St. Landry democrat., 1881-12-31
here. Show them right in, Julius, and

way back to the front door, and lust at
that moment whole sleigh-load of 9TH
er callers came hurrying up the steps.
"Wish you happy New Year.
Happy New Year. Happy New
Year,
:. Happy New Year, Johnny" said
Mrs. Micklin. But, Tracy, whc-e's
your father? Tom, why does not your
mother come in? | told Julius
"Why, Mrs Micklin,'' said Tom,
"it's only the cards. We passed 'em at
Mrs. Jones' and at Jud ge Curtins.
Only | sent Bellies there instead of
Mothers"
"Why, you mischievous boys! And
here you've frightened me so, thought
something dreadful had happened -
But at that moment the other visitors
came pouring in, and Mrs Micklin had
to say :: happy New Year" to them, and
shake hands and smile and talk, and tie
three boys were almost pushed out of
| the way, while Julius Caesar stood at TIE
parlor door, and seemed to be trying 20
laugh without making any noise.
"Julius," whispered Tom, as he edged
near him, where the ice-cream?''
But Toms whisper was loud enough
to be heard by everybody in the roo1r.,
for it seemed to slip into i quiet little
place in the conversation. and so did
Julius Caesars reply: "Dah amt none.n
Mrs. Micklin blushed. and one of her
gentlemen guests suddenly remarked:
MY dear Mrs. Micklin. I'm delighted
to see that you have joined the reform
movement You Won ask Your friends
to stuff themselves.
And She said something in reply, and
the others said something; but Tom
Fitch put his lips to Johnny's ear and
said, pretty loudly: Let 90. There
nothing in this house but med'cinen
"Bow to Mrs. Micklin before you
CO." said Johnny; but everybody in the
parlor, excepting the DOCTOR wife, was
laughing about something or other when
Julius Caesar opened the front door for
those three boys to 90 out.
:" Where'll we 90 now, boys?' said
Johnny, when they reached the side
walk.
There isn't any other place so good
as Mrs Curtin's, 81 remarked Tom.
Cant go twice to the same house."
said Tracy. "Can we, Johnny?n
"No, | S pose not. But we've plenty
of cards. Let's try that white house
over yonder."
"Who lives there?'
Il don't know. But we can find out
when we get in.''
1t was a very nice house, and there
We're three young ladies in it, and one of
them was at that very moment standing
by one Of the front windows, all hidden
among the heavy curtains, and another
was saying: Its just too bad, girls.
Here it is two O'Clock, and we've only |
had five callers, and one of them was the |
minister"
"And nobody has eaten anything"
Hush, girls; what can those three |
boys be coming here for? I've seen one
of them before. They're making calls.' |
"Tell John to show them right in"
And John did, although Tom Fitch
insisted that the cards must go in ahead |
of them.
Happy New Year!' Happy New
Year,
Three on each side, and then the girls
talked right on, SO fast their callers had
no chance to correct the names.
johnny, you'll have some cake?'
Marmaduke, must give you some
ice-cream.n
"Now, Arabella, some chicken-salad.'
my names Tom
"Your card says your names Ara
bella"
"Here's my other card
"No, my dear, you're not q married
lady. And you must have cup of Coffee
Very hospitable, indeed, were the
three young ladies, and by the time
they had helped their young callers to
several times as much as any three boys
could eat, Jenny was able to remark:
g Now, girls, the table begins to look as
if somebody'd been here"
But | think we'd better 90 now,'
said Johnny Cook. Il can't eat any
more"
"Oh, very well, my dear; and Ara
bella, too, and Marmaduke,''
''That's my father name, and mines
Tracy Plumb
'.Just as good, Tracy. Won'tyou eat
some more cream?h
No, ma'am. Johnny says we'd
better CO.,
The girls were in high glee over their
young gentlemen callers; but when the
latter reached the sidewalk, Johnny
Cook remarked: II guesswe won't make
any more calls. I'm going home.'
$50 am l." said Tom. '.But I've four
more cards.
GIVE more'n that" said Tracy; "but
l don't want to 60 anywhere else. l
couldn't be polite.''
Not one of them could have been po-
lite enough to eat another mouthful, and
that or something else made them
very sober-looking lot of New Years
Day callers, as they walked on down the
street.
Tom and Tracy were not heard from