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00335
5
Cigarette Smoking and Relaxing Drinks
At the first, a little disposition seemed manifested by the gentlemen to slink off into quiet corners, and in many cases a partiality for cigarettes betrayed itself to an unusual degree; but, thanks to the unwearied exertions of the hostess, there vas other ice broken than that vhich filled the hugh china punch bovl; and in an unusually short	space of time, the greatest	friendliness
and good humor everyvhere	prevailed.
Perhaps there vas no punch, nor lemonade, nor Catavba, nor claret, nor cake, nor something stronger ? Probably four strong men did not stand at a great table, and do nothing but brew, and help out, from early in the morning until evening ?
Possibly when lunch time came, everybody didn’t have a plate of gumbo that would make Victor die with envy, and more roast pig, and turkey, and fowls, than would provision a regiment ? The man who thinks that all these luxuries were not there, must have spent his Fourth of July in Mississippi City.
Feminine Mississippi Fire	Company No. £	Formed
Yet. notwithstanding	the music and	refreshments,	the	delicious
breeze, the we Is and webs of Swiss and linen cambric, the bolts and bolts of ribbons and sashes, and all the other attributes of a latter day elysium, stern old Time would move on, five o'clock would come, and the demoniac whistle of the Creole would shriek.
Struck, apparently, with a sudden freak, the boys, on the eve of the parting, concluded to form another Mississippi Fire Company No. 2 of gentler bearing, and despite of their own fine looks, of far more comely appearance. By way of commencing the uniform, their leather belts were quickly unstrapped and speedily found a place around far lenderer waists.
Tfte Foreman of the new Company, scarcely five feet high, beamed on beholders from a cloud of lack tissue. The First Assistant, not an inch taller, smiled from the depths of a mist of ruffles and lace while the other officers and members carolled in their gleefulness from a perfect sea of organdies, and lawns, and swiss.
Of course the two new Companies had to have another dance, and of course it was a rustic reel.
The Serenade
Perhaps every gallery was not full of sets, and probably in the merriment, the building did not tremble until one would think it was laughing too ? But the toys had other friends in town who had been kind and attentive, and it would never do to Bieave without a parting salute.