Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-07-29

OF the stood the dinner taDie, Gov
cred with the snowy damask that fell
to the carpet, and decorated with Scv-
res china, Bohemian glass, silyer-gIt
ornaments and bouquets OF lowers.
An exclamation OF delight burst form
ETY.
"Oh! II Is a perfect altar OF beauty,
even now! And how splendid 1t VIII De
when 1t is lighted up! And, oh! whasa
pity to spoil such a beautiful piece OF
work with commonplace eating ana
drinking!"
ia, child! II will not be common
place. wholesome eating and drinking;
/ wish 1t was! Bless you, the captain
has sent down a French cook n III
fectioner, who have prepared Fancy
dishes enough to poison the whole Oh
Ahasuerus' army" said Miss Hit, lead
ing the way into an adjoining music
room. whose furniture and ~hanginGs
were green and gold.
"As IL there was not green enough on
the outside, in all conscience" carped
the irritated old lady.
But Etty was a thorOugh-going ad-
m.rer, thinking every new apartment
that she saw more elegant than any she
had already seen.
But, now, Miss Hit, take me up
stairs ami show me Astrea's room. |
am dying to see A~strea's own ROOM"
said Etty, eagerly.
"Astrea's room! Bless the girl! Why,
Astrea has a long suite of rooms! Time
was when n private apartment served
to accommodate one lady; but nova
days, no less than four seem to be re-
quired."
Four
"Fourii"
"Yes," said Miss Hit, leading the way
up stairs to the great central hall on
the second floor, upon which all the
chambers opened.
This is Astrea's sleeping room," she
continued, as she introduced her visitor
into a spacious chamber Immediately
over the drawing room
1t was a very bower Of beauty. The
hangings Of the windows and of tIN bed
were of white lace, over ~rosecolored
SIX. The paper on the walls and the
carpet on the floor were of q CORE
spending pattern-red roses running
over a white ground. The dressing Ia
Die was also draped with white lace
over rose. colored silk. Rich draperies
or lace Were hung ever the glass and
festooned back with punches of roses.
Upon the table stood an elegant dress
ing case of mother-of-pearl, with all it's
interior fixtures of Bohemian glass and
wrought gold. An easy chair and foot
stool Of r~ose-colored velvet. draped
with tides OF white crochet work. stood
near at hand. The French windows In
front opened upon an upper balcony.
whore stood large marble vases filled
with roses.
While simple Etty would have lin
gered In ecstacy among the pretty TOYS
of this room. Miss Hit hurried her on
TO The adjoining apartment in the rear.
which was Astrea's dressing room, and
which was elegantly fitted up with
white-and-gold enamelled wardrobes.
bureaus, tables and washstands. and a
Sevres china and silver toilet service.
and thence on into Col. Greville's dress
ing room, of buff and white, and finally
into his bed chamber. of rosewood fur
nitura n purple %hapgings. These
four rOorls were all in n line, running
from back TO front, and communicating
with each other by connecting doors.
Each room had also n door opening uD-
on the central hail., and windows com
handing u westerly view through the
side Of the house. 1t is necessary to so
infinitely describe the locality, that the
reader may fully understand the events
that are to follow
THAT is ALL" said Miss Hit. as she
passed out of Colonel Greville's bel
room into the hall. near the head of the
back stairs. And now, Etty, l must
really go AMI dress, to be ready to re-
ceive the wedding party. To be sure, 1t
is early, but there is no certainty about
the time of the arrival of the boat. 1t
may be, any day. two or three hours
before or after it's time"
But Etty Kept close to Miss Hit; fol-
lowed her up into a front chamber OF
the third story. and assisted her in ar
rayirg her stout form ir a straw-col-
ored silk dress, with three deep founces
that made her look bigger than ever.
Then ETY. walked out upon the upper
balcony. and, looking down the creek,
exclaimed. suddenly:
"'The boat is coming. Miss Hit! She
is just turning Cornport Point and en-
tering the mouth Of the creek"
Then she will be here In fifteen min
utes," answered Miss Hit. hastily add
ing a Maltese lace collar and under
sleeves To her dress, and then calling 10
Etty. and hurryfng down stairs TO the
ground floor, where she was met by all
the house servants, who, having also
seen the boat, Were hurting toward her
to receive fresh orders.
"Seph! Many! Run to that French
fellow in the kitchen and tell him that
dinner must be en- the table in half an
hour; so IL there Is anything yet to be
done to his entrements of ~sea-nettles
mad frogs and other reptiles. he had
better do it," said the old lady, MS she
sailed on to the dining room to give q
last look at the table.
"S~ea-nettles! Do the French eat sea
n~ettles, Miss Hit?' inquired Etty, In
horror.
Yes, dear; and snails, and frogs, and
toadstools, and black beetles, for aught
/ know. And one thing Is certain:
shall not venture to touch anything for
dinner except an honest joint that / can
see all about, for fear Of being poi
soned. / am sure. / don't wonder at
revolutions and rcigns OF terror, when
we think of what they live on!'
Miss Hit. l don't envy your dinner
party! but / will just &c down and hide
myself in the strawberries until I see
the bride land. and then 7 will Slin