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as she laughingly asked "had they to meet a train" The fascinating aroma of the last drops in the glass of the after supper wit and glow never seemed to enthrall our good busy practical folks whose duties began in early dawn -- There was little social variety 50 years ago -- never dinners -- occasionally small evening parties for a college class -- small friendly suppers or tea parties when if the number was too large for sitting about a table supper was handed about on large trays, every one seated comfortably with little tables for the tea- cup that inferno to a man with no lap and no tail -- The stately parlors of Luke Sweetser (now the [arrow up] ) struck rather the grand note of these affairs -- there was more light -- more elegance more inherited silver more inherited boarding school manner on the part of the hostess; Mrs S a most happy genial hostess always receiving us in gloves usually? light purple (an exceptional habit with us) with a rather flippant hand shake and the long low? backward dipping curtsey -- relic of her gay education -- Mr Sweetser was? a picturesque looking person with a profusion of iron grey hair and full beard; and although in ordinary daily life he bore himself with severity of the then N.E. deacon, at these tea-parties he was literally wreathed in friendly smiles of welcome and approval -- Mrs. S never sat down but moved about among us lest there should be an empty cup or an unfilled plate that had escaped the eye of the servant holding aloft a remarkable feather H bMS Am 1118.95, Box 9
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Not to be reproduced in whole or in part without permission. Transcription and commentary copyright 1998 by Martha Nell Smith, Laura Elyn Lauth, and Lara Vetter, all rights reserved Maintained by Rebecca Mooney <rnmooney@umd.edu> Last updated on January 25, 2008 |
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