Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-03-08
A New Testament Tea.Party.

"Therell be Jennie, she's one, and Mamie
and Lulu, they're two-no, four. Oh, mamma,
it mortifes me that cant count three.
And Kitty and Flo aud Grace. Mamma, are
you in real, truly earnest 2"
Z" Yes, dear you can take your choice be
tween birthday presents and a tea-party."
"Oh, I've chose the party the moment you
mentioned bout it. But am TO do all my
own wiling? All my own self"
The family were gathered in the room for
worship, and mamma only had time 10 nod
eyes before the books were given out and
the reading was begun. Pinkie sat still rs
a mouse, thinking who to invite TO her
party, until papa, in whose lap she sat read
in his turn. ~'Then said he also TO him that
babe them: When thou makest dinner
OF a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy
brethren, nor thy knsmen, nor thy rich
neighbors lest they also bid thee again and
a recompense be made thee but when thou
makest feast, call the poor, the MANNED
the lame, the blind
Pinkie was very attentive all the rest Of
the time. As they rose from their knees she
whispered eagerly TO her father Who is
Hef The one that said who 10 invite to
your party 2" And when he answered "The
Lord Jesus, darling" she said, musingly
" ! s'posed IL must have been. Nobody else
would "a thought of it, would they ?" and
without waiting for an answer, off she ran
The girls were all very loving in school
that day. Jennie Davis, in the strictest con
fdence--" Promise you'll never tell, so longs
you live, never had told half the girls,
and they told the other half Pinkie May
was going to have tea-party tomorrow,
and her mother said she could invite Just
whom she pleased. Human nature in small
girls is strikingly like the same thing in big
people. Pinkie was overwhelmed with Of
fers of jujube paste, licorice-root, popcorn,
and from few choice spirits, chewing-gum;
to say nothing Of the slate-pencils that were
showered on her when she couldn't find her
own But she bore her popularity with a
good deal Of dignity. "A girl nine years
old tomorrow mustn't act like pack of
children any more" she told Jennie Davis,
who admired and agreed.
| Tomorrow came, bringing with it many
kisses and good wishes for Miss Nine-Y ear
Old, from big sister Maggie down to brother
Jack.
What time does the party begin ?" asked
papa, at the breakfast table.
al Five o'clock" said mamma.
Whom have you invited, Pinkie 2"
Mamma, please don't ask till you see
'em come in. You know you promised. And
| haven't 'vited 'em yet;" aud she hurried
off to escape from that provoking Jack, who
marched slowly after her, singing, "Oh
Pink and blue, I'm coming, toop' which
Pinkie said was not poetry. "'Cause blue and
too don't end with the same letter"
Three o'clock came, and no Pinkie Half
past three Four Half-past four Mamma
looked grave and Cornela put on her hat
and went round to the Davises' to see if the
child hadn't forgotten the time, talking over
the party with Jennie. Back she came in
great excitement
" She hasn't been there at all, mother
Jennie says she hasn't invited her nor any
of the girls Where do you suppose she is 2
Mamma was very anxious, and sister Mag
gle, who had just come in with bundle
that looked like books, was Offering to 60 out
and make more thorough search, when tn,
door-bell rang. A piercing shrek was heard
from Katy as she opened the door and ther
Pinkie's voice rang out, loud and clear
"Come in Come right in the parlor It,
just 'zactly five o'clock. guess the party,
most ready. Come right straight in % Ant
in they came, Pinkie at their head, serenell
triumphant. Maggie echoed katy's shrek
The parlor was full of them. Not a pal
of shoes among them, though some of then
had made an attempt at clean faces. lrisl
aud German, black aud white-two littl,
Italians who had been singing in the street
All the children from Dodd's alley and Greer
court. Their clothes in tatters their poor lit
tie faces wan and thin. There were two lit
tie lame boys; and, clinging close to Pinkiei
hand, pale, half-frightened blind child
Goodness l' screamed jamie. Who's,
are they? Where did they come from 2"
"'Most everywhere ~ said Pinkie. "The,
don't b'long to hardly any one, 'cept God
and I've brought 'em to my party"
Mamma laid her hand on Maggie's lips
and frowned silence at Cornelia and John
, Why didn't you ask me, dear ?" she said
gently.
" You said Just who | choosed," sal,
Pinkie, somewhat aggrieved. And tn
Lord Jesus told me, too, out of the Bible
J Yes, lie did, Cornelia And, mamma, w
been all around and round, and isn't tn
party ready ?"
She's too good to live" said Katy
Yis, darlint, it's ready, just as soon as
, lock up the silver spoons"
BY this time mamma and the others had RI
covered their presence of mind, and Pinkie'
guests were made most welcome. The yer
dirtiest had their faces and hands washed
and then they were all marched into the dir
ing-room, and sat down to one of mamma
unrivalled teas. After tea, John showe
them some pictures, Pinkie told them som
Bible stories, and Maggie won all their heart
by playing on the piano and singing. Man
mas eyes full eyes brimmed over when littl
Ellen, the blind child, after listening breath
lessly to " The Master has come over Joi
dan," whispered eagerly q" Is it far, lady
Could l get there ? Maybe He'd make m
SOS ! could see."
"And after all, they didn't behave a bi
worse than other children !" said jamie, whe
they had all gone away wel-fed, warm all
very happy; and Pinkie was deep-buried i
Magges gift, dear, delightful old Grimm.
Here's de spoons, mum; and not on
missing, praised be Providence I" said Katy
an never speak to you again, never on
word so longs live, Pinkie May" said Jer
ME Davis, the next morning. "TO thin
you'd go and have party, and never as
your own confidentious friend, and fill you
house chock-up with beggar children !"
"They weren't beggars either" said Pink
the valiant; "they never begged of me
True's you live, | had to coax some of 'en
real hard to come.
"Coax street children !" sneered Jennie.
They're Gods children, anyhow" sal
Pinkie, waxing warlike. "And one morning
at worship, my father he just read out Of tn
Bible Jennie Davis, bout il you're going b
have party, to ask poor people, and lam
ones, aud blind ones-and so | did-and no
your rich friends who'd ask you back-an,
that's you, Jennie"
"You needn't be afraid of that now, Mis-
Pink May"
AM Miss lana Davis I ain,t cansa t.,