The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-10-23
POSTAGE NOT STATED.

L was tall, overgrown, awkward, and
sixteen, with a pervading conscious
ness that my hands and feet were very
large, andthe added misery, in the case
of the former members, that they we're
always red, and | never knew what to
do with them when in company. /
was making avisit at grandmother de-
lightful, old-fashioned, country home.
when, one morning the dear, old lady
called me to her.
"Here is something for you, JIM"
she said; ian Invitation toa children's
party at Mrs. Edwards"
"Childrens' party, repeated, prob
ably with a shade discern inmy voice,
as indicating that / was no longer
placed in that category.
"Not children, exactly" corrected
grandma, with smile at my masculine
dignity.
Young people, / should have said.
Mrs. Edwards daughter, Florence, is
fourteen, and all the boys-youngmen,
/ should say with twinkle ofamuse-
ment, will be there"
/ had sundry misgivings that |
should not enjoy the purity at all, be-
ing as yet very much afraid OF girls,
though beginning to admire them as
tM.t --..
mysterious and fascinating beings.
However, / accepted the invitation, as
/ found that all the boys | knew were
going, and the party was to be quite a
"swelr' affair for the village.
When the evening came it found me
with the rest seated in a large parlor,
very unhappy because OF my feet and
hands, which would by no means ar
range themselves in any graceful or be-
coming manner, and extremely bash
full, but full of admiration for alovely,
black-eyed girl, whom | knew to be
Tom Byrne's sister.
She sat some distance from me, but
she had given me a smile when | first
came in, and now from time to time
cast chances at me which increases at
once my bliss and my confusion.
Various games were suggested and
played, but they were of a quiet char
acter, such as Twenty Questions"
etc., so that | had no opportunity of
approaching any nearerto Mabel, who
showed herself very brilliant in her
questions and answers during the
progress of these intellectual amuse-
ments. Then somebody suggested
that we should play Postofice.
"Postoffice! What is that! How
do you play it?" / whispered to Tom
Byrne, my nearest neighbor.
Don't you know how to play Post
Officer he asked, with a scorn Of my
ignorance. "Oh, well, / suppose you
city fellows don't know anything.
siI never heard of this" | said meek
well, I'll tell you how it is; a girl
asks for g. letter for some boy, and
then you have to ask her how much
postage, and if she says one cent, you
must kiss her once
"Ohl" said /.
eyes," replied Tom; "and you kiss
her twice for two cents andthree times
for three cents. It's quite fun if its q
pretty GIRL he added.
II suppose So" / replied, vaguely.
"But / forgot to tell you, if she says,
postage not stated then you kiss
her as often as you like. Hush! they
are going to begin"
TO be sure, one of the Oldest boys
was appointed postmaster, and one
girl after another went out into the
entry, each knocking at the door ask
ing for a letter, whereon the boy call
ed for, sbeepishly followed her intot the
hall, and to judge from the sounds Of
screaming and scuffing, which general
" followed, paid postage under con-
siderable difficulty.
/ watched the game in a state of be-
wildered alarm. What if girl should
call on me? But no one did, and I
was half disappointed, half relieved,
that / was exempt, when it was Mabel
Byrne's turn to 60 out.
She left the room witha lovely blush
on her face. The door was solemnly
closed upon her, and then after a brief
pause there was a faint knock. The
postmaster opened the door q few
inches.