A Curious Dinner Party in France

Some months since an Englishman named Atkinson bought a country place near Pithiviers, in France. For many weeks thereafter carpenters and masons were busily employed in repairing and altering, till [...] and after their work had been completed, Mr. Atkinson issued invitations for a large dinner party to all the most prominent families in the neighborhood.

The guests arrived at 6 o'clock, and on taking their seats at the dinner table noticed with surprise that there was not even one servant to be seen. The soup was consumed in silent astonishment. When all had partaken of it, the host sounded a whistle, and as if by magic the soup plates disappeared, and three magnificent silver platters, each containing a roast goose, appeared. Little cries of terror were heard from the ladies.

Mr. Atkinson took no note of his guests' surprise, but remarking that it was a very warm evening, whistled again and the whole ceiling disappeared, the host's black coat vanishing at the same moment, leaving him clothed in a white suit. The guests, alarmed, were about to rise from their chairs, when they found themselves, their chairs and the table suddenly raised five feet above the floor. They, however, were soon lowered again to the floor, and all took refuge in hasty flight from the demoniac abode.

A judicial investigation was instituted, and it was found that Mr. Atkinson had been for ten years the chief machinist at Covent Garden theatre, in London, where he had amassed a nice little fortune. The dinner was a little freak to indulge his fondness for his old pursuit.