fied, I
dare say, if I send her a basket of fragments afterward. You must
understand, Cousin Sabina, that as this is my first party, I mean it
to be very select."

"Then you will also, I presume, leave out Mrs. Brownell."

"By no means; I calculate a great deal on Mrs. Brownell. She has the
greatest quantity of elegant china and cut-glass, which it will be
necessary for me to borrow. My own supply is rather limited, and I
must depend chiefly on my acquaintances. It was on that account that I
set down the Greelys. They have the largest lot of silver forks and
spoons of any family I know--owing, it is whispered, to their having,
where they came from, kept a fashionable boarding-house. Also, you may
put down Mrs. Crabbe."

"Mrs. Crabbe?--did I not hear you describe her as a very low person?"

"Peculiarly so in her manners--but what am I to do? I must have
persons to assist me; and Mrs. Crabbe makes the most beautiful jellies
and the most delicious Charlotte-Russe I ever tasted. She has a
natural talent for all sorts of nice cookery, and with my little
experience in it, she will be of the greatest service to me. It saves
a great deal to make every thing except the confectionary at home; and
I shall go at once and ask Mrs. Crabbe if she will prepare the
materials for my fruit-cake, and mix it up."

"You have said nothing about your Aunt Tomkins, of whom Cousin Pelby
has talked to me, and of the different members of her family--they are
to have invitations, of course?" suggested Miss Incledon.

"No--that is--I shall attend to it myself--I mean you need not mind;"
and Mrs. Smith hurried to the door, beginning to perceive something
she would rather escape in the countenance and interrogatories of
Cousin Sabina. "Bless me!" she exclaimed, turning back, "I almost
forgot--and what a mistake it would have been! put down Miss Debby
Coggins; I should never have been forgiven if I had neglected her. She
has a great many oddities, but she is related to all the first
families, and one must keep on her right side. Have you the
name?--Miss Deborah Coggins."

We shall not follow Mrs. Smith into the turmoil of her preparations,
which would have been much more wearisome and bewildering, from her
inexperience in getting up a large entertainment, had it not been for
the good judgment and quiet activity of Miss Incledon, and which the
night of fruition at last terminated.

All was ready, even the lighting of the rooms, when Mrs. Smith