San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1882-07-13
MRS. TOM SAWYER'S PARTY,

Mrs. Tom Sawyer's CHEEKY little face
was Enthusiastically c!ouded, as she went
about her work, one bright morning
IN order to explain to you the cause OF
this unusual occurrence, l shall have to
say. first of all, that there never Was q
more thoroughly aristocratic little town
than that of Ashton. The Ashtonites
had aIistocratic homes, attended arlsto-
cratic churches, and last but not least,
in poor little Mrs. Toms eyes this self
same morning, they had very aristo-
cratic tea parties.
what had that TO do with her?" you
ask. Well, somehow, partly in virtue
OF her good family, but mostly, 1 must
confess, on account of her sweet sun
shiny ways, and good true sense, Mrs
Tom, though her husband was me-
chanic, was admitted into the charmed
circle OF arislocrnJ.; ASHTON. Mrs. LON
ueEeeIt WOuuCLSu uOW phO SdInC OhCiO'
~ did everybody else, but there she
was, and no one, not even the most fas-
tidious, had any desire to put her ont
But it proved something of trial to
her after ali, and this morning the
thorns were very sharp. You must
know that she found herself, as the ex-
preston is, indebted to nearly every
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 load
ed with dainties of all sorts and de-
scriptions. After an evening of high
bred small-talk and gossip, the compa
ny adjourned, each lady present vowing
to surpass the hostess on some future
occasion. Such were Ashton tea par
ties. Do you wonder that Mrs. Tom.
sighed?
She went, broom in hand, and open
ed the parlor door. 1t is cosy, Chez
ry room; looked "just like herself" her
husband said. But the carpet was only
an ingram, and the furniture very plain.
She shut the door and went into the |
dining room. That carpet was very
much worn and thin in spots. "But
enjoy eating in it enough sight better
than Mrs. George Parkers' elegant one,
for hers fairly chills me, and this warns
me up, it looks SO homely." said the in
c1rrigible Tom, who preferred his own
coy home to any ones splendor.
Mrs. Tom went back to her sweep
ing with look OF INDIGESTION on her
iace. and it rested there all the time |
she was busting and putting to rights
IN do it," she exclaimed at once, as
she put the the last book back, and
pushed Toms chair into the corner.
"Pll Go it. I've accepted their hospi-
tality, and III offer them mine. They
know l cannoa do as they do, so they
won't expect e, and won't spoil it all
by trying TO do something / can't I'll
make as nice tea party es l know how ],
my way, but I'll keep it my way" So
it came to pass that afternoon Mrs. Tom
went around among her friends, invit-
ing them to take tea with her next day.
And l would like to have you come
early and spend the afternoon" she
said to every one.
Then she went home and commenced
the preparations. For tea, she would
have biscuits and butter, land Mrs.
Tom could make biscuits worth eating)
sold, meat, preserves, and two kinds of
cake. She hesitated over the cake q
little. She did hate to seem poor or
stingy; but she kept firm. Il cant sf-
lord any more, and / don't believe in
thinking your company comes for the
,Ake-
There was no little vonderment and
surprise over Mrs. Toms Invitations;
,oue even felt sorry for her least she |