The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-11-12
Selected Sturp.
The Surprise Party.


where they had gone. Crack, crack,
went the butternuts, yet the pile in the
corner never seemed to get low, though
80 much cracking was done every year.
&c tell you what let's do,-let's get
up something circus or race" said
Harry.
"Oh no." answered Fred, /" / think
we had better give a performance"
"Well, Polly and | won't go one step
to it, will we, Polly?" said Betty, " be-
cause a party is the very best thing to
have, isn't it, Polly?"
I" Yes, party, a party!" screamed
Polly.
"Poohl boys don't care about
partles,' said Harry.
" Yes, they do, too, sometimes" re-
piled Betty.
Whom shall we invite?" said Fred ;
" there'll have to be lots here-let's
have a regular jam and"
"Oh, yes, do, raspberry jam and CO.
coanut cake and fritters," began Polly,
who was fond of these things.
"Oh Polly, do stop, we haven't got
to the supper party yet"
&" No indeed" said Fred, " we must
plan it all out first"
"Well, you said some jam yourself,
and | guess / can plan cake and frit-
ters."
"Polly, if you don't stop talking, and
let us make out list, you shall 90 right
straight home this minute" and as
Harry looked decided, Polly kept still
awhile.
"Of course we must invite all the
neighbors," said Betty, Your family
would all come, wouldn't they?"
Why, of course" answered Harry
ave are the nearest neighbors of all
we could come right through the corn
house crack"
Well! Harry Andrews, that would
be great" said Polly. 81 guess we
shan't come squeezing through that
hole, in all our best clothes. l shall
wear my best sash, and l shall come
round by the street, and | shall 90
right up to the front door and ring the
bell, and | shall say: Are the ladies' at
home?' and at the thought of all this
elegance Polly began to walk across the
g cob stairs " floor with her toes turned
out and wig-wagging " her shoulders.
Polly feels proud now, l s'pose,"
said Betty. "See her wag."
Come back here, Polly, and you
may help plan," and Fred moved along
so Polly could sit beside him, for he
was afraid from Betty's looks that she
and Polly would soon begin to quarrel.
We must ask the minister and old
Mrs. Crump and Captain Jennifer and
Mrs. Flutterbucket."
"She won't bring anything" put in
Harry.
"Never mind" answered Fred, " we
shall have to ask her and the Gibbins
girls and Jane Maria Gray, and old
Miss Hepsy."
" For mercy's sake, are you going to
invite that old cranky thing?" asked
Polly, +" she don't like us one bit, and
she scolds if we so much as look at her
sweet apple-tree going by. wouldn't
ask her to a tOdd's partyp'
-" Well, Polly" said Betty, when
people have parties they have to draw
a line, or else they can't draw one.
don't know which, but l know they
have to be very particular about it. |
s'pose we must ask Miss Hepsy, but |
hope she won't come"
After a while they concluded they
had thought of everybody, and they
put on their hats and raced down stairs
and out into the street, and ran from
house to house and invited people.
Some looked little surprised, for the
Hildreths never went to surprise par
ties themselves. But the children
seemed very eager about it, so the in
vited guests supposed some one had
given them leave to have such party.
" But isn't your mamma gone Dow?"
asked the DOCTORS wife.
" Yes" replied Fred, but this is
for papa" and they raced off before
she could ask any more questions.
Almost every one said they would
come, even Miss Hepsy, though she did
dislike children so much. 81 s'pose
you expect folks to bring something,
don't your" and Miss Hepsy shut up
one eye and looked at them sharply
with the other.
Why, it's a surprise party" said
Betty, and we've never been to one,
papa doesn't know much
" No, presume to say he DON'T"
snapped Miss Hepsy; {" never saw
any of the family who debut pll
come" and she stepped back and shut
the door hard.
" There!" said Polly, 9 guess we
didn't draw the right line after ali. |
don't believe, Betty Hldreth, your
mamma ever would have invited such
hateful, squint-eyed old thing as she
is, and | told you So"
AT last every one was invited. 1t
had occurred to the children that this
party would be fine way to celebrate
their fathers birthday, for he would be
forty tomorrow, Their mother had
felt sorry to be gone at this time, but
this would be a beautiful way to sur
prise him. They said nothing of their
plan to Miss Nancy, distant relation
who was staying with them. But they
coaXed Jane to make a cocoanut cake
and sponge cake with hole in the
middle of it, and she promised them
rolls and large plate of gooseberry
tarts.
Oh, it will be fine, won't it2' said
Betty.
81 hope So" replied Fred, who al
ready began to feel some misgivings.
The nevt 6aU was warm ap6 hr;c