Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-02-26

had only one, and fixed everything up as
well as she could. There was a poor
scrubby oak tree out in the back yard
and she climbed up on the ash barrel and
broke off a lot of branches, put one over
the little cracked looking glass, and
hung others up around the room. Then
she showed Prissy how to make pretty
round mats out Of the green leaves that
would do for plates, for they hadn't
enough for such party, and they
! wouldn't borrow of their neighbors; no,
indeed, they felt above that. They didn't
| get a regular dinner that day. Prissy was
too happy to eat, though she went to the
| cupboard and took bite of bread and
butter with her mother, for they couldn't
have butter every day.
Prlssy had hardly got on her best calico
dress and her one white apron before her
company came. Della wose bright vel
low calico dress and hoops and her hair
tied back with a green ribbon, which
made her look like a full-blown sun
flower. Moll and Matty Gray were clean,
but very much patched, for their fathey
was drunkard, and their poor mother
could hardly get enough for them to eat.
Poor little jamie was a cripple, who could
only walk on crutches, but he was such a
dear, patient little fellow Prissy was
glad to have him come to her party. His
clothes needed patching bad enough, but
his face and hands were clean as they
could be. Prissy received her little
friends very graciously. Perhaps there
was Just shade of conscious superiority
in her manner, but then it isn't every
body IN the world who can afford to give
a party, and this was her first and her
-klr.yr III ~,
butter. Mrs. TOmpkins had some clean
clothes ready to carry home that afternoon,
so left them alone for two or three hours
They played keep house." Simon says
thumbs up" and "button, button" and
had the funniest tableaux that were ever
seen. Nobody got unified" or lost their
temper, and they just had the jolliest time
in the world. When Mrs. Tompkins
came back she made a partition across
the room with her great clothes bars and
some clean sheets and began to set the
table. Prissy endured it as long as she
could, and then excused herself so that
she might see TO the supper. The rest
couldn't play without her, of course, so
they sat silently listening to every sound
that reached their ears from over that mys-
FERROUS partition. Very soon it was fold
ed up and set against the wall, and they
were invited out to supper. How their eyes
sparkled! What EXPLANATIONS of delight
burst forth from every one Prissy was
satisfied. She was prouder than ever
queen upon her throne could be. For,
besides the two golden oranges cut in
quarters and very tastefully arranged on
the leafy plate, besides the patty cakes,
the ginger snaps and the candy, to say
nothing of the great plate of bread and |
the little pat of golden butter, there was
one browning glory which Mr.. Brown
had just sent to Prissy by his boy-siK
huge pink candy balls of popcorn! They |
made splendid center-piece to the table, |
and Prissy's cup of JOY was full to the
brim. Mrs. Tompkins sat down with |
them, and told them funny stories about |
her first party, and helped them to every
thing, for they couldn't pass the oak leaf |
plates around. They saved their corn |
balls and candy, wrapped them up in
paper and carried them home to eat an |
other time. Not one of these little people |
had ever been to party before, not one
of them ever had so many good things to
eat at one time, and never, so long as they
live, will they forget the delightful time
they had at Prissy's first party.-Hearth
and Home