The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-12-17
Selected Storp.
The Sunshine Party.

"From three to SIX" the hostess had
said.
So they came in the hours of sun
shine. Each lady wore bunch of yell
low flowers. The parlor was aglow
with sunlight, and seemed very sun
kingdom itself, with decorations in
yellow tissue paper md yellow flowers.
Knots of yellow paper, fringed, hung
in the doorways and windows. Long
strips of yellow paper were draped
from one end of the mantel to the floor.
More strips of the paper were thrown
over pieces of furniture and scattered
through the room. A mass of bright
gold buttercups nodded from the mante-
piece, glowing with smiles. A stately
group of golden garden lilies stood
upon the center-table, their tall heads
lifted expectantly.
You see twelve ladies met together
that afternoon to talk about the sun.
And how they talkedl One of them
had prepared herself TO describe the
suns surface-photosphere and corona;
another, the SUMS composition; others,
its eclipses, and supersttions regarding
them, It's area, its distance from the
earth and other planets, its size as COM
pared with the largest stars, what the
sun does for us, and its probable future.
There followed talk upon the rainbow
and color. Familiar quotations from
leading authors, referring to the sun,
written on slips of paper, were passed
and read aloud, the ladies' guessing the
authors name. To vary conversation,
this sun legend was read, having been
written for that afternoon by the
hostess:
LEGEND.
A pretty story is told of Marie An
toinette of France. The queen, and
her ladies of the court, at one time
grew tired of the spendOr and pomp of
royalty, and young page was called
upon to devise some new amusement.
After spending some days in thought
on the subject, he suggested that the
queen and her ladies should assemble
ON an eminence outside the city at four
O'Clock the next morning, and be pre-
pared for a surprise. The idea at once
took possession of all.
The following day, at four O'Clock, a
line of carriages was seen vending its
way through The silent streets of Paris,
in search of the new pleasure. 1t was
a silent party which gathered on the
hilltop in the gray dawn. The I'M
usual hour awed and stilled the gay
PArsians, and drawing their wraps
more closely about them, in the chill
air of early morning, they awaited the
surprise. What this should be none
could imagined Had the page prepared
a morning feast in some near grove
for their enjoyment! Or was an out-of-
door ball to take place at this strange
time! A half hour passed in suspense.
Sill no surprise. Had the page forgot
tenl The sky softened a little in the
East They could see each Others ex-
pectant faces clearly now. Still they
waited. One of the ladies suggested
that the page had befooled them, and
angrily beckoning her footman, she de-
clared she would have "no more O do
with that wretched place and hour"
But as she was preparing to leave a
startling change took place in their
surroundings. A deep flush of Grim
som edged with gold overspread the
horiz N and shot out upward flames
of fire. The awe-struck party gazrd
in wonder. AS the couh tgralion in
creased, some one whispered, Paris
is on fire; the palace is in hamesr'
Great was the CONSERVATION. As
they spoke excitedly to each other "a
great light burst upon them, holding
them spell-bound A round red ball
of fire broke upon their sight. The
very hilltop where they stood had
caught the glory.
The sun DdS rising, as it had each
day since the world was madel Yet the
sight was altogether new and unfa.
miliar to these royal witnesses.
AS they gaZed in ecstacy band con-
cealed at distance struck the air of
the Marsellaise," and Immediately
their voices Joined in a full chorus of
| enthusiasm. Sill the round sun ball
rose higher and higher, till the spires
and domes beneath them in the city
cleaned and blazed in dazzling SPLEEN
dor. The sun had risen! This, then,
was the surprise. Loudly they lauded
the knowing page who had planned for
them this delight.
A sunrise party we will have
again." they cried.
1.-THE king shall come" exclaimed
Marie Antoinette, "to see a rival mon
arch ascend the throne before him"
And, true to their word, the king and
his crowd of coul tiers assembled with
these ladies at four O'Clock the next
morning to see the glad sun rise on
beautiful Paris!
\
Tiny favors, in the form of sunsbades
and fans, were tucked inside the doilies
when some simple refreshments were
served, and afterwards were worn by
the ladies'. Just before leaving, all
ing with much merriment this little
ode, to the tune of " Fair Harvard, ="
which the hostess had written and ad
dressed to her guests, the "sunbeams. "
ODE.