Smyrna times., 1881-08-17
Mrs. Tom Sawyer's Party.
BY KATHERINE KNIGHT.

%hIS' AOn OtWyerS cneery little face
was Enthusiastically clouded as she went
about her work one bright morning.
In order to explain to you the cause of
this unusual occurrence, I shall have to
say, first of all, that there never was n
more thoroughly aristocratjc little town
than Ashton was, and is now, for aught I
know to the contrary. They were aristo-
cratic people, the Ashtonites, had aristo-
cratic homes, attended aristocratic church
es, and last, but not least in poor little
Mrs. Toms eyes this self-same morning,
they had very aristocratic tea parties
What had that to do with her?" YOU
ask.
Well, somehow, partly i'm virtue Of her
good family, but mostly, must confess,
on account of her sweet, CHEEKY, sunshiny
ways, and good, true sense, Mrs. Tom.
though her husband was mechanic. was
admitted even into the charmed circle of
aristocratic Ashton. Mrs. Tom herself
wondered how she came there. as did
everybody else, but there she was. and no
one, not even the most fastidious. had any
desiFe to put her out.
But it proved something of a trial to
her, after all, and this morning the thorns
were very sharp. You must know she
found herself, as the expression is, indeb-
ted to one of her friends, not financially.
but socially,
Nothing very terrible about that"
you say, but that is because YOU know
nothing about Ashton tea parties.
No one was invited until just tea time.
when all were expected to appear robed
in their very best. The table was loaded
with dainties of all sorts and descriptions.
After an evening of high bred small talk
and gossip, If ever such be high bred, the
company adjourned, each lady present
vowing to surpass the hostess on some
future occasions. Such were Ashton tea
parties. Doyou wonder Mrs. Tom sighed ?
She went, broom in hand, and opened
the parlor door. 1t was cosy, CHEEKY
room, looked just ike herself, her hus-
band said. But the carpet was only an
ingram, and the furniture very plain.
She shut the door and went on the dining
room. That carpet was very much worn
and the drugget was faded and thin in
spots. 1f
But enjoy eating on 1t enough sight
better than in Mrs. George Parker's ele-
CANT one, for hers fairly chills me, and
this warns me up, it looks so honey
said the incorrigible Tom, who preferred
his own cosy homo to any ones splendor.
Mrs. Tom went back to her sweoping.
with look of indecision ON her face
which rested there all the time she was
busting and putting to rights. ..a
"I'll do it," she exclaimed all at once,
as she put the last book back, and pushed
Toms chair into its corner.
"I'll do it. I've accepted their hospi.
tality and I'll offer them. They, know !
cannot do as they do, so they won't ex.
pect it, and won't spoil it all by trying
to do something can't. I'll make as nice
tea party as ] know how, in my way
but I'LL keep it my way" q. .s.,..r5
So II came to pass that afternoon Mrs.
Tom went round among her friends invi.
ting them to take tea with her the next
day. And / would like to have YOU
come early, and spend the afternoon !" she
said to every one. ''" ia"1
Then she went home and commenced
preparations. The house was put in apple
pie order. For tea she would have bis
cults and butter, and Mrs. Tom could
make biscuits worth eating, cold meat,
preserves and two kinds Of cake. She
hesitated over the cake little. She did
hate to seem poor or stingy, but she kept
firm. M
I" ] can't afford any more, and don't
believe in thinking your company comes
for the cake ~ So s.st- s,f
There was no little wonderment and
surprise over Mrs. Toms invitations, some
even felt little sorry for her lest she had
not fully realized what she was undertak-
ing. But one and all made up their
minds to go, and help along, If need be.
Mrs. Tom met them at the door with a
bright smile Of weichme, took them up
into her own room to lay aside, their
things, then down into the CHEEKY little
parlor, which had neyeriooked cheerier
and prettler than to-day, II was not
grand OF impressive, but you felt ia
bright, CHEEKY nominees the minute you
entered. G'ls il5a ~
Such an afternoon Not one Of them
could remember like It. Mrs Tom was
everywhere, sometimes with merry jest
sometimes kindly inquiry, now with an
interesting curiosity and Its story, another
time with some question that led to an in.
teresting discussion. They forgot to gos.
sip on criticise, they had po time 10, i was
crowded out with better things. Some.