The English Orphans; Or, A Home in the New WorldHolmes, Mary Jane
General
The English Orphans; Or, A Home in the New World
Holmes, Mary Jane
Orphans -- Fiction
Occasionally the widow felt some doubt as she heard rumors of pink
brocades, India muslins, heavy silks, and embroidered merino
morning-gowns; "but law," thought she "them are for the city. Anything
'll do for the country, though I should s'pose she'd want to look
decent before all the Boston top-knots that are comin'."
Three days before the wedding, the widow's heart was made glad with a
card of invitation, though she wondered why Mrs. Mason should say she
would be "at home." "Of course she'd be to hum,--where else should she
be!"
It was amusing to see the airs which Mrs. Perkins took upon herself,
when conversing with some of her neighbors, who were not fortunate
enough to be invited. "They couldn't ask every body, and 'twas natural
for them to select from the best families."
Her pride, however, received a fall when she learned that Sally
Furbush had not only been invited, and presented with a black silk
dress for the occasion, but that George Moreland, who arrived the day
preceding the wedding, had gone for her himself, treating her with all
the deference that he would the most distinguished lady. And truly for
once Sally acquitted herself with a great deal of credit, and
remembering Miss Grundy's parting advice, to "keep her tongue between
her teeth," she so far restrained her loquacity, that a stranger would
never have thought of her being crazy.
The bridal day was bright, beautiful, and balmy, as the first days of
September often are, and when the sun went down, the full silvery moon
came softly up, as if to shower her blessings upon the nuptials about
to be celebrated. Many and brilliant lights were flashing from the
windows of Mrs. Mason's cottage, which seemed to enlarge its
dimensions as one after another the guests came in. First and foremost
was the widow with her rustling silk of silver gray, and the red
ribbons which she had sported at Sally Ann's wedding. After a series
of manoeuvres she had succeeded in gaining a view of the supper table,
and now in a corner of the room she was detailing the particulars to
an attentive group of listeners.
"The queerest things I ever see," said she, "and the queerest names,
too. Why, at one end of the table is a _muslin de laine puddin'_--"
"A what?" asked three or four ladies in the same breath, and the widow
replied,--"May-be I didn't get the name right,--let me see:--No, come
to think, it's a _Charlotte_ somebody puddin' instead of a muslin de
laine. And then at t'other end of the table is what I should call a
dish of _hash_, but Judith says it's 'chicken Sally,' and it took the
white meat of six or seven chickens to make it. Now what in the world
they'll ever do with all them legs and backs and things, is more'n I
can tell, but, land sake there come some of the _puckers_. Is my cap
on straight?" she continued, as Mrs. Campbell entered the room,
together with Ella, and a number of Boston ladies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account