over the teacups-第57章

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teacups；　now　the　princess；　or；　what　was　better；　the　pride　of　the

school　to　which　she　had　belonged；　fit　for　any　position　to　which　she

might　be　called；　was　to　be　the　wife　of　our　young　Doctor。　　It　would

not　have　been　the　right　thing　to　proclaim　the　fact　while　she　was　a

pupil；　but　now　that　she　had　finished　her　course　of　instruction　there

was　no　need　of　making　a　secret　of　the　engagement。



So　we　have　got　our　romance；　our　love…story　out　of　our　Teacups；　as　I

hoped　and　expected　that　we　should；　but　not　exactly　in　the　quarter

where　it　might　have　been　looked　for。



What　did　our　two　Annexes　say　to　this　unexpected　turn　of　events？　　They

were　good…hearted　girls　as　ever　lived；　but　they　were　human；　like　the

rest　of　us；　and　women；　like　some　of　the　rest　of　us。　　They　behaved

perfectly。　　They　congratulated　the　Doctor；　and　hoped　he　would　bring

the　young　lady　to　the　tea…table　where　she　had　played　her　part　so

becomingly。　　It　is　safe　to　say　that　each　of　the　Annexes　world　have

liked　to　be　asked　the　lover's　last　question　by　the　very　nice　young

man　who　had　been　a　pleasant　companion　at　the　table　and　elsewhere　to

each　of　them。　　That　same　question　is　the　highest　compliment　a　man　can

pay　a　woman；　and　a　woman　does　not　mind　having　a　dozen　or　more　such

compliments　to　string　on　the　rosary　of　her　remembrances。　　Whether

either　of　them　was　glad；　on　the　whole；　that　he　had　not　offered

himself　to　the　other　in　preference　to　herself　would　be　a　mean；　shabby

question；　and　I　think　altogether　too　well　of　you　who　are　reading　this

paper　to　suppose　that　you　would　entertain　the　idea　of　asking　it。



It　was　a　very　pleasant　occasion　when　the　Doctor　brought　Avis　over　to

sit　with　us　at　the　table　where　she　used　to　stand　and　wait　upon　us。

We　wondered　how　we　could　for　a　moment　have　questioned　that　she　was

one　to　be　waited　upon；　and　not　made　for　the　humble　office　which

nevertheless　she　performed　so　cheerfully　and　so　well。





　　　　　Commencements　and　other　Celebrations；　American　and　English。



The　social　habits　of　our　people　have　undergone　an　immense　change

within　the　past　half　century；　largely　in　consequence　of　the　vast

development　of　the　means　of　intercourse　between　different

neighborhoods。



Commencements；　college　gatherings　of　all　kinds；　church　assemblages；

school　anniversaries；　town　centennials；all　possible　occasions　for

getting　crowds　together　are　made　the　most　of。　　〃'T　is　sixty　years

since；〃and　a　good　many　years　over；the　time　to　which　my　memory

extends。　　The　great　days　of　the　year　were；　Election；General

Election　on　Wednesday；　and　Artillery　Election　on　the　Monday

following；　at　which　time　lilacs　were　in　bloom　and　'lection　buns　were

in　order；　Fourth　of　July；　when　strawberries　were　just　going　out；　and

Commencement；　a　grand　time　of　feasting；　fiddling；　dancing；　jollity；

not　to　mention　drunkenness　and　fighting；　on　the　classic　green　of

Cambridge。　　This　was　the　season　of　melons　and　peaches。　　That　is　the

way　our　boyhood　chronicles　events。　　It　was　odd　that　the　literary

festival　should　be　turned　into　a　Donnybrook　fair；　but　so　it　was　when

I　was　a　boy；　and　the　tents　and　the　shows　and　the　crowds　on　the　Common

were　to　the　promiscuous　many　the　essential　parts　of　the　great

occasion。　　They　had　been　so　for　generations；　and　it　was　only

gradually　that　the　Cambridge　Saturnalia　were　replaced　by　the

decencies　and　solemnities　of　the　present　sober　anniversary。



Nowadays　our　celebrations　smack　of　the　Sunday…school　more　than　of　the

dancing…hall。　　The　aroma　of　the　punch…bowl　has　given　way　to　the

milder　flavor　of　lemonade　and　the　cooling　virtues　of　ice…cream。

A　strawberry　festival　is　about　as　far　as　the　dissipation　of　our

social　gatherings　ventures。　　There　was　much　that　was　objectionable　in

those　swearing；　drinking；　fighting　times；　but　they　had　a　certain

excitement　for　us　boys　of　the　years　when　the　century　was　in　its

teens；　which　comes　back　to　us　not　without　its　fascinations。　　The　days

of　total　abstinence　are　a　great　improvement　over　those　of　unlicensed

license；　but　there　was　a　picturesque　element　about　the　rowdyism　of

our　old　Commencement　days；　which　had　a　charm　for　the　eye　of　boyhood。

My　dear　old　friend；book…friend；　I　mean；whom　I　always　called　Daddy

Gilpin　（as　I　find　Fitzgerald　called　Wordsworth；　Daddy　Wordsworth）；

my　old　friend　Gilpin；　I　say；　considered　the　donkey　more　picturesque

in　a　landscape　than　the　horse。　　So　a　village　fete　as　depicted　by

Teniers　is　more　picturesque　than　a　teetotal　picnic　or　a　Sabbath…

school　strawberry　festival。　　Let　us　be　thankful　that　the　vicious

picturesque　is　only　a　remembrance；　and　the　virtuous　commonplace　a

reality　of　to…day。



What　put　all　this　into　my　head　is　something　which　the　English　Annex

has　been　showing　me。　　Most　of　my　readers　are　somewhat　acquainted　with

our　own　church　and　village　celebrations。　　They　know　how　they　are

organized；　the　women　always　being　the　chief　motors；　and　the　machinery

very　much　the　same　in　one　case　as　in　another。　　Perhaps　they　would

like　to　hear　how　such　things　are　managed　in　England；　and　that　is　just

what　they　may　learn　from　the　pamphlet　which　was　shown　me　by　the

English　Annex；　and　of　which　I　will　give　them　a　brief　account。



Some　of　us　remember　the　Rev。　Mr。　Haweis；　his　lectures　and　his　violin；

which　interested　and　amused　us　here　in　Boston　a　few　years　ago。　　Now

Mr。　Haweis；　assisted　by　his　intelligent　and　spirited　wife；　has　charge

of　the　parish　of　St。　James；　Westmoreland　Street；　Marylebone；　London。

On　entering　upon　the　twenty…fifth　year　of　his　incumbency　in

Marylebone；　and　the　twenty…eighth　of　his　ministry　in　the　diocese　of

London；　it　was　thought　a　good　idea　to　have　an　〃Evening　Conversazione

and　Fete。〃　　We　can　imagine　just　how　such　a　meeting　would　be　organized

in　one　of　our　towns。　　Ministers；　deacons；　perhaps　a　member　of

Congress；　possibly　a　Senator；　and　even；　conceivably；　his　Excellency

the　Governor；　and　a　long　list　of　ladies　lend　their　names　to　give

lustre　to　the　occasion。　　It　is　all　very　pleasant；　unpretending；

unceremonious；　cheerful；　well　ordered；　commendable；　but　not　imposing。



Now　look　at　our　Marylebone　parish　celebration；　and　hold　your　breath

while　the　procession　of　great　names　passes　before　you。　　You　learn　at

the　outset　that　it　is　held　UNDER　ROYAL　PATRONAGE；　and　read　the　names

of　two　royal　highnesses；　one　highness；　a　prince；　and　a　princess。

Then　comes　a　list　before　which　if　you　do　not　turn　pale；　you　must

certainly　be　in　the　habit　of　rouging：　three　earls；　seven　lords；　three

bishops；　two　generals　（one　of　them　Lord　Wolseley）；　one　admiral；　four

baronets；　nine　knights；　a　crowd　of　right　honorable　and　honorable

ladies　（many　of　them　peeresses）；　and　a　mob　of　other　personages；　among

whom　I　find　Mr。　Howells；　Bret　Harte；　and　myself。



Perhaps　we　are　disposed　to　smile　at　seeing　so　much　made　of　titles；

but　after　what　we　have　learned　of　Lord　Timothy　Dexter　and　the　high…

sounding　names　appropriated　by　many　of　our　own　compatriots；　who　have

no　more　claim　to　them　than　we　plain　Misters　and　Misseses；　we　may　feel

to　them　something　as　our　late　friend　Mr。　　Appleton　felt　to　the　real

green　turtle　soup　set　before　him；　when　he　said　that　it　was　almost　as

good　as　mock。



The　entertainment　on　this　occasion　was　of　the　most　varied　character。

The　programme　makes　the　following　announcement：



　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Friday；　4　July；　18…。



　　　　　　　　　　At　8　P。　M。　the　Doors　will　Open。

　　　　　　　　　　Mr。　Haweis　will　receive　his　Friends。

　　　　　　　　　　The　Royal　Handbell　Ringers　will　Ring。

　　　　　　　　　　The　Fish…pond　will　be　Fished。

　　　　　　　　　　The　Stalls　will　be　Visited。

　　　　　　　　　　The　Phonograph　will　Utter。



Refreshments　will　be　called　for；　and　they　will　come；Tea；　Coffee；

and　Cooling　Drinks。　　Spirits　will　not　be　called　for；　from　the　Vasty

Deep　or　anywhere　else；nor　would　they　come　if　they　were。



At　9。30　Mrs。　Haweis　will　join　the　assembly。



I　am　particularly　delighted　with　this　last　feature　in　the　preliminary

announcement。　　It　is　a　proof　of　the　high　regard　in　which　the

estimable　and　gifted　lady　who　shares　her　h