A JUVENILE PARTYE.
Wednesday, April 24, 1850.
With my Wife this Evening to Mr. Hartley's to a Children's Party, but some grown up, and among them me and my Wife, though we have no Children, which vex me, but not much, for Children mighty expensive and cost money, and, if I had them, would only force me to deny myself a great many Pleasures I now enjoy, and could not then afford. A large Drawing Room very fine, and well lighted up, and so many Children of all Ages down to Babies almost as I think I did never before, altogether in one room, see. Pretty to see how the little Boys and Girls dance when Mynheer Schlamm thump and bang the Piano, and some of the very smallest taught to dance nearly as soon as they could walk, and how they stand in Position and point their Toes with heels close together, and arms hanging down, as they do when the Dancing-Master teach them their dancing Lessons. And to see how pleased all the Girls to dance, but not all the Boys, but a good many of them look unhappy, yet pretty to observe how a few little Boys make love to the little Girls, and one little Boy offer a little Girl a Nosegay, like a young Gallant, and she take it with the Air of a Coquette mighty pretty. But most of the Boys make a great deal more Love to the good Things on the Tables; the Sweets and Pastry, Jelly, Blanc-Mange, Tarts, Pies, Tipsy-Cake, Trifle, and Ice-creams, and good Lack how they push, and scramble, and hold out their plates, to get slices of Cake, while Hartley cut up a great rich Cake like a Twelfth-cake and share it between them, and they eat and stuff all they can, and I fear me some of them ill to-morrow if not before. Droll to see a little Boy stand astride stuffing into his Mouth a Pie whole like a Pantomime Clown. Another small Boy sitting down upon a Pile of Plates set by on the Floor, they having been eaten from, in the Remains of Trifle, cause great Laughter. So did a fat Dame with her little Boy and Girl, and an Arm round each, like a great plump Fowl, a Gizzard under one Wing and Liver beneath the other. Droll to see Hartley's little girl sit in her Grandmother's Chair beside her Crutch, where her Grandmother hobbling in did find her, and to think that she too will be such another old Woman, one of these Days, if she live. Some of the bigger Boys public School Boys, mighty grand, and a few wearing Spectacles like young Owls. Mrs. Hartley's Brother, Mr. St. Leger, dress himself like a Conjuror, in a conjuring Cap with magick Characters on it, and conjure with Cards, and Oranges, and little Images, and Dolls, mighty clever, and I do mean to get him if I can to teach me. One Thing made me laugh heartily was to see the Page they call Buttons stand behind him while he conjure, Buttons with his Eyes staring wide open, and he grinning with his Mouth from Ear to Ear. The young Folk after Supper to dance again, and romp, and play at Blindman's Buff, and meanwhile the elder sup too, and I and my Wife on cold Fowl and Ham, and Lobster Salad, and Champagne, mighty merry, and so Home betimes mighty comfortable, and methinks I do like a Children's more than any other Evening Party, to see the Children and their Elders also, play the Fool, and to break up, and get Home early, and so with Content and Comfort to Bed.
