Page:New Peterson magazine 1859 Vol. XXXV.pdf/20

 .

the rigor of his dancing. The chandelier pendents jingled in tune, as he stamped up and down the room, or whirled Miss Smith frantically around.

“I expect, every minute, to hear him whoop, as he would at Donnybrook fair,” said Mr. Poultney, who had again sought Lucy’s side.

When supper was announced, the guests rushed at it, more like starved wild beasts than human beings. Such a mob Lucy had never seen. Mr. Poultney, with difﬁculty, could get her through the jam, or obtain anything for her afterward. The champagne soon ran short, for

THE BUTLER BEHIND THE SCREEN.

the butler behind the screen—he had been put into knee breeches, in the true English style, for the occasion—helped himself as freely as he helped the guests.

Mrs. Plump was not the only one who achieved miracles at eating. The young gentlemen of sixteen and eighteen particularly distinguished themselves, crowding to the table, keeping off everybody else, breaking up the candy ornaments, and spilling stewed oysters and wine over the dresses of the ladies. As the viands disappeared, A Bedlam could not have noisier. the laughter been noisier. One Miss, hardly yet in her teens, who stood near; Lucy, declared that she had tasted everything§ on the table, except one of the candied oranges, and she was “waiting till Jim Jones,” so she elegantly called her cavalier, “brought her some:" and the individual in question was seen valiantly ﬁghting through the press to reach it.

“Shall we go?” said Mr. Poultney to Lucy,

MR. POULTNEY AND LUCY LEAVE.

for she looked frightened. “Let me have the honor of seeing you and Mrs. Darcie home."

So he shawled our heroine as carefully as if she had been a princess. Nor was it for the last time. Long ago, indeed, Lucy became Mrs. Livingston Poultney, and is now confessedly at “the head of society:” not the “society” of the Smiths, however, but one in which culture takes the place of ignorance, reﬁnement of vulgarity, true merit of pretence.

It was well Lucy left when she did. The great party of the Smiths was talked about,

THE COUNT THINKS IT "MANE."

tattle increased.