American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-16
MISS FANSHAW'S TEA-PARTY.

, "WHAT beautiful snOwstorm.
theosh$ MiHy, as she stood looking visit
, fully out of the window. She did so wisl
she was out! If she, too, were only
little street-sweeper. 1t was so hare
to be kept carefully within doors
80 hard. She was silent for full ten min
utes-busy with her thoughts. At last 6
happy one struck her, and she turned
quickly to her mother, pretty-faced
young woman, who was deeply interested
in re trimming last years bonnet, and
who at this moment exclaimed, triumph
antly: "Really, it will be as good as
new"
"Mother" interrupted Milly.
"Well?"
"Then cannot skater"
mo" deeply engrossed in the bonnet.
Nor slide down hill!"
"No, child, not in this snow-storm."
"But I can put on my cloak and
new fur tippet, and gloves, and
take an umbrella, and fill a basket with
goodies for poor Miss Fanshaw; Can't y?
For she is so poperty poor, you know"
| Millv had one thought for Miss Fan
shaw and two for herself. For, in reality,
she thought herself very hardly used to
be kept indoors; while she deemed it
rare fun to be "poverty poor" like Miss
Fanshaw, in her little playhouse room.
Her mother smiled wisely, and gave
her permission to go. So Milly, like the
little woman she was, equipped herself
for the walk. She then went into the
store-room and put into willow basket
a loaf of bread, a jar of sweetmeats, and
four red apples After which preparation
she started forthwith as happy face as one
could meet in a days walk; and the face
was no happier than the little warm heart
beating beneath the warm cloak. No
wonder the snow was not cold to her!
"Oh, the snow, the beautiful snow"
the little heart kept chanting to itself, as
she watched the star like crystals allght-
ing on her dress and gloves. Even the
old board fence, with its clinging vines.
shorn of their summer beauty, was draped
in the beautiful snow. Oh, it came down
so quietly and comfortably, as if it had
world of leisure, and world ofits wealth
to bestow!
All too quickly Milly was at Miss
Fansbaw's door. In answer to MIlly's
rat tat tap" at the door it creaked and
wriggled and groaned little, and then
swung wide open; and there stood Miss
Fanshaw, q little shriveled figure, the
shoulders pinned tightly up in an anti
quated baby blanket, embroidered ali
around in herring bone" and various
other marvellous stitches. From under
the shawl peeped two arms, clothed in
the neatest "leg- o'mutton" sleeves On
one finger was a-rlng-no, something
just as dear to her, and it betokened
lifelong engagement, too! 1t was an old
brass thimble, worn full of holes, and as
bright as gold itself.
But must not forget her face. A white
face, with white hair, white eyebrows and
eyelashes. and two deep-blue,. bright.
twinkIing eyes, which seemed to say,
"Ah me, what dear, delightful, merry,
busy world it is; and I've young heart
for it vet, if the wrinkles are in my facet"
"Bless the child!" she cried, in her
short, crisp way "Did she come down
in the SNOWY" And she drew Milly in,
and took the long broom and swept her
from head to foot. "Now, my dear, I've
swept the way to your mouth, l must
have kiss!'
So. giving her one emphatic embrace,
she whirled her along the hall of the ten
ement house into the least atom of
room-not half as big as your play room
and perched her up in an old, rickety arm
chair.
If any one presumed to suggest that
Miss Fanshaw might be more comforta-
BILE in a larger room, she laughed within
herself, exclaiming: No, no, my dearies;
you see that have only to sit in the mid
die of my room to reach everything:
There's my Bible, and there's my bread
Jar, and there's my work-baskef, and
there's my cutting board, and here's the
stove, with the teapot on it-so handy"
And her hand pointed around the room as
if it were hand on a clock pointing to
the hours q Besides, as for the wood,
why. I'm warm as toast with burning two
sticks ard few kin Tiers day. Then l
can tidy up the room, bright as IA basket
o. chips, in less than wink o. time"
Milly thought this housekeeping Won
derful affair and Miss Fanshaw sort OF
divinity.
A happy thought struck Milly as she
sat perched in the armchair, and Miss
Fanshaw fitting like humming bird
about her.
"Miss Fanshawn'
"Well, dear?'
Lets play teal"
"Bless the child! Play tea? OF course
you shall.'
And she buZZed over to a little cup |
board and brought out tiny shining tea
kettle and put it upon the tiny stove, over
the tiny blaze 1t began to sing and sing.
She then whirled Il little round table
(resting on one leg with three carved
claws into the centre of the room. over
this she spread strip of white, home
made linen. Upon this she placed one
plate with IL dot of butter, another plate
with dot of cheese, and another with a
dot of sass" Then she brought out ii
crusty piece of bread, two marvellous lit
tie china cups, and two ancient plates,
figured with red.
Then came Miilv's turn. She climbed
down from her perch; drew the basket
from under her cloak, which she had de-
clined removing; put the loaf on the ia
Bile, then the jar, and then ranged the four
red apples beside them.
Bless the child bless the child !" cried
little Miss Fanshaw, lifting hert hands
and rolling up her two bright eyes
Then she chartered and hummed like
the tea kettle as she took Miliy's wrap
pings and hung them on peg ana hlltd
up her teapot; and they sat down 10 The
table.
There was deep silence in the room
even the kettle forgot to sing; all silent
but the old ticking clock.
So, in the silence, Miss Fanshaw's
laughing eyes closed; and her fingers,
pricked with scores of needles, were now
crossed dcvoutly on her breast; and her
lips moved with the words
"For our blessings, Lord, make us truly
Amen"
Milly's eyes grew rounder and larger
than ever. When Miss Fanshaw lifted
her sweet. bleached face, il was rs light as
if in some way the Lord himself looked
out of it.
"What, deareY Will you have sip OF
tea ?"
"Do you always say it?"
"Wby, to be sure l Go-haye lump o