Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-12-24
OUR HOLIDAY PARTY.


That we should have our winter
party had been fully decided, but
what kind of party it ehould be was
question that still agltated us.
But first let me tell You who Eve"
were, and then I will tell you what
we did. "Wen were number of
boys and girls who for several sum
mers had camped out together on the
shore of one OF the great lakes, and
every winter we had held a reunion,
between Christmas and New Years.
Dora wished to have US decide up.
on german, but to that the objection
was quickly raised that several of US
did not dance We thought we were
too grown-up for bubble party, and
an ordinary fancy party seemed
rather tame. Despair was settling
down upon us, wnen Harry said:
"Why not have all the holidays
come together2 Christmas and New
Years are already aere, why not IN
wife st. Valentines day, Easter,
Fourth Of July, and the rest of the
gala days, to meet them9'
We were delighted with the idea,
and so after spelling a great deal of
paper the invitations Were arranged
on the following plan:
lyon are IL vited to participate in a Camp Re
union, at the Melworth Homestead, on Tuesday
evening, Dec. 30h You will meet the principal
Holiday Of the year, and they viii be pleased to
see you in your Interpretation Of --(St. Valen-
tines day.
With one or two exceptions boy
and girl were asked to represent
each day, and there were two prizes
offered for the best costumes.
And now, such a plotting and plan
ming and general getting ready as en-
sued Every one of us was reading
cyclop& has and studying dictionaries
to find out what Twelfth Night really
meant, and who ST. Valentine actual
| ly was and how Jack should represent
May Day 1t was easy enough Cor a
girl but what could boy do2
Harry, as the host, was TO be Christ
mas Day and preside over q Christ
mas-tree.
Carl was to be ST. Valentines Day
and his time was taken up in writing
Valentines for all of us; but he finish
ed them all--twenty five of them,
each sealed with red wax, with a
heart stamped on It.
The party was to be on Tuesday,
and at last everything was ready.
What lovely sight, Is it fairy
land, or is it the very home of the
Holidays themselves2 The "big par
Tor" scarcely recognizes itself. Yards
Of evergreen rope, festooned from the
ceiling in every direction, making it
a real bower. Over one fire place we
read Merry Chrstmasl" and over
the other, Happy New Year" The
floor is waxed and shining. and in the
corners are inviting seats covered
with rugs and bear-skips.
And then this fantastic company in
bewiiching and bewildering array !
Can these really be the bows and girls
we have seen at camp in flannel suits
and TIN o Shanters2 How can /
hope to tell you all about il?
There goes the Fourth Of July. Miss
Fourth is draped in flags and trimmed
With pin wheels; she has a gilt nell
met on her head, and she is carrying
gorgeous trans parency OF red, white
and blue silk, with 1854" on one side
re- on the next, and a Liberty
Bell" on the third, st. Valentine
hands her o letter; as it is only val
entlne, let us look over her shoulder
and read it with her:
ITO be bound to kings and princes doth often
Hurrah for this, our country for it chose bet
ter par
OF its Independent character, you're a perfect
AS such yos have my fealty, my homage, and my
heart -
What a jingling of bells the next
two make! There is no mi stalking
them. Dick as a Jester, aud Ellie as
Folly, are evidently April Fools Day.
More bells-and here comes Mistress
Christmas Day, white and sparkling
from the crown of her powdered bead
to the sole of her silver boot; all dia-
mond dust, swan SHOWN, and tiny
silver sleigh-bells, she looks the very
essence of Christmas. And beside her
u Carls little sister, the baby Of the
camp, dressed to represent the Night
before Christmas, with a holly
wreath on her head, another around
her skirt, and on her back are two
stockings.
Hung with care
In hopes that S.. Nicholas soon viii be there"
And here he comes, with toys enough
in his pack to fill forty stockings
He, too. is in white, all trimmed with
rabbit fur, and but for his merry voice
and hearty greetings, we should never
d .eam that it was Harry Melworth so
} disguised is he by his costume and
long white bsard. Here are the
Thanksgiving Days-R Do. as a stately
Puritan, and Lena, as a Thanksgiving
Dinner. The dress she has on is over
hundred years old. She has put on