The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-01-09
WEDNESDAY MORNING, JAN. o.
"What Shall the Harvest Be %

'e@O fSAAoAA eAO AAaA NCoJ DC
The funny man of the New York Times re-
lates the adventures of Mr.. and Mrs. Sawyer, a
Methodist minister and his wife, and Master
Sawyer, little family in West Brookfeld, Vt.
I'm Northern Vermont" he says,
That peculiar form of social outrage, for
merly known as surprise party, but OF late
commonly called Bulgarian atrocty, is still
lamentably frequent. On a cold evening in
the nrst week of the present month, Mr.. Saw
yer and his family were seated quietly by their
social hearth enjoying one another's society.
Inc clergyman was reading aloud the bishops
pastoral letter; his wife was busily calculating
now to cut her husbands old overcoat, SO as to
supply him with new waistcoat, herself with
new overskirt, and Master Sawyer with a
new pair of trousers, while that excellent
small boy was reading the improving adven-
lures OF an eminent pirate aud wondering
whether he would ever be able to emulate
them. Not one of the family was prepared to
receive visitors. Mr.. Sawyer had on his Dress
lng-gown and slippers; Mrs. Sawyer had let
down her back hair to give freedom to her
mental processes, and Master Sawyer had tenn
porarly slipped off his trousers to supply his
mother with a pattero, while he wrapped the
hearth rug sbout him. Suddenly, and without
the least warning more than four dozen peo-
pie of all kinds and sexes, including men,
women, reformers and theological students,
burst into the room carrying cake aud devasta-
ton with them The marauders conducted
themselves after the usual custsm of their kind.
They conyersed with one another with great
hilarity, ignoring the sufferings of the
clergyman and his wife. They spread their
cake upon the table, and devouring it
without plates, scattered the crumbs over the
new carpet. One young man, having laid
large piece of jelly cake on the sofa. subse-
quently sat Gown on it, and Mrs Sawyer felt
that she would gladly join the Church of Rome
on condition that the medieval fortunes of the
lnqulsltion should be revived aud she herself
delegated to apply them TO that particular
young man. After having reduced the furni-
ture 10 that state of grease thatit was no longer
SAFE TO sit down, the miscreants gathered around
the piano and sang "What Shall the Harvest
Be?' until Mr. Sawyer, mild as he was re-
GREETED that he could not take sharp scythe
and reap an immediate and bloody harvest.
While these blood -curdling outrages were in
progress in the parlor, the good small boy kept
himself carefully out of the room. He was not,
however wasting his time in idle rage. He,
too, heard the melodious inquiries as to the
harvest, and remarked to himself that they
would find out all about the harvest if they
would only wait few minutes. Meanwhile he
was busily engaged in carrying pals of water
aud enjoying them on the front step and along
the walk leading from the front door to the
gate. The night was cold and the water froze
rapidly. U nder bis admirable management the
ice acquired an unusually smooth and slippery
character, and when the work was thoroughly
done the small boy retired to the second.
story front window and waited for the
surprise party to break up. The moon
was at its full, ana shone brightly when
the first pair of miscreants-the young man
who sat on the jelly-cake, and a heavy
young lady to whom he was afianced-
issued from the front door and instant
ly sat down with tremendous emphasis. Close
behind them came the rest of the raiders who
with one accord strewed themselves over the
ground until 10 some places they were collected
three or four deep. The shreks of the ladies
and the stron ger remarks of the men filled the
air. No sooner would a struggling wretch re-
gain his feet than he would sit down again
with renewed violence. The affrighted clergy
man and his wife gazed with wonder at the
appalling spectacle, and the good boy never
ceased to sing "What Shall the Harvest Be"
at the top of his lungs-interspersing the stir
ring hymn with a wild whoop whenever par
tlcularly brilliant pair of stockings waved in
toe air. Although only three persons sustained
fatal injuries there was scarcely a member of
the party who escaped without more or less
serious wounds, either of body or clothing
Seventeen legs, two ribs, six arms and nose
were broken; five ankles and six wrists were
sprained and one shoulder dislocated. The icy
spectaeles, coats, trousers and skirts and Mas
ter Sawyer picked up enough copper and silver
change the next morning to enable him to buy
twelve tickets in rattle for broken shot gun,
and to subscribe handsomely to the missionary
fund. 1t is generally believed that there will
never be another surprise party in Brookfeld,
and it is under contemplation among middle
aged householders to present Master Sawyer
with service of marbles and life-member-
ship in the Foreign Missionary Society as a tes.
tlmony Of their esteem and gratitude