Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1890-11-27
THE SURPRISE PARTY.

THE SURPRISE PARTY.
How "Punl1in Hollow" Got It's
Queer Name.
1t was fine morning in early Octo.
Der, and the Hildreth yard had been
full Of children. Now it was deserted.
but the muffied sound of hammer com
ing from the ''cob stairs" told where
they had gone Crack, crack, went the
butternuts, yet the pile on the corner
never seemed to get low, though so
much cracking was done every year.
Il tell you what let's do-let's get
up something's circus, or race" said
Harry.
"Oh! no." answered Fred, 81 think
we had better give performance"
well, Polly and l 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?"
Eyes, a party, par,y!' screamed
Polly.
Pooh! boys don't care about parties, y
said Harry.
Eyes they do too, sometimes, (" replied
Betty.
"They don't
eyes they do
And Harry and Fred and Betty began
to look rather excited.
Don't get into a broom, don't get
into BROOM" said little Polly, who had
hn Il fot 70
brush over it, when his men were dis
putting over their work.
"Oh! Polly, "a broom don't get into a
broom!" roarcd Harry, and the boys,
shouting and laughing, rolled over and
over down the pile of cobs.
AFTER all party might be some fun, "
said Fred.
Eyes, indeed it WOULD said Betty.
II mean real grown-up one. I heard
mamma say before she went that she
had got to have a tea party, and get it
off her mind, before Thanksgiving. I
presume it would lie a relief to her if
we had it during her absence"
And Betty, who was fond of using
long words, leaned back in the old, one
armed rockingchair with quite grown
up look. "Yes, let's have it s'prise
party, too"
II say, Fred, that would be jolly
and Harry came and sat down by the
block and began TO crack again.
''Whom SHALL we invite, that's the
next question:" said Fred; "there'l]
have to be lots hcre-let's have a regu-
lar jam and"
ooh, yes, do, raspberry jam and cocoa.
nut cake and fritters," began Polly, who
was fond Of these things.
'Oh Polly, do STOP we haven't got tc
the supper part yet"
mo, indeed" said Fred, ''we mus
plan it all out first"
"Well, you said some jam yourself
and guess I can plan cake and frit
ters."
Polly, if you don't stop talking anG
let us make out list, you shall &c
right straight home this minute" anc
as Harry looked decided, Polly kept still
awhile.
'Of course we must invite all the
neighbours" said Betty. Your family
would all come, wouldn't they?"
''Why of course" answered Harry
''we are the nearest neighbors of all
we could come right through the corn
house crack"
"Well! Harry Andrews, that would be
great" said Polly. II guess we shan
come squeezing through that hole, il
all our best clothes. l shall wear my
very best sash and I shall come round
by the street, and l shall go right up tc
the front door and ring the bell, and
shall say: Are the ladies at homer y
and at the thought of all this elegance
Polly began to walk across the "cot
stairs foor with her toes turned out and
''wig-wagging" her shoulders.
Polly feels proud now, I s'pose,'
said Betty. ''See her wag."
Come back here, Polly, and you may
help plan," and Fred moved along sc
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 an old Mrs
Crump and Captain Jennifer and Mrs
Flutterbucket"
''She won't bring any thing" put il
Harry.
'Never mind" answered Fred, 1--WE
shall have to ask her, and the Gibbon.
girls, and Jane Maria Gray and old Mis-.
Hepsy."
For mercy's sake, are you going t.
invite that old cranky thing?" asked
Polly, ''she don't like us one bit, ant
she scolds if we SO much as look at he
sweet apple tree going by. Iwouldn'
ask her to a toad's party!"
well, Polly" said Betty, when PEG
pie have parties they have to draw
line, or else they can't draw one, / dom
know which, but I know they have t
be very particular about it. l s'pose w
must ask Miss Hepsy, but l hope sh
won't come"
After awhile they concluded they ha,
thought of everybody, and they put Of
their hats and raced downstairs an,
out into the street and ran from hous
to house and invited people. Som
looked little surprised, for tn
Hildreths never went to surprise partie
themselves. But the children SCENE,
very eager about it, so the invite,
guests supposed some one had give1
them leave to have such a party.
But isn't your mamma gone now?
asked tho doctors wife.
EYES," replied Fred, "but this is TO
papa" and they raced off before sh
could ask any more questions.
Almost every one said they woul,
come; even Miss Hepsy. though she di
dislike children so much. II 'spose yo