d her domestic
affairs, or sat down to the perusal of some treasured volume.

CHAPTER X.

"I tell thee, husband, 'tis a goodly thing,
To get a daughter married off your hands,
And know she's found an easy-tempered mate;
For many men there be in this rude world.
Who do most shockingly abuse their wives;
But of their number is not this mild youth
Who takes our daughter for his wedded bride."

Young Mrs. Edson's party was a three days' wonder. Mrs. Salsify Mumbles,
inasmuch as she was excluded from being one of the guests, availed
herself of the next choicest privilege, and learned, as far as she was
able, the dresses and conversation of those in attendance; and how Mrs.
E. comported herself, and what she cooked for supper. She was shocked to
learn the young wife wore a low-necked dress, and set her down at once as
a low, vulgar woman, in whose company she should consider it a disgrace
to be seen. Mrs. Pimble said another milk-sop had come among them to fawn
and giggle in the face of the oppressor, man.

The Edson fete seemed to pave the way for others, and the winter season
passed gayly and pleasantly among the wealthier classes of Wimbledon.
Col. Malcome, his daughter, and Rufus, were present at all the social
gatherings; and, in fact, the colonel's was getting to be a familiar and
welcome face at almost every door in the village. He even called on Mrs.
Salsify Mumbles, one day, and addressed several civil speeches to the
interesting Mary Madeline, who blushed crimson beneath the glance of his
_unresistible_ eyes, as she termed them, and trembled like an aspen, in
her red silk gown. We do not know that we have ever spoken of the
personal charms of this blooming young lady, and we will now attempt a
brief daguerreotype for the reader's enlightenment and edification.

Her hair was of that peculiarly brilliant color noticed in that
delightful esculent vegetable, the carrot, when boiled and prepared for
table. She wore it twisted in a hard, horny knob at the top of her head,
which strained her blue-green eyes, and gave them the expression of those
of a choked grimalkin. Her nose turned divinely upwards; her blubber lips
turned downwards with a grievous, watery expression. Her cheeks were red;
so was her nose; so were her eyes at times, when the horny knob took a
harder twist than usual. She had smal