LUDICROUS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5651, 27 December 1879, Page 7

LUDICROUS.

Ay English lady, who lived in the country and was about to have a large dinner-party, was ambitious of making as great a display as her husband's establishment—a tolerably large ill' —could furnish. So that there might stem to be no lack of servants, a great lad, wh i had been on'y employed oil farm work, was trimmed for the occasion, aid ordered to take his stand behind his mistress's chair, with Btrict injunctions nt to stir from the place, nor to do anything, unless she directed him—the lady wellknowing thatalthough nofootman couldmnke a butter appearance in still life, some awkwardness would be inevitable if he were put in mo'ion. Accordingly, Thomas, having been thus duly drill, d and enjoined, took his post at the head of the table, behind his mistress, and for awhile found sutlicient amus-iment in looking at the grand, "setout," and staring at the guests. When he was weary of this, and of an inaction to which he was so little used, his eye begin to pry about among n'arer objects. It was at a time when the ladies followed the French fashion of having the back and shoulders, under the nape of the neck, uncovered much losvor thin accords either with tbe Em-lisdi climate or with old English notions. This lady was in the height, or lowness, of that fas'iion, and, between her shoulder blades, not far from the c infines where nakedness and clothing in=t, Tfcoinaa espied something. The guests were too much engaged with the business and tbe courtesies of the taide to see wh*»t must have been worth seeing— the transfiguration produced in Thomas's countenance by delight when he saw so tineas opportunity of showing himself attentive and making himself useful. The lady was too much occupied with her company to feel the liea ; but to her horror she felt; th.j great linger and thumb of Thomas upon her back, and to her great horror heard him exe'aim, with exultation, to the stdl greiter amusement of the patty, "A vlea ! vlea, my lady ! li'cod ! I've eaui'ht 'en !"