clad in her most splendid attire, received them with her most gracious
manner. There was nothing to foretell the fate that awaited them. Her
tall, awkward daughter stood nervously by her side. Mr. Upjohn, too, kept
there valiantly for a time, then his round, ample figure and jolly face
disappeared somewhere, under chaperonage of Mrs. Bruce, his latest
admiration. But no one ever thought of Mr. Upjohn as the host, any way;
beseemed rather to be a sort of favored guest in his own parlor; and his
place was more than made good by Mr. Hardcastle, who, standing in the
centre of the room, exactly as he always stood in the centre of
everybody's room on such an occasion, appeared himself to be quite master
of ceremonies, from the grand way in which he stepped forward to meet
each guest and hope he or she "would make out to enjoy it." The rooms
filled rapidly, and before long Mrs. Upjohn turned from the door and
stood an instant reviewing her guests with the triumphant mien of a
victorious general. Then she advanced solemnly to the middle of the room,
displacing Mr. Hardcastle, who graciously made way and waved his hand to
signify to her his permission to proceed.

"My friends," said the great lady, with her deep, positive voice, drawing
her imposing figure to its fullest height, "as you know, it is never _my_
way to give parties. I leave that for the rest of you to do. When I ask
you to my house, it is with a higher motive than to make a few hours lie
less heavily on your hands."

"Dear soul!" muttered Dick Hardcastle to his crony, Jake. "Nobody could
have the conscience to charge her with ever having lightened them to us."

"And therefore," continued the lady, gazing around upon her victims with
a benignant smile, "without further prelude, I will inform you for what
object I have asked you to honor me with your presence this afternoon."