River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-01-04
A Pleasan. Surprise.

Among the many pleasant incidents
of the Holiday season which have
come to the notice of the JOURNAL
reporter, and which have been trans
fixed by his ubiquitous pencil, the
surprise perpetrated upon Bro. Mer-
rick, late of the Press, is not the least
noteworthy. Conspiring with Mrs.
Merrick, his young friends. nearly all
members of his Bible class in the Con-
gregational Sunday school. numbering
upwards of forty, arranged to take
possession of his house during his
absence at the office in the evening,
and give him genuine surprise when
he should return. The scheme was
conceived over three weeks ago. and
although there were forty or more
young ladies and gentlemen engaged
in the conspiracy, the object of the
attack remained in ignorance until
the last. On Monday evening, there
fore, while he was ''down town." the
party gathered at the house until the
parlors were filled with hilarious
convocation of young people, waiting
the return Of their victim, who was
unwittingly being led into the trap by
one of the boys AS he opened the
door he was unceremoniously pushed
into the room, where he was greeted
by score of young gentlemen, and
ironically welcomed to what he had
innocently considered his own doui-
Gle. Accustomed though he had been
during his life to startling situations,
this unusual welcome was so entirely
unexpected that he failed to command
adequate language to express himself.
and he sought safety in fight to the
kitchen, only to find that blocked and
barricaded with tables loaded with
dishes and .eatables.' disclosing the
fact that this was no ordinary sur
prise, gotten up on the spur of the
moment, but an organized and we'll
digested campaign against the peace
and quietude Of his domain. Being
driven from the kitchen he sought
safety in the parlors, only to find them
defended by twenty or more young
ladies, all and every one of whom sa
luted the proprietor with cheerful.
not to say hilarious Happy New
Year. Collecting enough of his
scattered senses to return the friendly
greeting, and begging to be excused
until he might pay needed attention
to his disordered toilet and bristling
hair, lie retreated to his chamber,
only to meet tlo0 new surprises in the
persons of the Sweet brothers, armed
with two constituencies fiddles, which
they were coaxing into harmony with
themselves and each other with many
squeak and quaver. Hurriedly ar
ranging his toilet friend AIerrick
descended to the parlor only to meet
the browning surprise of the evening.
Mr.. Wilbur f. Powell, on behalf of the
assembled ladies and gentlemen, and
many who were not present, but who.
in times past, have known him as a
friend, advanced bearing in his arms
an immense album, of Russia leather,
clasped with silver, and containing
the photographs of many of the dom
ors, which he presented IN a few we'll
chosen sentences. This cap-sheaf of
cumulative surprises came nigh de-
priving the recipient of the power of
speech, and it did indeed make him
most unready to acknowledge in fit
ting terms the beautiful gift which
he had received at the hands of his
Young friends. With such words as
came to mind, and with a heartfelt
appreciation of the motives which
prompted the gift, he accepted it in
the spirit in which it was presented,
and with generosity which under the
circumstances appeared superauous,
babe them welcome to his home, an
invitation which was accepted as
heartily as it was given, and with
music and song and dance the evening
passed all too quickly for the invited
host, the willing subject of the best
planned and best executed surprise of
the season.