Year: 1869

A masquerade would not be much OF
an affair if there were not some ludi-
erous scenes attached TO it or connec.
ted with it. Last evening that of
the Musical Society was no exception
to the general rule, and any number
of funny incidents transpired.
No person failed to notice a con-
spicuOus custume present, gentle
man dressed as Spanish cavalier
very neat and tasty dress, set off
upon a well-built and athletic frame.
The gentleman, whom we shall call
X, paid particular, indeed, most de-
; voted attention to a pink domino en-
shrcuding sylph like form, acting
as he- escort at at all times, and pay
ing no attention worth noticing to
anybody else. In prOmenading or in
resting they were in earnest conver-
sation, and the ladies, who could
not fail TO notice them, thought he
must be duck Of a fellow to pay so
much attention, while the gentlemen
thought she must be a divine little
angel to listen so devotedly to all his
soft things. Perhaps both of them
we're just what they had the credit
of being.


The cavalier was legal gentleman
of our city, and the pink domino was
no matter who just now.


fHho oan4ir,1 ,,,o-r,ol "a h,
small family. He loves his wife, but
people do whisper that sometimes he
loves other peoples just as much.
The cavalier proposed some time
since to go to the ball, but his wife
insisted that her health was not very
good, and as there would be some
thing of crowd present she would
not go-to her, masquerades were
very tedious affairs at best. That X,
was delighted with the determination
there is no doubt. He did not say
so, however; but the day his wife de-
cided not to go he met in company a
young and pretty widow, and, in the
heat of the excitement, asked her to
accompany him to the masquerade.
The widow was possessed Of bosom
full of fun, and she consented to 60.
X fitted her out with a costume and
pink domino, and, as everybody
saw who noticed it, very pretty and
expensive. Now, concluding to 60,
she had some OBJECT in view, evident
ly, for yesterday, SO runs the story,
she saw X. go away from home, when
she sought the presence of his wife
and told her the whole story, and in
Conclusion rho- said


"Now you've heard the whole thing.
That good-for nothing husband of
yours has been paying too many at
tentions to mo of late, and l do not
like it. IF you are woman of spir-
it, you will play trick on him for
this; and if you are not, why, I'll go
with him to the masquerade, and l
will firt with him all the evening just
as hard as ever l know how,


1t is presumed the wife was not
a woman of spirit, for last evening
about ten O'Clock a carriage drove up
to the widows house, and a Spanish
cavalier very devotedly and very low
er-like assisted a domino into it, and
it drove to Music Hall.


At the hall the couple paid little
attention to the funny scenes about
them. Ii they laughed at all, it was
at their own wit. Prying eyes tried
hard to find out who they were.
They sauntered about until tired
They took refreshments and oecasion-
ally a glass of wine. They made no
attempt to peep beneath each others
masks, for it was evident they knew
each other well. At all times the
cavalier seemed whispering the soft
est things t1 the domino, and close
observer might have seen that oeca-
sionally the words were very soft.
for they made the fair domino start
and tremble just a little, but she
seemed to have good control over her
self; but there is no doubt that could
her face have been seen, there would
have been traces of bushes.


1t was a very late hour when the
cavalier and domino had disappeared
from the scene. When the masks
were removed at twelve o'clock, anx
ious ones were looking to see who the
people were, but they were gone, and
all were disappointed. Let US follow
them to the house of the widow,
where they drove in haste, the cava-
lier very happy, very talkative, and
almost beside himself with joy-the
domino very quiet aud very reserved.
They were shown into the drawing
room; the domino throws herself
upon lounge. The cavalier steps
forward to turn up the gas little,
but a pleasant Voice, y will do it
for you, Mr.. Y" and the room is
ablaze with light. Thevoic was that
of the young widow, and the blaze of
light showed the lawyer leaning upon
chair, perfectly aghast with aston





ishment, looking from the widow to
the domino, yet unable to utter a
word.


"Why, what is the matter with you,
Mr.. X?'' asked the widow; @you look
astonished. I expected you, and have
been waiting for you sometime.
Your wife told me she would come
here"


my wifel" grasped the cavalier.


"Yes, your wife. Why what is
the matter with you? Are you un-
well2"


The cavalier scarce seemed tc
know whether he was unwell or not.
He turned to the domino. She re-
moved her mask, and he saw his wife
sitting before him. Still he could
say nothing. The wife was too in
dignaut to speak. The widow came
to the relief of both.


II tell you what it is, Mr.. Y, she
said, you've one oe the best w,men
in the world for a wife, and you abuse
her worse than any man | ever knew
l just wish [ was in her place for
about five minutes


The cavalier looked as ii he wished
nothing Of the kind. The widow
went on


"You insulted me in asking me to
go with you. IF 1 had 4 big brother
able to whip you, he should have
done it, and if it had not been that a
woman can not do those things,
would have done it myself. You de,
serve it any way, you-yOu ugly mon
ster. As could not do it: l told
your wife, and we determined to pun