Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1864-12-22

They won't be big enough, Nell-not
half prefer big girls to little ones"
James " said Mrs. Dobh, reprovingly.
"Oh, Mary Ann Smith is a great big
girl said Nell Her dresses almost come
down to the ground
Do they? That's encouraging. Is Mary
Ann coming ?'
Yes and two other big girls They
write compositions"
Compositions They must be getting
very old"
! Compositions arc such proof of maturity
among those little bodies. Did you ever
notice it?
Bring the nuts when you come to din
ner, James" was my wife's parting injunct-
ion
All right, my dear"
! was detained down town that afternoon
later than usual, and when came home III
the evening, ! found the four little Dobbs
sitting in solemn state i'll the parlor, await
ing the coming Of the guests.
Shortly after the door bell rang, and the
children were in high state Of commotion.
SaIle jumped down from the sofa and made
a dash for the door but suddenly rccollec-
ting herself, returned to her perch and
{
Bridget ushcred into the parlor string of
seven boys Of assorted sizes, who ranged
themselves along the wall without sayinga
word But there was any amount Of sub
dued giggling among them
The next arrival was cluster of little
girls, looking as sweet as June roses.
| went out to tea and when looked in
again, the room was filed with the neigh
bors' progeny, including Mary Ann Smith
and two other big girls.
Such a stad cOnclavc never saw before
in my life There they all sat, as bashful
as mice, never uttering a loud word, and
scarcely caring to look each other in the
face 1t was vastly amusing to me to OBJ
serve the conventional awe under which
those boys, especially, laborcd the very
boys that had been saluting each other
roughly in the street an hour before, per
haps pulling each others hair. AS sedate
as deacons now.
The ice was broken in this way:
One of the big girls, by way Of opening
the ball. said to a youngster of some eight
summers, named joey Perry.
Its pleasant evening, Mr.. Perry
"Oh, how are you, Mr.. Perry" burst
forth our Fred, dcrisivcly, at the top Of his
voice
And then such broadsidc of laughter
In less time than it takes me to write it the
Youngsters were in a hubbub as noisy as
the meeting had before been scdate.
They played the Post-ofice," and "Ce-
dar swamp" and "Forfcits," and all that
sort of games, whose principal feature is
an abundance of kissing. | went into my
study and began writing. The merry bursts
of laughter came cchomg to my ears, but
they did not disturb me. | am fond IA
thcr
One Of the big girls came into my august
presence and threw cushion at my feet,
on which she knceled, pouting up at me
pair Of ripe red lips.
"Whos this 2" said I, laying down my
pen.
"That's Mary Ann p cried Fred from the
doorway which was thronged with gig
Cling little spectators. " She wants you to
kiss her"
"Ah !" said |, as memory suddenly re-
called the old-timc game. How many
can have?"
"Twenty !" Thirty!" \ hundred !"
cried a dozen voices.
We'll, III take three" said l, " and you
may have the rest, Fred"
Cant see it !" slanged the young hope
full backing off
The young lady struggled after the or
thodoX Manner handed down from gener-
alton to generation of young ladies, and
the children screamed with delight.
Hold her, Mr.. Dobb y
Kiss lfer, Mr.. Dobb y
Rub her nose with your whiSkcrs, papa"
That was from Fred who had memories
We left them alone at last, Idon'tbelicvc
in old folks intrudmg too much on the en-
ioyment Of the little ones They get along
great deal mcrrier by themselves. SO
Mrs Dobb shut the parlor door and left
them alone, while | shut myself up in my
study
About half-past nine went out and found
the little guests had gone.
Salie was missing, but we presently
found her on the stairs i'll the hall crying
bitterly.
"Why, what's the matter with my little
bird ?" said | taking her in my arms.
She was 10th to tell, but at last she sobbed
out that she had been kissed too much, and
had had her six years pounded on her back,
in honor Of birthday usage, till she was
sore all over. Added to which one OF the
boys had caught hold of her dress and torn
it in a shocking manner.
The child was soothed and put to bed
and then | went into the parlor.
Oh spectacle for an economical parent
My statuettc of Senator D6uglas-only
cast, but gift from the scul lptor-had been
knocked over as it stood i'll the corner, and
its head broken off short There was a
deep scratch foot long on the piano, and
the music was one hideous dab of molasses
candy from first to last A lamp had been
tipped over on the Brussels carpet and left
a spot in the middle of the room. And
worst of all, some ambitious youngster had
been atmy paintings, and had broken hole
through the canvass of a beautiful land
scape--an original Sontag, which | valued
highly.
"Oh, Susan, Susan !" cried, behold
the havoc of this economical soiree !"
Mrs Dobb stood aghast at the spectacle.
"Can you compute this damage calmly"
| asked.
But Mrs. Dobb had no answer for me.
got out pencil and piece of paper,
and made a reckoning:
Beheaded Douglass, S25
Mutilated SOntag, so