University of Virginia Library

8. CHAPTER VIII.
A PARTY PROPOSED.

“Husband,” said Mrs. Harley, throwing
herself upon the sofa, as she returned late
from making some fashionable calls, and found
him waiting for her to dine, “we must return
some of our numerous obligations to people.”
Here she ran to the centre table, and taking
up a note, said, “Do look here; we have an
invitation to Mrs. Howe's party the sixteenth
of March, and this makes the second to which
we have been invited without returning her
civilities: it will not do; we must give a party.
There never can be a better time than
now to do so; we have good help, and, if we
give it in the house, this will make all things
go on smoothly; but I am thinking we had
better adopt the last fashion, and go to Grubini's.
We can be provided with everything
there without any trouble; besides, it is the
most genteel way of receiving one's friends.”

“But you forget the enormous expense of

doing so, my dear,” said Mr. Harley; “a party
got up in this style would not amount to much
short of five hundred dollars. If I should
happen to have a note due that day, and wanted
my five hundred, I should begin to wish that
I had received my friends at home.”

“Poh! poh!” said Mrs. Harley, “you commenced
this style of talking a year or two ago,
when business was dull; now you know you
told me the other night you had sold more
that day than would be sufficient to give half
a dozen parties.”

“Provided I received my pay for the goods,
I should have added.”

“There is always an if in the way when I
propose anything fashionable or genteel, Mr.
Harley; I suppose, though, we could manage
very well with a party in the house. Our
rooms are large, and the basement would do
to set the supper-table in; or, in case it did not,
we might remove the beds and throw open our
chambers. Still, I should rather go to the Hall;
the floor is so much better for dancing, and
there would not be such a tremendous jam.
At any rate, we will talk it over this evening;
the bell is ringing for dinner now, and I will

just throw off my cloak, and be down in a
minute.”

Sure enough, the dinner was ready, cooked
to a nicety. The first course was vermicelli
soup; next, a brace of ducks, beautifully roasted;
then a black currant pudding, “as rich as
wedding cake,” according to Mrs. Hopkins's assertion,
for the recipe was taken from an old
English cook-book. Both Mr. and Mrs. Harley
rejoiced that at length things were arranged
to their mind.

During the afternoon Mrs. Harley's thoughts
were busily engaged in making out the arrangements
for the intended party. Thought she,
“I must have a new dress—shall it be satin or
velvet? The latter, I have understood, is the
most worn this winter; and if I could contrive
to get it trimmed with one of those golden
wreaths, how splendidly it would look! besides,
I could get my ostrich feathers coloured to
match! but then husband will say it is silly to
make such a parade—Oh dear! I wish he was
more fond of living stylishly!” In the midst
of these cogitations, Mrs. Gerrish entered.
After the first complimentary phrases were
over, Mrs. Gerrish said, “Are you going to

Mrs. Howe's party? I am really astonished
that she should be so foolish as to give it in
her own house; you remember how crowded
we were at her last; I did think she would
overcome her meanness, and go to Grubini's
this time. You know I gave mine there; how
I regretted your absence! To be sure, it cost
a pretty penny, but what is money good for
unless we can use it in this way once in a
while. Besides, to have all the trouble saved
is to be taken into the account; and then the
supper-table is so splendidly spread, and all
the company can get a sight of it there, and
I rather think a taste too, for there was an immense
quantity eaten at my ball! Still, Mrs.
Harley, if you should ever give a party, do
let me recommend you to the Hall.” Thus
saying, she espied a friend in the street, and
making a hasty excuse, joined her, leaving
Mrs. Harley more strongly impressed than
ever with the notion that it would be far better
to pay a little more and appear like other
people.

With what busy thoughts did Mrs. Harley's
brain now teem! What insurmountable obstacles
lay in her way to the accomplishment

of her purposes! How vainly she wished
that she could overcome her husband's dislike
to her nicely-concerted plans! She would be
willing to economize in any way if she could
only be indulged in this. She grew irritable;
little John was ordered to the kitchen, because
his noise made her head ache, and Dorcas, with
her rattling knitting-needles, was enough to
craze one. She looked at her watch, and finding
there would be time to make a call before
tea, slipped on her cloak and bonnet, and went
to consult one of her fashionable confidantes
as to what she could do! She found her friend
busily engaged in arranging, or, rather, superintending
the arrangement of her evening dress
for a large cotillion party. It was a beautiful
salmon-coloured velvet, trimmed with flowers.
There was a French headdress called a toque,
ornamented with feathers, which Mrs. Harley
thought gave to the wearer a queen-like appearance.
She carefully examined all parts
of the dress, taking a pattern for her own.

We will not repeat all that passed between
the ladies, lest it should expose a great deal of
manœuvring with which the world in general
is unacquainted. The whole substance was,

that a large party at one's house was troublesome,
ungenteel, and a crowded sort of an affair.
Mrs. Harley was now convinced she
must conform to the fashion, in defiance of her
husband's judgment. What a mere tool a
thoroughly fashionable woman becomes!

Mr. Harley came home to tea, and found
his wife in a most excited state. She narrated
to him how her friend had called, and what
she said about parties; that she had been to
her dear friend Emma's, and had seen a splendid
dress, and heard her opinion, which perfectly
coincided with Mrs. Gerrish's, namely,
that she ought to give her entertainment at
Grubini's; adding, “They both say it won't
cost much more than to give a splendid one
at home.”

“Nonsense,” said Mr. Harley, “don't be
such a dupe to these women; they may give
their balls where they please, and I shall take
the same liberty. It would sound pretty, I
must confess, to have it reported about town
that Harley & Co. gave a party at Grubini's
which cost six or seven hundred dollars. I
have more regard to my credit than to do
such a thing; besides, I remember one of

your recommendations of Mrs. Hopkins was,
that she understood so well how to prepare for
parties.”

In vain Mrs. Harley reasoned in favour of
her own scheme: her husband, though usually
indulgent, was not to be moved on this point,
and she was forced to yield, though it cost her
many tears.