Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-17
THIS AND THAT


to have his friends come and see him;
and from various united causes-from
his long residence at fairfield, and
his good nature, from his fortune, his
house, and his daughter - he could
command the visits of his own little
circle, in great measure, as he liked.
He had not much intercourse with
any families beyond that circle: his
horror of late hours and large dinner
parties made him unfit for any &C
quaintance but such as would visit
him on his own TERMS
Suppers were a mixed delight and
worry to him. Upon such occasions,
Miss Austen tells us, poor Mr.. Wood
houses feelings were in sad warfare.
He loved to have the cloth laid, be-
cause it had been the fashion of his
youth: but, his conviction Of suppers
being very unwholesome, made him
rather sorry to see anything put on
it: and while his hospitality would
have welcomed his visitors to every.
thing, his care for their health made
him grieve that they would eat.
"Such another small basin Of thin
Cruel as his own was all that he could,
with thorough self-approbation, rec
ommend, though he might constrain
himself. while the ladies were com.
fortably clearing the nicer things, to
say:
Mrs. Bates, let me propose your
venturing on one Of these eggs. An
egg boiled very soft Is not unwhole.
some. Serle understands boiling an
egg better than anybody. l would
not recommend an egg boiled by any
body else. But you need not be afraid;
they are very small, you see. One of
..v;1I
Miss Bates, let Emma help you to a
little bit of tart--a very little bit.
Ours are all apple tarts. You need
not be afraid of unwholesome pre-.
serves here. l do not advise the Gus
tard.'
Going the round Of his guests, he
salutes one with: Il am very sorry to
hear, Miss Fairfax, of your being out
this morning in the rain. Young Ia
dies should take care of themselves.
Young ladies are delicate plants. They
should take care of their health and
their complexion. My dear. did you
change your stockinGs?"
His famous journey through the
snow storm will be pleasantly recalled
by every reader of Emma" in sew
eral respects the best novel Miss Aus
ten wrote. Also his conduct at the
great outing bears repeating, but we
have room for only the following:
Mr.. Woodhouse, who had already
taken his little round in the highest
part of the gardens, where no damps
from the river were imagined, even
by him, stirred no more. Mr..
Knightley had done all in his power
for Mr.. Woodhouse's entertainment.
EnnLc IF I,,n.
ais, canoes, corals, shells and every
other family collection within his cab
inets had been prepared for his old
friend. to while away the morning;
and the kindness had perfectly an.
swered. Mr.. Woodhouse had been ex-
ceedingly well amused"
When Emma is engaged to be mar
ried to Mr.. Knightley, the difficulty
lies in breaking the news to her father.
Poor Mr.. Woodhouse little suspected
what was plotting against him in the
breast of that man whom he was so
cordially welcoming, and so anxiously
hoping might not have taken cold from
MS ride. Could he have seen the heart.
ne would have cared very little for
the lungs"
The news is told at last. 1t was at
first a considerable shock to him, land
he tried earnestly to dissuade her
from it. She was reminded more than
once Of her having always said she
would never marry
Once having consented. he steadfast-
ly refused to help select a date, al
though 1t was agreed that the happy
couple should live with him, and it
was not until a neighbours poultry
house was robbed that Mr.. Wood.
house, desiring the protection of Mr..
knightley from housebreakers, agreed
to the date.