The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1877-08-25
JOHNS FIRST PARTY.

JOHNS FIRST PARTY.
1t turned out that } ohm did not 90, after
all, to Cynthia Rudd's party, having
broken through the ice on the river when
he was skating that day, and, as the boy
who pulled him out said, "came within
an inch of his life" But he took care
not to tumble into anything that should
keep him from the next party, which was
given with due formality by Melinda
Mayhem.
John had been many time in the
house of Deacon Mayhem, and never
with any hesitation, even if he knew that
both of the deaCons daughters Melinda
ana ophronia-were at home. The only
fear that he had felt was the deacon's big
dog, who always surlily watched him as
he came up the tanbark walk, and made
a rush at him if he showed the least sign
of wavering. But upon the night of the
party his courage vanished, and he
thought he would rather face all of the
dogs in town than knock at the front door
The parlor was lighted up, and as John
stood on the broad tagging before the
front door, by the lilac bush, he could
hear the sound of voices-girls' voices
which set his heart in a ffutter. He could
face the whole district-school of girls
without tlinching-he didn't mind 'em in
the Westinghouse in their Sunday best;
but he began to be conscious that now he
was passing to "a new sphere, where the
girls are supreme and superior, and he
began to feel for the first time that he
was an awkward boy. The girl takes
to society as naturally as duckling does
to the placid pond, but with semblance
of sly timidity; the boy plunges in with
a great splash, and hides his awkward
ness in noise and Commotion.
When John entered, the company had
nearly all come. He knew every one,
and yet there was something about them
strange and unfamiliar. They were all
a little afraid of each other, as people
are apt to be when they are well dressed
and met together for social purposes in
this country. To be at real party was
a novel thing for most of them, and put
a Constraint upon them which they could
not at once overcome. Perhaps it was
because they were in the awful parlor,
that Carpeted room of air-cloth furn-
ture, which was so seldom opened.
Upon the wall hung two certificates,
framed in backbone certificate that, by
the payment of fifty dollars, Deacon
Mayhem was life member of the Amer
lean Tract Society, and the other that,
by Il like outlay of bread cast upon the
waters, his wife was life member of the
A. B. G. F. Ma portion of the alpha
bet which has an awful significance to
all New England childhood These GER
tticates are a sort of receipt in full for
charity, and are a constant and cOnsoling
reminder to the farmer that he has dis
charged his religious duties.
There was fire on the broad hearth,
and that, with the tallow candles on the
mantle-piece, made quite an illumination
in the room, and enabled the boys, who
were mostly on one side of the room, to
see the girls, who were OF the other,
quite plainly. How sweet and demure
the girls looked, to be sure! Every boy
was thinking if his hair was slick, and
feeling the full embarrassment of his
entrance into fashionable life 1t was
queer that these children, who were so
free everywhere else, should be so con-
strained now, and not know what to do
with themselves. The shooting of
spark out upon the carpet was great re-
lief, and was accompanied by deal of
scrambling to throw it back into the fire,
and caused much giggling. it was only
gradually that the formality was at all
broken, and the young people got to-
gether and found their tongues.
John at length found himself with
Cynthia Rudd, to his great delight and
considerable embarrassment, for Cynthia,
who was older than John, never looked
so pretty. To his surprise he had moth
ing to say to her. They had always found
plenty to talk about before, but now
nothing that he could think of seemed
worth saying at party.
" 1t is a pleasant evening"" said John.
" 1t is quite So" replied Cynthia.
did you come in a cutter?" asked
John, anxiously.
"No; walked on the crust, and it
was perfectly lovely walking" said
Cynthia, in burst of confidence.
" Was it slipperyS" continued John.
" Not very"
John hoped it would be slippery-very
when he walked home with Cynthia,
as he determined to do, but he did not
dare to say so, and the conversation ran
aground again. John thought about his
dog and his sled and his yoke of steers,
but he didn't see any way to bring them
into conversation. Had she read the
"Swiss Family Rcbinson?" Only a
little ways John said it was splendid,
and he would lend it to her, for which
she thanked him, and said, with such a
sweet expression, she should be so glad
to have it from him. That was encour-
aging
And then John asked CYNTHIA if she