ttage in the suburbs, pretty enough in summer
and no thanks to its mistress or the superannuated servant either, but
to the unaided impulse of nature, which climbed, in the form of bowery
vines, wherever a vine could find clinging room; but now, in the midst
of winter, bright though the day was, the skeletons of so much green
gayety looked bare, and inhospitable, and cold. The house was approached
by a long path that started at the iron gate and led up to the porch. It
was far from a large house, and looked inconvenient, and famished for
paint, and it was no less inconvenient than it looked, a fact, indeed,
which necessitated the purchase of a cooked turkey, for the oven was
small, and the stove in the crazy little kitchen needed all the surface
it could afford for the vegetables, oysters, and other viands which then
only, throughout the year, it blazed and glowed under.

The morning wore on and twelve o'clock arrived. The big table in the
little dining-room was duly dressed and adorned with Mrs. Griffin's
miscellaneous silver; and after a heated debate between that lady and
the Superannuated, it was decided that when the company were all in the
parlor the dining-room door should be left open, and at the bottom of
the table, which now projected against the door, an additional chair for
Mr. Griffin should be inserted. Mrs. Griffin said of course the company
must squeeze in, but they understood all that, and were glad enough to
get in by any means, to which Superannuated readily assented.

One o'clock, and now the company were all arrived. Mrs. Griffin was duly
excused by Mr. Griffin, who received them, on the plea of domestic
duties. They were mostly in the parlor, which contained, beside them, a
set of red velvet furniture and a shining piano, on legs which emulated
the unsteadiness of Superannuated's own, and which, in huskiness of
voice, also resembled that person; a portrait of Mr. Griffin in rigid
broadcloth, and a companion portrait of Mrs. Griffin in low neck and
volumes of lace; and last, a very pimply-looking carpet, which seemed to
suffer from a severe rash.

Mr. Griffin had occupied the space between the folding-doors as the
company arrived and suavely--as suavely, by the way, as his wincing at
the cost of it all would admit of--received, introduced, and seated
them. The first arrival was a single gentleman, whom he saluted as Fred.
He was short, and bald, and spasmodic,--so much so that his pantaloons
were