The Red Cloud chief., 1879-12-11

and Eugene had been thinking for som
time that he ought Ia have one: bu, Toe
fore that morning he had never beer
able 10 make up his mind. Now hi,
mind did not need making up. He knew
Katy was :" his without thinking If i
when he first saw her digging sweet-faa
root down by the brook the next day
after she came To Piumridge.
A few days before this time Lora
Shepard had a birthday party, aud ever
after he heard about il Eugene looked Al
her with admiration in every kink If hi
Quaker-colorcd hair. Just "a think how
much a party must cost. .APpLes didn't
count, for If course every body always
has apples enough. But peanuts and
mnlasSes-candy, and maybe bakers gin
gcrbrcad,
al don't see how she will get the
money! said he Ia himself, bringing
tw" cents from below a string, some
nails, a ii~h-hook, "A jack-knife with no
blades, "A dead nous and a piece IF an
old horseshoe IN his pocket, and count
IN" them seven times over. Eugcnc's
heart was a. large a. the mceiiHg-hou,e,
although his pocket was ~ small, and
with only one wistful look AT the two
cents, all the money he had i'll the world,
he ran off to LDra.
See here, Lora,' said he, rattling
them in his pocket. "lIcre il my two
cents You may have toward your party"
1.-TWO cents, What i, two cents2 1
don't want Your two cents" replied
Lora, throwing out her elbows and up
her nose, 1--WE got money enough, |
should hope; You 90 away
Eugene hooked hurt and aStnni,hcd.
But there was one comfort, he could
keep his money, and by and by he had
two more la put with these two cents.
Plunrid@c was Il small seaport, and
there was sometimes "A chance At the
-hip-yard for a handy boy Ia get 4 small
i"L, beside, now aud then a turn among
the farmers in the outskirts If the vii
Lagc. 81 little by little Eugene got
money enough la rattle ia each pocket.
AUNT Trudyi' said hc one evening,
coming in with his cap full IF cgg>,
"why can't | have "A party my " self?
say? I've most half Il dollar saved up,
most 30 cents, you know, and why cant
! have Il party"
~ don't know but you can,n replied
Mrs. MoSscroft, sticking a darning-
needle through a quarter Of an apple.
What would you want for a treat?"
Eugene put the eggs carefully on the
table, and catching the eat in his arms
whirlcd around like a dancing dcryiSh
for "A minute. Then he sat down ON his
bench in the corner of the Fireplace and
thought. They always have mola>>c>
candy Ia parties and wa'nuts. What
do You think, Aunt Frudy, would You
pick out the meats and put them in the
candy, OF would you keep them separate,
which,"
"Pcrhaps so,'' replied Mrs. Moss
croft, who was just then counting the
string of apples already hanging Ia dry
against the wall.
Then apples, IF course continued
Eugene. ''And, Aunt Prudy, | wiShcdI
could have some >wcct-cake or ginger
cake or something, ] couldn't, could /,
Aunt rrudy?'
MAY be; We'll See" replied Mrs.
MoSScroft.
When Mrs. MoSScroft said "Maybc;
we'll See" il was good a. a note in
hand, and Eugene had Ia 20 mi in the
wood>hc,i and stand on his head for Il
moment Ia express his feelings. Then
he came dcmurcly back and sat down la
think whom lac should invite. When
the morning If the party came he had
not Vet invited Amy and Katy Lindsay.
He had never even spoken 10 them, not
withStanding he had loved katy for
nearly Il month with all his heart. IL
seemed to him she must know she WAS
his. though she had only looked at him
once over her Spclling-book, and he
felt very Shamcflccd and shy A. he came
up hchiud the log where she sat in the
sunshine, chewing w~intcrgreen leaves
and studying her definitions"
"Say, I'm going Ia have 4 party to-
night; will You and Amy Gomez" said
he. making Il bold burst AT his crrand.
Katy looked down, then she looked
up, then she looked down again and
said, swcctly: THANK Won; we would
like la come if Aunt PhTbc is willing"
90, she will Ice willing" said Eu-
gene. lyon tell her | am calculating
To make her a Stirring-Spoon, like the
one | made for Aunt rrudy. Aunt
PrIdv likes hers first rate"
The hour cam tor the party, which
WAS the time they called "carly candle
lighting in Plumridge, when they gave
notices for evening meetings. And the
guests were MI prompt L. the hour, only
some fingered ba>hfully in the porch
pretending Il hc hooking at the moon
that understood her business and was
just coming herself, after first takin" u
LII .,,r Nfr- A.--.-,t.H uraAlRIi. -,
see that the way WAS clear. Last IF all
came Amy and Katy Lindsay, and then
the party began.
First They sat around ON chairs and
looked at each other without speaking.
They all met every day Al school and
had enough Ia say there, but tins WAS a
party; this WAS different.
Hy and 10y the latch-String ratified, the
door opened, and in came the Quaker
culored cat.
..Wcll. there" cried L"ra Shepard.
For PHYS sake, how did thai eat ret
in? Nobody opened the door. She i a
witch cat,'
80 no." cried Eugene. ..She has
got double paws and that i why she
can open doors and do lots of things.
She can play bali too almost a. good ~
a boy. Want f see her? Sojy! here,
Sojy," he shouted, running for his ball.
Sure enough the eat settled back on
her hind legs and caught the ball with
her forcpaw> and teeth.
"Mo>t aS good Is boy; good * a
girl anyway" asSented the guests.
And from that momen until the last
apple WAS named and the last walnut
eaten the children forgot they were NJ L
party.
When the little guests were putting
on their hats and bonnetS. Eugene stole
mp Ia Katy; "Say, I'll 20 home with
YOU if You want / should" he wills
pered.
"Well," she whispered back. "Iou
can if You want TO. Johnny Shepard is
going with Amy. L heard him tell her.
So she won't care"
From that time there was no question
in any body's mind to whom Katy Lind
say belonged" for the boy and girl
fitted together rs naturally and inno-
Gently As two sparrowS, 80 that the
townS-folkS spoke of s.EuCene and ka-