Morris tribune., 1883-08-08

when / paused for want of breath.
"Not but what John is good, but he is
poor. I've heard that thee refused Mr..
Hart, who is worth 81, O0O,0 900. What
made thee do such foolish thing as
that, child?"
"Is your mamma going to let you put
on your fine dress, and go round and in
yite us, like Jenny Peters did last
spring." questioned little black-eyed
girl named Trix; "'cause my mamma
wouldn't let me go 'thout you did.
"Yes, shall como around and invite
those who are to come"
Mabel waited impatiently for two or
three dars ); but neither mamma nor
Aunt Mary said word to her about the
dolls party. At last, fearing that the
mammas of her little friends would not
have time to do up" their best dresses,
if she waited longer, she determined to
invite her company, and not wait for
mamma to speak about it.
Mamma and Aunt Mary were in the
parlor entertaining the minister's wife,
and Mabel knew that she would not be
missed SO she went directly to her own
room and put on her best dress and Sun
day hat. Going softly down the back
way, she was soon passing from house to
house. In fact, her heart seemed to
grow larger and larger as she fastened
on; it was such dreadful thing not to
go to dolls party, and by the time she
reached home, just in time to change
her dress for tea, she had invited nearly
all the little girls in the village.
Mrs. Moore and Aunt Mary passed
the days in blissful ignorance of the
coming event, though they did notice
that Mabel was strangely absent mind
ed, and very impatient to get Eliza
beth's new dress finished, which Aunt
Mary completed Friday afternoon. After
talking the subject over together, Mrs.
Moore and her sister had decided to de-
fer the party until later, when they ex-
pected one of Mabel's little cousins
down from the city.
It was by mere accident Saturday
morning that Mrs. Moore found out that
a large number Of little girls were COM
ing to spend the afternoon with Mabel,
and, as there would not now be time for
the usual knick-knacks, they decided
that ice cream and cake could be gotten
quicker and easier than anything else.
"These little ones are not to blame
for Mabel's fault" said Mrs. Moore to
her sister. We will make the afternoon
rs pleaeant as possible for them, and
Mabel must be punished in some other
way afterward.
Saturday afternoon came, and all the
little girls with their dolls (some bring
ing two or three) were soon enjoying
themselves under the trees in the pleas
ant yard, where Mabel's brother Robert,
or Bob, as she generally called him,
had built nice play -house for his sis
ter.
Perhaps of all the little girls gathered
there Mabel was Il e only one who was
not perfectly happy. The thought Of
the wrong she had done was ever present
with her, and she wondered what mamma
would do about it.
The dolls were all carried out to the
play house to form the acquaintance of
the pretty lady from Paris.
"You shan't bring your old rubber
DOLL exclaimed Mabel angrily, as Pet
came bringing large rubber doll, minus
a nose, which she was kissing and caress-
ing most lovingly.
"Why not ?" asked Pet Indignantly.
"She is the dearest and best doll that
ever was borncd. My mamma used to
play with her when she was little girl
81 don't care if she did; my Eliza
beth Victoria isn't going 'sociate with
such low trash. The rczt are bad
enough but doll without a nose
that's too much"
Poor little Pet hiI her dolls face on
her shoulder and began to cry.
"Don't cry, Pet, " said Trix, soothing
ly. "Your dolly is nice, and I know
that you love her as well as if she had a
dozen noses"
Just at that moment the children were
called into the dining-room, where the
long table with its little dishes of ice
cream looked tempting enough to make
even Pet forget her grievances. The
dolls had been hastily dropped at the
first sound of Bobs voice calling them.
Mrs. Moore had intended to set the
table out under the trees, but there
were Indications Of a storm, and SO she
had hurried the children's supper,
hoping that they might reach home be-
fore it came. Suddenly, while they
were all seated at the table, the sky be-
came dull gray, and an awful stiffness
pervaded the atmosphere, in spite of
the children's voices which soon were
hushed, or if heard at all had sound of
terror in them.
"There's going to be dreadful storm
of some kind, said Mrs. Moore, as she
hurried the children into the sitting
room, where they stood huddled togeth-
er with white, frightened faces.
"Oh, my Elizabeth Victoria" cried
Mabel, starting for the door; but her
mother motioned her back, and her ag
onized cry was echoed by a score of lit
lie mothers whose children were exposed
10 the fury of the storm.
Itwas fierce storm, and the wind
made sad havoc with loose boards, toss
ing them about in a reckless manner +;
out it was soon over, and the sun looked
pack brightly before going to rest. The
the fury Of the storm was past
Bob was sent for the dolls.
IT had dreadful time getting EN-
I