Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1888-05-14
sllpnth' q Column.
Pinkie's Tea Party.

! All my own self Z.
The family were gathered in tn
room for worship, and mamma onl
had time to nod eyes," before tn
books were given out and the read
ing was begun. Pinkie sat still a
a mouse, thinking whom to invite t.
her party, until papa, in whose lal
she sat, read in his turn:
''Then said He also to him tina
babe them: When thou makest
dinner or supper, call not thy broth
rem, nor thy kinsmen, nor thy ricf
neighbors lest they also bid thee
again and recompense be made
thee; but when thou makest feast
call the poor, the manned, the lame
the blind"
Pinkie was very attentive all the
rest of the time. As they rose from
their knees she whispered eagerly to
her father:
"Who is He? The one that said
who to invite to your parly?" and
when he answered s'The Lord Jesus,
darling" she said musingly, 81
s'pose it must have been. Nobody
else would a thought of it, would
they?" and without waiting for an
answer off she ran.
The girls were all very loving in
school that day. Jennie Davis in
the strictest coefdence- "Promise
you'll never tell SO longs you live,
told half the girls, and
they told the other half. Plnkie
May was going to have a tea party
tomorrow, and her mother said she
could invite just whom she pleased.
Human nature in small girls is strik-
ingly like the same thing in big
people. Pinkie was overwhelmed
with offers Of jujube paste, licorice
root, popcorn, and, from few choice
spirits, chewing-gum; to say moth
ing of slate pencils that were shower
ed on her when she couldn't find her
own. But she bore her popularity
with a good deal of dignity. GA
girl nine years old to morrow mustn't
act like a pack of children any more, "
she told Jennie Davis, who admired
and agreed.
Tomorrow came, bringing with it
many kisses and good wishes for
Miss Nine-year-old, from big sister
Maggie down to brother Jack.
"What time does the party begin p
asked papa at the breakfast table.
"Five o'clock" said mamma.
"Whom have you invited, Pinkie p
"Mamma, please don't ask till
you see them come in. You know
you promised. And haven't 'yited
'em VET" and she hurried off to es-
cape from that provoking Jack, who
marched slowly after her singing,
ooh! Pink and blue, I'm coming
too?" which Pinkie said was not
poetry, "because blue and too don't
end with the same letter.
Three O'Clock came, and no Pinkie.
Half-past three Fourl Half-past
four! Mamma looked grave, and
Cornelia put on her hat and went
round to the Davis to see if the
child had forgotten the time talking
over the party with Jennie. Back
she came in great excitement.
"She hasn't been there at all.
mother; Jennie says she hasn't invit-
ed her nor any of the girls. Where
do you suppose she is?''
Mamma is very anxious, and sis
ter Maggie, who had just come in
with a bundle that looked like books,
was offering to go out and make 6
more thorough search, when the
door bell rang. A piercing shriek
was heard from Katy as she opened
the door, and then Pinkie's voice
rang out loud and clear:
"Come in Come right into the
parlor! It's ust azactly five o'clock
[ guess the party's most ready
Come right in !" And in they came.
Pinkie at their head, serenely tri
umphant. Maggie echoed Katy's
shrek. The parlor was full of them
Not pair of shoes among them:
though some of them had made an
attempt at clean faces. Irish and
German, black and white, two little
Italians who had been singing in the
street all the children from Dodd's
alley and Green court. Their clothes
in tatters, their poor little faces wan
and thin. There were two little
lame boys, and, clinging close to
Pinkie's hand, pale, half-fright-
ened blind child.
Goodness me" screamed jamie.
"Whose are they? Where did they
come ftom?"
"Most everywhere p said Pinkie.
''They don't b'long to hardly any
one, 'cept God. And I've brought
'em to my partyl"
Mamma laid her hand on Maggie s
lips, and frowned silence at Corne-
liza and John. "Why didn't you ask
me, dear?' she said gently.
"You SAID just who [ choosed, ;"
said Pinkie somewhat agrieved. "And
the Lord Jesus told me to, out of
the Bible. Yes, he did, Cornelia !
And, mamma, I've been all round
and round. and isn't the party