Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1881-11-24
Mrs. l0NGMAN'S SURPRISE
PARTY.

weather. For six days the sun had not
shown a glimpse of himself, and every
thing, out of doors and IN, wore a look
Of ciammy dependency. Moreover,
MIS-. Longman was having one of her
gloomy spells, and was looking at all
created things, herself included, through
The bluest kind of spectacles.
Mrs Longman was by nature not
bad-tempered woman on the contrary.
she possessed many noble and commend
able qualities but her spirits were not
equahle she would have her gloomy at
tacks. which, had there been any APP
parent cause, might have been looked
upon in the light Of an aflliction worthy
Of sympathy; but as it was, even the
most lonicnt of her friends characterized
them by the name of dumps" which,
though Webster condemns it as not be-
ing an elegant" word, was, in thcir
opinion, quite good enough to expires,
the state of her case.
The short November day WIS drawing
to a close, and although the little gilt
clock on tho mantel had proclaimed it
to he o'clock, it was getting too dark
for Mrs. Lougman to sew any longer
guidly mendiDg, SO, laying them aside.
she wandered almlessly into the kitchen,
where Bridget was folding the newly
ironed clothes from the rack by the
glowing crate.
Mr.. Longman will not be at hone
until late this evening, Bridget" said
size. Business vii detain him down
| town, So You may iust set up anything
for tine children; do not feel as though
l could eat anything; everything tastes
alike to me and nothing tastes right :"
What the repiy would have been will
never be known, for, of that moment,
there came a resounding knock upon the
alley gate, and throwing an old shawl
over her head, Bridget hastily responded
| to the call.
at is two boys, ma'am, she said. re-
turning almost Immediately, land they
have como to party here"
"a party " echoed Mrs. LonSman in
astonishment. "Who in the world told
them there was party here ?"
4" don't know, ma am. / will go and
ask them" said the willing maid, who
apparently would rather have got wet
than not.
Bridget" called Mrs. Longman from
the door, "until we find out what it
| means. OF course" she thought to
! herself, cit is a mistake, but what
| possessed them to come to the alley
gate ?"
Bridget came in followed by the boys,
who hui heen i'll the meantime joined
by third, and who, notwithstap ding
the soaking rain, were net as wet az
might have been supposed, owing to
their having pieces Of oil cloth around
them, which, upon inspection. proved tc
be oil carriage cultains sewel together.
while the last arrival sported gentle
mans swallow-tajled dress coat, which
made a useful if not very handsome
oyereoat for the festive-seeking lad.
They did not appear to think ii was ex-
pected of them to remove their dripping
hats, hut stood eying the good fire and
Mrs. Longman with complacent smiles.
Iou shy yon came to party" said
tho lady; "have you not made mis-
tahe?"
"Oh, no, ma am; this is the place
your hoys told us; we went to the front
of the house and took the number as
J
il l., " sad he Of the swallow tail, taking
4 scrap OF the margin of a newspaper
from h;s pocket and showing the num-
Der, sure enough, in figures of magnifi-
cent proportions.
Mrs Lougman was bewlldered. "You
Soy rs socn as You sold out your papers.
What do YOU mean ?"
"Nhy, you see We are newspoys,
ma'am, every one of us and we dailies'
could get oil earlier; but the Eueaing
Ys''graai and the Bulletin and the
Heroi3 aud the NeOs will be along as
soon rs they can hire somebody to cry
for them, aud they are going TO paw
them with something from the party, if
You please, ma am, with an air of cheer
full confidence.
Mrs. Longman could not retain Q
smile
Go to the attic, Bridget, and call the
children down, said she. Take cf
your wraps. boys, and dry your feet, and
We will see what can be done.
Bridget soon returned with the delin-
quents.
"Boys, how did Won happen 10 invite
company without telling me, SO that !
could be prepared for tbep?" said theil
mother, gently, but gravely.
Why, We did tell, mamma. don't
you remember We told yod that MIR
Reisinger told our class last Sunday that
we were not doing as much good in thC
world if we invited h,vs t. a feast who
had plenty 10 eat AID - wear. alI who
could invite ms IL return, nat he said Ne
eught to invite the poor 6oys 10 whom
such things we've y treat. re said Jesu,
loved the lame and the bind. an ii W.
wished to he like Him we mus DO rs Ii,
did. So Jobnny ana tod ali TIE news
boys We met 20 come 10 party here to
night and II hiring all the lame ant
bland hoys they coad find. Daat yot
! rem tmrSf now. manina
Poor Mrs. Loaglnaa remembered viii
paug that she had been so wrapped NJ
in her own gloomy and selfish Thought
the past week that she had paid bu
. little attention to her boys in any way
and she reflected, "Shall let the goo,
seed s0wn by stranger in tue hearts 0
my children nerish for want of oars