Real Folks

ral one," as if it were an exception, whereas she knew better than ever to undertake a general party; her list would be too general, and heterogeneous. It would simply be a physical, as well a

ays to light up and play it off,-to try it on to somebody. What were houses for? And there was always somebody who ought to be paid attention to; somebody staying with a friend, or a couple just engaged, or if nothing else, it was her turn to have the sewing-society; and so her rooms got aired. Of

of violet that would hold by gas-light, and she wore black Fayal lace with it, and white roses upon her hair. Mrs. Treweek was enchanted with the brown and apricot drawing-room, and wondered where on earth they had got that particular shade, for "my dear! she had ransacked Paris for hangings in just that perfect, soft, ripe color that sh

it," Florence had a little musicale; and t

the horse, and shod the mare, and let the little colt go bar

t of Grant's salary will have been taken up with this winter's expenses. But one wants to begin right, and a

" Frank ventured, "to think

ut it's one's duty to make life beautiful, and one can't do too much for home. I want my children to be satisfied with theirs, and I want to cultivate their tastes and accustom them to

nkley laug

ment with us to get rid

into society with. And really I wouldn't undertake it for less, myself, if I expected to keep up with everything. But I must treat mine all alike, and we must be contented with what we have. There's Helena, now, crazy for a young party; but I couldn't think of it. Young parties are ten times worse than old ones; there's really no end to the

ther used to make for us? From four till half-past eight,

ilk and water! Where are the children, do you suppose, you de

uld like better, even at their age, than to help at just such a party. It is

rty times worse. I believe you might get some of the mothers together for an ancient tea-drink, jus

rau Van Winkle. "I

ll know the reason why, a

palaces west of the Common, in the grand avenues and the ABC streets; nor did Hazel wear her best gray and black velvet suit for every day, though the rich colored poplins with their over-skirts and sashes, and the gay ribbons for hair and neck made the

ained, with the grandest phrase she could pick out o

ons with Hazel, going to and fro, abo

sn't had some kind of a company this winter. I've been to them all, and I feel real mean,-sneaky. What's '

y much the same idea that had occurred to Mrs. Ripwink

Street! Don't, for

e done over again!" said Hazel, irre

grandmother's sake, don't think of it!"

at made me think of it," said Hazel,

u hunt up old Noah, and all get ba

mes there, any how; and if another big

ng; but there is many a faint, smal

and, once pointed, held its divining angle with

ternation. "And she wants me to go round with her and carry 'compliments!'

right into the seethe and glitter of little Boston, and find out what it would decompose or precipitate. For was not s

untain heights of long seclusion can measure the world's paces and changes better

old Uncle Ti

le Titus as he kept his quiet eye on all these things,-the things that he had set going,-and read their revelations; shelte

ener, and Laura a good talker; and the fun,-that you and I and Rachel Froke could guess,-yes, and a good deal of unsuspected earnest, also,-was all there behind the old gentleman's "Christian Age," as over brief mentions of sermons, or words about books, or little brevities of family inquiries and household news, broke small floods of excitement like water over pebbles, as Laura and her daughters discussed and argued volubly the matching and the

burden of the world's weariness falling upon her from her sister's life,

ith would reply. "You've

see, Laura, where

pens he

. "Where did you

m sure I don't k

atch anything. Even a by-word must come

-ready-to-be, and then not being. There's no

and get back of everything! I can't live in metaphysics: I

at comes of the parties, for instance? The grand question, beforehand, is about wearing, and then there's a retrospection of what was worn, and how people looked. It se

ere's a great lot of us knocking round amongst the dry goods and the furniture that never get any further. People mu

, unless you were born into it. I don't care so much, for my part. I know plenty of nice people, and I like to have things nice about me, and t

then he reversed the lower half; that brought the pri

eal, gracious-grandmother party; just such as you

ra laughed g

rs to come to it, then," said she. "You'd better make it a f

they're just to wear their afternoon dresses; and Miss Craydocke is coming at any rat

Titus, over his newspaper, w

l, simply, least surpris

-she began to sing, and danced two little steps toward Mr. Old

e Titus. "And not much matte

efore he began really to read again, he swung half

e, Hazel; I'll come early a

that any one of us has been doing," said Agatha Ledwith, with a spice of m

hadn't any best coat," he told Laura, in verbal reply to the invitation that had co

said Mrs. Ledwith, "any

s little invitation; to the Ashburnes and the Geoffreys, and all! She hasn't the least idea of any differenc

len

ood-natured and affectionate in her way; and her worldl

repeated. "It's horrid to go to school with all those st

ever thrown upon the family position, Agatha immediately began

she said. "Ada Geoffrey and Lilian Ash

you can feel it, underneath. They have a way of keeping so

about this. You need not be concerned. They'l

to-night. The other was when she had said that this was the first ti