The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1878-09-11
who Pat out the Tea Party

VINO But out the Teu fuTtyS
One day, when was a small girl, my
little sister Katy and found in the yard
q dry-goods box, in which the new car
pets had been sent home. AS usual, we
ran to where grandma sat knitting and
nodding:
"Oh, grandma, mayn't we have it9"
cried 1.
"Yet hab it, dranma " echoed Katy.
You know we never had a baby
house."
"No, nebber had no baby 'ouse."
"Oh, say yes
"'Ay 'etl"
"Do, do
"Pede dol"
Then before she knew what she was to
do, or say, or what she never had done,
or said, we coaxed her to the back door
and pointed to our treasure. She
couldn't refuse us, and the box was
given to us.
John made us C cardboard chimney,
and cut a square window in either end,
for, of course, we set it on its feet, turn
ing its back to the lane against whose
fence it stood, looking into the yard.
Grandma gave us red curtains for the
windows, and big striped apron, which
door. We had to have a door, for,
when we took tea, the chickens came.
without invitation, peeping inside, look
ing for crumbs. And, seeing what
looked like party, down few, with a
whir and rustic, flock of doves, saying,
60 Coo-oo how do-oo-do " and prink-
ing themselves in our very faces. Yes,
we really had too many of these surprise
20.
that came to tea, and few from me to
Katy, and from Katy to me, till we few,
too, to hide our heads in grandma's lap.
Then she gave us the apron, which was
very grand, though the blue stripes
were walking into the red ones, and
there were a good many little holes
which let small arrows of light fly out.
That was when we ightedsthe chande-
lier, and they (the holes and the arrows)
were the very things to let people know
what grand doings there were inside.
Then, when our crockery was arrang-
ed on the shelf at the back, stool set
in the middle for table, our two small
green chairs placed one at either end,
and good many nails driven into the
walls" to serve as hooks-then we
gave a party. The dolls were invited,
of course, and their invitations Katy
wrote on her slate. To be sure, the
letters looked good deal like Jack and
Jill-climoing up hill and tumbling
down again-still the dolls understood
us. There were no little girls invited,
because little girls couldn't have squeez-
ed in unless they were willing to be
hung up like the extra dollies.
But oh wouldn't they have liked to
Wa ho6 iaa-a i,ysf pna1a nf
vanilla, cream-candy, and water-d deli
cious Then there was whole tea-potful
of chocolate-tea, which was chocolate
cream drop scraped fine and mixed with
water. Do just try it sometime. Thin
ble-biscuits, too, and holes with cookies
round them. never expect to be as
happy again as l was when dropped
the curtain at half past four precisely,
and lighted the chandelier, which for
got to say was o candle cut in two, stuck
IN cologne-bottles of different shapes and
oolors.
We we'll knew-for didn't we go out
twice to look ?-how splendidly the light
aireamed through the two windows and
the eight holes. Why, the chickens
knew it, too, on their perches, for they
opened one sleepy eye after another,
eolemnly changed legs, and dozed of
again. These long rays of light, play
ing truant, ran down the lane and flashed
INTO the eyes of naughty Billy Quinn,
who was going home from a visit, whist
lIng, and with his hands in his pockets.
OF course the dolls arrived promptly,
and took off their shawls in the bed
room, which was that convenient shelf
that was turned into anything on short
notice. The baby-dolls had to go early
TO bed under the table, and you can i'm
agine how much pleasanter it is to say,
Bedtime, children |" than have it said
% you. Mrs. Green was a perfect little
tlrs. Herod in her treatment of her chill
dren. Indeed, their yells under pun
shment were heart-rending; but when
She was only dear Katy she was tender
as one of those cooling doves.
30 we ate up the ice-cream, and turned
the teapot upside down to squeeze out
the last drop of chocolate-tea Mrs.
Green was Just doing this very thing
when the most dreadful event happened.
Crash l-bang l-clatter = the whole
world had turned upside down. Out
vent the lights, and everything fell to-
Nether in a dismal heap; but whether
~ or down nobody could tell. There
aa q splash of cold, cold water in my
ee as the wash-bowi and pitcher fell
nd crashed beside me. Katy lay with
Ner small nose buried in the butter-plate.
ne house had tllnl6Led OUer :!
For a few seconds not a sound was
beard, but then there was a half.stihed
burst of laughter, which quickly died
away as some thickly shod feet scam
pered down the alley. Yes, the beau
fiful house was tipped over, and the tea
party put out, as an extinguisher is
ipped over a candle, or a hat clapped
pon butterfly. Inside, there was
fused heap, with legs uppermost-
legs, chair-legs, little legs in white