meet you at close
quarters. Mrs. Grammercy," said he.
Mrs. Grammercy looked at the ex.
tended hand through her lorgnette as
though it might be some rare speci-
men of primeval troglodyte, then fol-
lowed along the arm and over the
shoulder with her stony gaze, until it
rested and seemed to freeze, as her
eyes met those of the nonplussed
butcher.
"Mr. Bissel, Mr.. Horace Bissel of
Third avenue he explained; 81 got
your invite, and /"
"You received cards from us, for
Tonight" questioned Mrs. Gram
mercy, in bewilderment.
"Well, madam, amt in the habit
o going where ] amt asked to go.
Hannah, fetch the girls and we'll get
out. This may be the way to enter
tain in society, but nobody comes to
my house to be squelched. Come
on |"
Mr.. Bissel made his way out of the
drawing-room in high dudgeon, fol-
lowed by his wife and two daughters.
who had read in their weekly story
of the manner adopted by proud
danes when indignant, and gave as
graphic reproduction as possible,
In fact, they were complimented by
the butcher in the family conclave
which followed their arrival at home
in Third avenue.
"You did proud" he exclaimed;
"you did proud-and it served her
right"
The baker and the grocer and the
other plebeians had much the same
experience, and long before the usual
hour the Grammercy drawing-room
was deserted. The customary har.
mony was not prevailing, and the
aftermath was correspondingly dis
cordant.
Livingstone pere was in transports
of delight over the humiliation OF the
Grammercys. Long ago, when he was
rising young merchant aud Mrs.
Grammercy was pretty Kitty Van
Cortland, she had Tilted him for the
man who had to die to obtain the
place he craved, so Livingstone pere
had said; and Livingstone pere kept
a sore place in his heart and venge.
full fire in his eye for Mrs. Gram
mercy, in spite of the fact that he
thanked kind Providence daily for the
intervention which had shifted his
matrimonial responsibilities to their
present abiding place. And so when
young LOOMS had shown him the
cards OF invitation which the grocer
had brought with him, supposing they
would be needed at the door, and the
hint had been dropped that the dis
carded footman might be at the bot
tom Of it, Livingstone pere formed a
resolve.
He sought out Jorkyns and learned
from him all the particulars which
had led up to the little social tragedy.
1t resulted in the reinstatement Of
Mary as second housemaid at the Liv.
ingstones, and Jorkyns was installed
on the box of the Livingstone vic
toria; while the former incumbent,
by strange coincidence, replaced Jor-
kyns at the Grammercys.
And this was the reason why Kitty
Van Cortland, erstwhile the sweet.
heart of Livingstone pere, but now
the relict of Mr.. Grammercy, lifted
her lorgnette and stared blankly at
him, as their carriages passed each
other in the Park, though the Liv-
ingstone tile was lifted with its usual
ceremony, to be replaced with jerk,
as its owner shook like ielly-fsh
with suppressed laughter.
Jorkyns, hearing the chuckle be.
hind him, so far forgot the manners
of the box that he nudged the coach
man with his elbow and whispered:
at was the old tartar, Bill. Did
you see her perform? She revenged
herself on the Governor. "-Godey's
Magazine.