The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-06-09

them know | can't contribute. This very
afternoon they'll all be talking of it,
Tell them nothing positively. Say as
little as possible; and give me time to think
At this. my mind was relieved immedi-
atey. | was sure the trouble would some
how end in just the right way, though
knew Mother couldn't squeeze the money
from the housekeeping allowance. even If
she could think it right to do so after what
Father had said. But j had faith that
Mother would manage for me, so went to
school. feeling very confident and said as
little as possible.
That night Mother came to my room and
told me TO invite all OF my class to spend
Thursday evening with us. You know
Grandpa sent us a barrel of apples" she
said, "a bushel OF nuts, and some corn to
pop. May be I'll make cake or two, aud
the coffee will not cost much. Fortunately,
we have dishes enough. That will Offset the
birthday parties a little and Iaake you
have a good time too: If you know
any really nice boys, invite them, and
may be Papa'll get out his violin, and you
can have little dance"
You see, Mother was a girl herself once
She don't forget her feelings, and she talks
over such things with me just as though she
were another girl. OF course was only too
delighted to obey, but still, l must confess,
although it was very nice 1t didn't help me
out of the real difficulty bit. 1t gave the
girls something fresh to talk about, however;
and il would be three weeks before Mr..
Anterior would leave, the subject of his
present dropped out of sight for few days.
But the matter of the boys troubled me a
great deal We girls are all about fourteen
and fifteen, and really, while we are almost
young ladies' boys at that age are very boy
ish. They don't know what to do with their
hands. nor how to ask one TO dance nor how
to do anything nicely. | mean the gener-
ality of bows: of course my brothers do, but
=, how ho6 n
and sisters to practice with ever since they
were little which, of course, makes differ
ence If it were not that / hated to give up
the dancing, and if it was'n such bother
to dance with girl with handkerchief tied
on her arm-because she keeps forgetting she
is a boy, and taking the wrong hand and
everything is put out should have given
up the idea of asking any boys.
Again fly to my never-faillng refuge
time Of trouble, and Mother drew out her
needle slowly from the stocking she was
darning, and began to consider the matter.
You see, Mother, it isn't a grand affair
but 1 want it to be as pleasant time of its
kind as possible. and lot of awkward boys
would just spoil it.
Now, don't deery the boys, my dear;
they are a very good institution in their
place"
eyes, indeed, but their place is sliding
downbill, or skating, not in girls party
try ing TO be agreeable; and they have sense
enough TO know it, You know yourself how
impossible it is to get Joe to 90 anywhere
with me, and be is a model OF politeness,
compared with most of his associates"
well, it wouldn't be quite fair to punish
the boys. and girls, too, in trying to amuse
them" Mother replied. There are boys
enough who would he interested IN this lit
tie gathering of yours. There are those three
lads at the ministers who are fitting them
selves for college. They are not more than
sixteen years old, and ought to be above a
little informal party. Besides. Mrs. Grey
told me she wished they knew some people
who would make their stay pleasanter for
them. Then there is young Mr.. Adams at
DR.. PrestOns, ] know he would come and
his mother wrote me, asking me to be good
to him.
"Oh, what a dear mother you are, that
puts the success of the thing beyond doubt"
"There are four good names. then, to start
with" said Mother; land those with John
and Sam, Fathers young friends, will be
good beginning. AS for the rest, let the
girls themselves invite them; there's nothing
like making people responsible for the sue
cess of a thing
Well, the next day being Wednesday l
took the class into my confidence, and be-
tween us all we made out list of gentle
manly and agreeable boy-friends; but the
four that Mother took it upon herself to in
vite were the best of all.
thirty was missing. Through all Fathers.
troubles, we had kept our house, because
Mothers father gave it to her when she
married. 1T was large old-fashioned house
with wide hall that went right through it;
two sets could dance there and one in each
parlor. When / was tired, Mother took nv
place al the piano; and with Father at the
violin we had as good music as one could
wish for dancing. All the girls wore their
best dresses but without fnery and every
thing went off beautifully. At eleven we
had our simple refreshments. Mother had
cut up sheet of notices and scattered them
among the popped corn, and they made ever
so much fun. When that was over and we
were standing about before beginning any
thing else, Father suddenly spoke up, saying
that there was little matter to which he
would like to call attention; he supposed
that the masculine portion of his audience
would hardly be thrilled, but the girls, he
knew, would be deeply interested. Then he
went on to say that there had been some
talk among the young ladies of getting up
surprise present for their teacher, and that
an album had been spoken of; but he said
he had scheme that seemed to him much
better. Then he brought out a sheet of
Bristol board, beautifully Ornamented with
scroll work, and handsomely engrossed upon
1T was set of resolutions saying how sorry
we were that Mr.. Anterior was going to
leave, how much we had profited by his stay
with US, and expressing our best wishes for
his future. / don't, of course, give all this
in Fathers words, but after he had read the
testimonial, he made capital. witty speech.
Then he called on us all to sign the testi,
monial If we approved it. He told US, too that
he could have the sheet nicely framed for
three dollars, which would involve a cost of
| only twenty cents to each subscriber; and
he would venture to say that Mr.. Anterior
would be even better pleased with the testi-
monial proposed than with something more
expensive.
OF course it "tOok" Immediately; all the
| girls were delighted and signed it there and
then, in their very best handwriting. and
most of them paid their twenty cents at once,
We empowered Father to have it framed,
and they voted that should make the pre-
| sentatiOn. But the fact that Father had
entered into it so well and done so much
| just for my pleasure touched me more than
| all. i knew that he had given a great deal
| of attention to ornamental Denmanship, but
/ bad no idea he could make so handsome a
| scroll as that testimonial / always knew
Of course. that Father loved his children
| If any of US are sick, he Is as tender as
woman; and he daily makes all manner of
| sacrifices for US; but here he showed that he
had great deal of sympathy with all our
| hopes and plans.
OF cOrree with fhe caka and cofFaa apd