Chapter X: The Squire's Party

WHILE at the breakfast table the next morning, Mr. Duxbury received a package of envelopes, from among which he passed one to Emily directed to herself. It proved to contain a card of invitation to a party in the evening at Squire Matthews, one of the great men in the village. There were cards also directed to Mr. and Mrs. Duxbury and family, which included the teachers and any of the older pupils the Principal thought proper to invite.

Half an hour later, Cecilia appeared, and was rejoiced to find invitations had been sent to the school.

"But I do not intend to go," explained Emily. "I am getting quite too dissipated."

"You must go," urged her friend, hesitating for a moment what reason to give, as she could not state the real one.

"Why must I?"

"Oh, because there would be no enjoyment for me unless you were there."

"Why, you will have your brother."

"Certainly, that is, I suppose he will go. Now say you will accept to oblige me."

"I'll think of it, and consult—"

"I am sure Mrs. Duxbury will wish you to accept. It's a fine thing for the school to have her teachers so popular."

"I didn't intend to consult any person, only my engagement book. Since you have been here, I have found your society so delightful that I have not studied as much as I ought."

"But now you have ceased to appreciate me. Is that it, or is it—Will you tell me the truth, dear? Is it because my brother behaved so much like a bear last night? I can't make any excuse for him. He's a puzzle to me. Why, he is usually very polite and polished. The truth is, he has been spoiled by too much attention from ladies. If you could have seen the enthusiasm with which he was received by the ladies in Washington, the parties made for him, the caps set to catch the new member from Michigan, the attention, for his sake, extended to his sister, his favorite songs practiced and played at him, the traps set for him, you'd scarcely wonder that with a very few exceptions, he has not the highest opinion of ladies."

"I have nothing to complain of in his treatment of me," answered Emily, with a slight curl of the lip. "I suppose the Judge's joke was that he put an unusual meaning upon the term 'old' friend. I should scarcely have gone to sing for a 'young' Honorable."

"Now, Emily, you are vexed with me, and I'm going away so soon."

"Indeed I am not vexed with any one. I love you very dearly, Cecilia; and never, as long as I live, shall I forget your generous affection for a stranger. I confess I was a trifle annoyed when I found a young gentleman instead of one with silver hair, as I expected. I was afraid I might be thought bold, but I resolved at once not to act silly but to make the best of it."

"Emily, be a good girl and show me you forgive me by going to-night."

"I will try to get through my engagements in time, if it will really please you."

The evening was quite advanced when Mr. and Mrs. Duxbury, with four young ladies, reached the house of Squire Matthews. Cecilia, who had been watching the door for an hour, had given her friend up, and was in the conservatory with some young people.

There was one, however, who saw her enter, watched the ease and dignity with which she made herself known to Mrs. Matthews, saw with what affection she was greeted by young and old, stood near enough to listen to her animated conversation with an old gentleman, in reference to a new poem which was exciting much attention, heard her chat in a lively tone with some who had been her pupils, and failed to hear one word which would sting, or a single remark unfavorable to the character of another.

He noticed that after a time she began to look around as though in search of some one, and in doing so, her eye met his fixed gravely upon her. She recognized him by a bow only, then left the room and soon joined his sister.

Moving slowly towards the conservatory, he was stopped by Mrs. Matthews, who asked, "Are you fond of music? If so, I think I can promise you a treat. Miss Washburn has the finest voice I ever heard."

"I shall be most happy to hear her."

"I shall tell her so," laughing.

"I fear the wishes of a stranger would avail little."

But for a wonder, Emily declined to sing alone, and indeed begged Mrs. Matthews to excuse her altogether.

"You know," she said frankly, "I do not want to be urged. I always comply at once when I can."

Poor Mrs. Matthews looked so distressed that Emily agreed to join with Cecilia in the beautiful piece set to the sentiment of the Psalmist.

"As pants the hart for cooling streams,
When heated by the chase,
So pants my soul, O Lord, for thee,
And thy redeeming grace."

The two friends went together to the piano, Cecilia standing by Emily to turn the sheets, etc., but when the second part struck in, instead of Cecilia's voice, a rich tenor sustained the response, and joined in with the chorus.

The company showed their appreciation by their perfect silence.

When the piece was finished, Emily rose, turned to see who had accompanied her, and met the eye of Honorable Mr. Lawrence fastened upon her. Blushing vividly, she was turning hastily away, when he said—

"Excuse me, Miss Washburn. Like our father in olden time, I must cast the blame on the woman, and say that Cecilia insisted."

She smiled and said, "Thank you, sir. Your voice gave me new courage."

After this evening, it was several days before Mr. Lawrence and Emily met again. All Cecilia's begging, and coaxing, was in vain. She would not go to Judge Wilson's, certainly while she was to be the only guest. On Wednesday, invitations were issued for Mrs. Duxbury's levee, which was to take place on Friday evening. Of course, Judge Wilson's family and guests were specially remembered.

Cecilia watched her brother when Mrs. Wilson read the invitation, adding that Mrs. Duxbury possessed the faculty of putting all her guests at their ease, and that her levees were immensely popular. She noticed that he looked pleased, and when the Judge added, "I shall go if only to scold that naughty girl for neglecting me," he laughed outright.

But within twenty-four hours, Cecilia was doomed to receive a shock in her designs for her brother's happiness. She came upon him suddenly on the porch, when he thought her at a distance, and found him looking immensely happy over a letter he was reading, but which he immediately put out of sight, and she was very sure that he blushed. Making some incoherent excuse, he left her and went up to his chamber.

"What does it mean? Who can that letter be from?" she asked herself. "If it were from a client, he would not have been so embarrassed."

Suddenly she perceived an envelope on the floor, and picking it up with some curiosity, saw that it was directed in a very fine hand, to Hon. Frederic Lawrence. The post mark was New York. Vexed as she was, Cecilia could scarcely help laughing at the failure of her little plan, but congratulated herself that she had kept it confined to her own breast.

At the levee, she was more than ever proud of her friend, and felt sure that only a prior attachment could render her brother unmindful of Emily's charms of person and manner, they were so exactly what she had often heard him describe as his ideal of a perfect lady.

At Mrs. Duxbury's special request, the music teacher stood by her side to assist her in receiving her guests, and afterwards mingling with them, sought by every means in her power to make the evening an agreeable one. Old and young, ladies and gentlemen, all were made to feel that their presence was desired, and contributed to the pleasure of the occasion. She invited the young ladies to play, and the gentlemen to join in the singing, but not until near the close of the evening did she sing herself, and then at the request of Judge Wilson, who said that he only came for the purpose of hearing her.

He gave her his arm, and escorted her to the piano, where he stood until she had sung his favorite ballads. Then saying—

"That will do, little girl. You have done very well," he led her back to his wife amidst the laughter of all the company.

On their return home, Judge Wilson asked Mr. Lawrence how he liked Mr. Manning, a gentleman to whom he had introduced him.

"Do you mean the gentleman who tried to usurp Miss Washburn's attention?"

"Yes," explained his sister. "And who conducted her to the refreshment table."

"I think him one of the most disagreeable men I have met."

"I wonder whether there is an engagement between them. I think Emily would have told me if there was anything settled, but he certainly seems very much enamored." Cecilia addressed herself to the Judge, who fired up at once, as she expected.

"If that child gets herself entangled in any matter of that kind without my consent, I'll know the reason why."

Cecilia noticed, with special delight, that her brother looked very glum, and that taking one of the night-lamps which had been placed on the table by a servant, he went to his chamber without another word.

"After all," she reflected, "that letter may have been purely on business."