Rensselaer Republican, Volume 12, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 December 1879 — THE NEW YEAR'S PARTY. [ARTICLE]

THE NEW YEAR'S PARTY.

"Then you won’t go, Alice?” " No, Herbert —I’m so sorry—but tho baby!” "Ob, hang the baby!” and Herbert llnng out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Alice stood looking at the door, growing whiter and whiter. -Then she gave a heart-breaking cry, fell on her Knees by the cradle, and. holding her face in her hands, sobbed bitterly. She had looked- forward so long to going to this New Year’s party. It was given by Mrs.’ Mountjoy, one of the leaders of society in Washington, and all that was eminent in polities, diplomacy, or literature, as well as distinguished in the fashionable world, was sure to be there*. She had been kept at home so much sinee baby had been bom that she really felt the need of a little variety and relaxation. But baby had been threatened with croup a week beforehand the’ ford- mother had not yet recovered from her fright. Baby, she admitted, was now better, “ but not lit,” she declared, "to be left, at least with Only the nurse to look, after it. Nurses jure so earless, everybody had told her, even the best of them.” So she had not asked Herbert to give it up also, and bad even said there was no reason he should stay at home; but still, in her heart of hearts, she bad hoped he would. "He said, ‘Hang the baby;’ yes, he did, darling,” she murmured, with indignant emphasis, as she bent over the little unconscious sleeper. “It was your papa who said that, and he was gone to a brilliant party with such thoughts of his wife and child! Did you come-, dearest, to estrange us from eaeh id her?” This awful idea called for bitterer sighs: , Herbert had said such beautiful things in her trusting young maidenhood. "Never should their lives run in separate channels, as those of some ’ married people of their acquaintance did;” "never a joy he accepted that did nbt make theipoiie;” “nevera barrier should come between them.” And now to feel that this wee babe, with its golden curls, that this beautiful, little helpless creature should part them as never strong hands could! She pictured the gay assemblage, and her Herbert dancing with fair young girls, smiling on others, and leaving he'r to die of heart-break. . Her imagination, always too vivid, viewed him iu the midst of his triumphs, until her misery look almost the form of marl ness. “He didn’t want me to go,” she criyd; "he acted as if he didn’t, and then he pretended to throw all the blame on dear, helpless baby.” Suddenly Slie heard the sonnd of carriage wheels outside; they stopped at the door; the bell mug, 'and a fairylike figure stood ou the threshold oft the ro<>m in all wistfulness of expectancy, with dimpling smiles and laughing eyes. "Oh, Mabel!” cried Alice, starting to her feet with a glad cry. "This is, indeed, a surprise. I’m so glad you’ve come. My darling sister?” t ortliwith ensued a scene of rapturous •welcome. Then the bubv was exhibited, and one would not have dreamed that a tear had ever stained the cheek of the l proud mother. Then the visitor’s trunks were ordered to be carried up-stairs. " But where’s Herbert? In the study?” said Mabel, at last. Au the light went out of her sister’s eyes: her hands fell. " He—he is out. dear.”

, “Good! Don't be angry, because * I’m gl.w|, for we can have such a niec little chat. You didn't expect me?” Of course 1 didn’t” “ We'l, 1 didn’t think of coming, as you know. -for a month yet. But I thought it would be so nice to surprise you. It would open the New Year auspiciously, perhaps.” “Oh, Pm so glad!” “ And then Paul’s coming,” she said, blushing, “next week to stay a month; he has business here, and he wanted me so badly to be here, too. I declare,’’ she added, laughing: “I’ll have to marry him soon to get rid of him.” f “ Oh, Mabel, don’t marry him unless you’re certain you’ll be happy!” cried Alice, hysterically. “Be sure, first, he won’t go to parties and le—eave you a—lone with ba—by,” she sobbed. “ What? Is Herbert at a party?” . “ Yes, he is; and, when 1 told him I couldn't go on account of the baby, he said, -Hang ba—byP -Yes, you little angel, your father said those awful words—and then he sla—slammed the door.” “ He’s a viper!” exclaimed Mabel, with sudden vehemence. “ A nice way to treat a wife like you—a babv like that! But why couldn't you leave the baby?” “ Because he was threatened with the croup last week.” , ; “ But he’s well enough now—sleeps deliciously. He'll not wake up allnight, perhaps. And the .nurse would have taken good care of him.” “ I should have been thinking of lire and croup, and all that.” .

“ (Hi, nonsense! Yon ought to hare gone. Bat Herbert had no right to behave as he did, and he most be punished; and Mabel threw her wraps on the bed, and took her seat by the glowing fire. “It won’t do to let him get the upper hand. Ah! I have it. rVe thought of a splendid plan. A charming, delightful little plot!” and she clapped her hands in glee. “ Oh, Mabel, what is it?” and Alice slid down at her sister’s feet, gazing in her face with expectant smiles. “ Wnat are yon going to do.” "Fm not going to do it- I shall stay here and watch baby. You are to go to the party.” • “ Mabel, impossible.” “ Quite possible, In fact, it must be done. You must let Herbert see that you’re as pretty as anybody, quite as much admired. It is decided. You are to go to the party and play a part. Let me arrange the programme.” “ But, Mabel, I haven't a dress prepared- or anything. I gave up going a week ago, you see, wnen baby was threatened with the croup.” “ Pshaw! You shall wear one of mine; one of the most bewitching, bewildering of dresses, bought from my last allowance from Uncle Curtis. Only to see it will throw you into ecstasies. Worth never composed anything more lovely. I want to see it on you. Come, come; call your maid. I am all impatience. We’ll shame our bad husband into good behavior; see if we don’t. No irresolution, pretty sister of mine. I'll stay at home and count your pictures and vases and pretty things, and catalogue them, so as to make mamma happy with k letter to mormow. Order John or Jack or Bill, or whoever your coachman is, to get the carriage—if that's impossible, send for a hack.” In less than an hour Mabel led her sister to the. great French mirror, and laughingly introduced her to tho loveliest and best-dressed woman she had almost ever seen. Alice trembled a little when she found herself actually .on her way to Mrs. Mountjoy’s, butlier sister's urgent will, had conquered, and her heart was hardened by Herbert’s emphatic expression concerning the baby. She was reassured, however, by Mrs. Mountjoy’s hearty welcome. “So glad you’ve come, my dear,” she said. "Your husband said he feared * baby’ would keep yon at home; but I told him it was nonsense. You did right to reconsider the matter.” Herbert, like many handsome society men, was a little spoiled and selfish without knowing it. He loved Alice devotedly; but he was not unwilling to receive sweet smiles and honeyed words of others; while, with a man’s inconsistency, he was not desirous that his wife should play the part of a married belle.

It was while he was dancing with one of the most noted and beautiful women of the metropolis, who was more than willing to listen to his nonsense, that Herbert, looking up from the face leaning against his shoulder, while the dreamy waltz music thrilled hearts sensitive to sadness as to joy, encountered the sparkling face of his wife, and saw her arrayed in the freshest and most graceful costume in the room. She was moving quietly along with an escort iu uniform. "Pray don’t stumble,” said his vis a vis, petulantly, for from that moment the grand repose of his manuer was gone, and the lady on his arm might nave been made of wax, or any other ductile material, for all he cared now. "How the dickens came she here?” ho muttered to himself, as he led his I>artncr absently to a seat, deaf to all icr pretty words, blind to her fascinations. “It certainly is Alice —but that dress—the prettiest thing here! and I left her quite determined not to come. I don’t understand it. Dancing with that military puppy, Guinett, too. She knows I hate him.” With these amiable thoughts, he laid himself out to gain the attention of his wife, and make her explain. It was some time before he had the chance so he was obliged to content himself with following her graceful motions, angry with himself and with her. “Alice! Can I believe my eyes?” he said, at last, in the pauses of the dance. " I should think you might, rather,” was the nonchalantreply. Pray, how did you come?” " Pray, how did you come? I rode: Did you walk?” "Well, but—” “Excuse me. I’m engaged four deep, already;” and Herbert Was forced to move aside, as a pompous acquaintance claimed her hand. “ I’d like to knock that fellow down,” he muttered, angry in earnest. Another pause, and another tete-a-tete. No satisfaction given. Herbert had hardly the grace to redeem his dancing engagements. “ About the baby, Alice?” he asked, anxiously. She put her rosy lips to his car, and, in a subdued voice, exclaimed: “ Hang the babv!” Herbert started and changed colon To be sure, he had used the same language. But from her it was too exasperating. How he got through the evening He could hardly tell. When, at. last, they were in the carriage driving home there might have been an open rupture, but for the determined calmness of Alice, who took everything as a matter of course.

One glance in the beautiful nursery unsealed his eyes. There by the fire sat Mabel in all the abandon of a neglige toilet, her luxuriant tresses falling in glossy freedom over her shoulders, while the little fellow on her* lap, clutching at one long, shining curl, crowedjtnd laughed as well as lie could for *'auntie’s” smothering kisses.. A sudden revulsion of feeling came to the father's heart at sight of this sweet home picture. “Ah! 1 know now who contrived this plot,” lie said. “ But lam glad to see you, Mabel, nevertheless.” “Wasn’t she the belle of the ball?” answered Mabel, saucily. - , “ There’s no doubt of that. At any rate, I didn’t get a chance to dance with her.” “Of course. Who ever heard in society of dancing with one’s wife?” she said, sarcastically. “ I see that she followed my directions implicitly. You must learn, sir, that a house divided against itself cannot stand—that is, if one-half is flirting at a party, and the other half is at home crying her eyes out—” . “Oh, Alice—were you really?” “ I should think she was. I can ttssurc you that I myself saw half of, the house dissolved in tears, and so wretched that—” “Mabel, hush!” said Alice, imploringly: “Traitor, do you turn on me?” exclaimed Mabel, with mock displeasure. “ My child,” she went on, tossing the crowing cherub, “ tell your selfish papa that he also has some obligations, and that, if you had known you were to be the bone of contention in this family, you’d have stayed in the garden of angels, where you were wanted.” Herbert was strongly affected by this audacious outburst, but it had the effect of leading him to see his duty in a new light. It taught him to reflect; opened his eyes to his selfishness; and made him, from that evening, a better and more considerate husband. Six months from that time Alice was dressed for a party. But this time the party was given at her own home, and in honor of Mabel’s marriage. Even the bride did not look any lovelier; for nothing now ever occurred to mar Alice’s happiness, and happiness, after all, is the best preservative of beauty.

" Ah! how charming you look!” whispered Mabel, with anarch look, os they passed eaeh other in the dance. " Prettier even, and it is saying a great deal, than when I cured your nusbond by sending you to that New Year’s P*rty-” ______