Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1871-02-25
Gales & 5Astsbes.
THE DONATION PARTY.

"Why, of all things-when did you get
home ~ said the merry Mrs. Bellies, as she
entered her cheerful parlor at ten O'Clock
on Thanksgiving night, and found her hus-
band sitting moodily alone, having Just re-
turned from u trip to New York, and she
shook him heartily by the hand, and left
her kiss of true wifely affection upon his
lip he still keeping his seat and looking as
II he had run oil the track or had his con
signrent Of merchandise sunk to the bot
tom of Lake Erie.
GLOW long have you been here :" she
again asked, not needing his silence.
IAN hour or two"
'Come down on the Clipper ?'
The gentlemen nodded.
"Eeen well 7" she continued. drawing
oil her gloves, unpinning her shawl, and
laying of her hat.
"Oh ~ she exclaimed shaking back her
curls, how L wish you had got home before
night, that YOU might have gone with me
to the donation party We had the incest
time-l would have given cnything If you
had been there have not seen 4 merricr
party this many Il day. Oh, L wish you
had come sOOuer.''
Perhaps you had better save your re-
greLs, for am very sure l should not have
gone had | been 2t home, and preadYcnturc
you lAight have staid at home with me so
if you have been 50 highly delighted with
your party, MARE the best Of it. You know
| am no friend to such doinrs."
But, Edward, you could not have help
ed being pleased tonight. Why my very
heart is iluttered with joy just to thin'- Of
it,. Returning thanks to the Heavenly
Father, BY giving Of our good gifts TO The
poor and needy"
"Thc poor and needy he repeated with
sneer; lis it Parson Allen YOU call poor
and needy, whose wife wears better bon
ne. and eat better dinners than nine out Of
every ten Of his flock :"
"No, Lot Par3on Allen-pshaw, Ed
ward, DO you think would talk about
PaIson Allen as poor and needy ?"
We'll, the Rev. G. Minor, with ten thou
sand at interest ?'i
"No, po.r
"Wcll, l shant guess again, for this
whole system OF donation parties is q kind
Of fraud upon the public, and am very
sorry, indeed, that you have been induced
because | was absent, to give your aid
and countenance to such things"
All this was said with a surly tone.
Mary, the light hearted, loving true and
gentle Mary, who had been at home forr
weeks as merry as bird over her sum-
mer nest, ncglccting no duty, and tiring Of
no care, choking up a little; out though
the tears swellcd up her cyclids, the smile
could not !eayc her brow, and love whis-
peIed in her ear, she is weary and sleepy,
and was disappointed that you were not at
homo to welcome him when he came" So
she looked straight into the little door of
the parlor stove, upon tie glowing Goals
thcrc, turned into dead ashes, and thought
/ how much Ike the warm earnest love OF
her own heart ,hey were Just that minute :;
a love that had been warming q whole
room full all evening; Il love that had been
sparkling aud radiating till all about her
was warmth and likely to be turncd sud-
dcnly into ashes because the husband
choose to put it out instead Of adding fresh
fuel to warm aud cheer his cold soul,
But Mary was Il sensible little woman. 80
she looked straight into the stove door,
pattcd the toe of her pretty gaiter on the
soft rug, turned her marriage ring round
| ana round on her finger but never said a
word.
Edward Bellies looked straight into the
r.ove door too, wishing in his heart that
/ he had rot been such a pctuant fool rs to
blui his beautiful, loving wife for no earth
~ reason, only 'fat le had got home one
day sooner taau he bad promised and found
her out at donation party. But chang
. It all, thought he 10 himself chow shall |
get out OF the scrape - Thus thinking,
thus feeling, they both looked into the stove
I door TOR i've minutes.
4 This won't do,u thought he. IL must
come round some how /" and lac drew his
lngcr ends through his whiskers, aud look
81 whole minute longer; then clearing
his voice began in a s0ltened tone
~ don't know bat 1 anl most too savage
ON your donation parties, Mary bat Il la,
always secmed 40 ne. g4ihs 10 people must
have mluisior They Ought 10 pay him aud
pay wvl, Wl'AC. g,Udglug or gruublng,
anu not lefI q tax upon tho whole com,
muu.lY tG relieve them ui iheir burdens,
and u hoy can't Wly cheerluliy owing IN
thrit poverty Rt him gn. May o. / am
wrong Ia mN r5Nnat e hut have sues-aI
la,.r llWrsr tunl1Hr Son t.'l ucuYH WA,u
}pu have ..ftn }uar donation ll-u.yht th4I
las 90 'uN lnr i1 iuiirFsl llyMNy.'u
Aui llHad aAo siuE ail Vas d ysry
i9ud lu. u.haut, arUW A,r Alnl BAL La aud
luil.4 ap aiih q rllaf lFig iur his ausa ser
h.I hn1Ht ll .rd lus tl.
"a bass aiseial .i lhn aot Alt.. lIrun
aN a' lrf scat family oi heg uau
lUl .ltt1H'lus ihlnnaA ai t0ua Ui slfllN
alrkssss aul iaai, ll lss lsii aiIsH. ds
ltnd,ui Hpaa htr lHu hanis vauh has,
etpl. a s4i drIIHI tii iu hrF ~ ~
a. lH eunIIulhn lu i.laf .HlaH4 fWIY, d.
labg lha ts,ies ~ hgF dsuahisf ba1 Wsl
ihFH ln hrf 1unf, Al iaiult ihe a.t0la
ui.liaf ~ ihDf nu'htph tlfaiad "a haTl
ht snl '' ns shs n Hs 90 kaoN ID