The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-04-06
THE WATKINS PARTY.

Dor w atkins. 1t seemed not only
ridiculous, but unjust, for during the
two weeks preceding the eventful party
night, ma had not only approved of
her going, but had even helped her
make a new dress for the occasion, and
now the night having arrived, for no
apparent reason she had declared that
Abby must stay at home.
This was Abby's side of the story,
and this she kept repeating to herself
as she sat in her own room late that
afternoon, looking mournfully at that
new dress spread out on the bed be-
fore her, and occasionally dashing
the back of her hand across her ewes
to wipe away those tears which, do
what she would, persisted in rising
rebelliously.
But Mother Toxins tale was very
different AS she told her good friend,
Mrs. Hopping, who had Just stopped
in for moments chat, she had very
good reason for keeping her daughter
at home that night.
'Now, I'll tell you, Mrs. Hopping,
because | know you won't ever let It
reach any of the Watkinses (the good
lady knew this to be the quickest and
most reliable way to get the story to
Neighbor Watkins family, I'll tell
you why I'm keeping Abby home.
in company with my girl for most "a
let Abby 90 ter-night there's no tell
in what'n happen. She's jest s like
as not to get struck with that city fell
Ter that's comm down to spend the
summer over to the Watkins. They
do say, them that see him before, that
he's mighty pleasant. Now, then,
where'l poor Tom be? I'll tell you
what it's, Mrs. Hoppin'" (and here
Mrs. Toxins heaved a deep sigh and
leaned very solemn face over the pan
of half peeled potatoes), Il tell you
'twould be downright wrong, wicked,
for me to let that young girl go and
jest p'rhaps ruin that poor TOMS life
for him. wouldn't it?"
"Yes, indeed, Mrs. Tookins," the
other woman replied, "if you let her
do such a thing you wouldn't deserve
salvation nohow," and the pious Mrs.
Hopping rolled her horror stricken
eyes toward the rafters. Soon after
she took her leave.
AS Mrs. Toxins, stanGNng on her
doorstep, watched her friend waddle
slowly down the road, she thought to
herself: "Now, if she'll only be real
quick an tell the Watkinses, know
it'll bring Tom round. When he
thinks he may lose Abby guess he'll
look alive"
Mrs. Hopping, on the other hand, as
she turned at the end of the road
to say last goodbye to her neighbor,
said to herself: Il know she thinks
that dull-faced little Abby of hers has
got ahead of my Sarah, but We'll see.
[ calkerlate Hannah Watkins won't be
over particular pleased if l let her
think Susan Toxins lookin' for higher
game than her Tom for Abby; don't
care to have 'em together much while
that city feller's round; 1 guess it'll
gall her a bit" And Mrs. Hopkins
chuckled to herself as she tried to hur-
ry along the road.
Sc Sc the the stte6l1e5F- sste1 told half an hour
later at the Watkinses. Mrs. Hopping
"jest happened to be passin' their way,
and thought she'd jest stop in to let
them know Abby Tookins couldn't
come that night. Too bad, wasn't it?
But then Mrs. Tookins was always
kinder stuck up, ETC., until the rest of
the story, as conceived by Mrs. Hop
ping had been told.
Meanwhile the poor girl on whose
account these two worthy ladies
troubled themselves so much sat lone
ly in her room, thinking of the dance
that she was to miss, which all the
others were to enjoy, and-of Tom.
"He would see them all but her, and
Sarah Hopping, she knew she would
be extra nice to Tom tonight, and
would look pretty, and-oh, if Tom
would only say whether he cared most
for her, Abby, sitting here alone, think
ing of him. He had said everything
else, afd:yet-he was SO nice to the
other girls, and tonight he would see
them all but her." A thought seemed
to strike her; slowly she went down
stairs into the kitchen. "Ma, can 1
help you get the supper?"
mo, Abby, child, supper's all ready"
the mother replied. "Now, you just
sit down and pail be in in mint,
and We'll hev real good evenin' to-
gether; 1 wouldn't mind the old party"
ABBY said nothing, and soon, as
Mrs. looking had predicted, pa came
in. Then they set down to table, and
after a long grace, during which Alb
by's eyes would wander towards the
clock. supper began. They didn't
talk much. Ma was thinking.
"Now, I'm sure eff Tom Watkins
hears I'm keepin' Abby away from
that city feller on his account, he'll
speak right up soon, er he amt the
honest chap took him fer. He amt
goin' to lose her, l don't think, but,
oh, my! he is slow, to be sure, in COM
in to the pint" AS for Pa Toxins,
he was utterly bewildered, and so held
his peace. Ma had said Abby was
goin' to the party and then that she
wasn't goin'. Pa Tookins believed these
facts and asked no questions. Abby,
too, was silent. She was listening to
the occasional rumble of wheels and
the village folk drove by on their way
out to the Watkinses; besides, Abby
, was thinking.
At 8 o'clock that evening, after Pa
Toxins had read the prayers and Ma
Tookins had said a loud &Amen," Alb
by bade them good night. "Yes, she
knew it was early, but she was tired,
so off she went to her little room over
the best parlor, leaving her father and
mother comfortably ensconsed in the
big kitchen armchairs. For awhile
they talked and nodded, nodded and
talked till finally both fell into a doze.
Half an hour later a light step or
the front stair-that stair so seldom
used in the old farmhouse and al
ominous creaking of the front door
opened hardly from one years end tc
the other, told that some one had gone
out into the night.
1t was Abby, dressed in all her fine
ry, going to the party. She would moi
let all the other girls have Tom, wher
she-ah! she knew how pretty she
looked as she stood before the little
glass in her room. This she had not
forgotten to do, in spite of her hurry
in spite of the dread of being discov
ed. So here she was, walking alone
on this dark, cloudy night the mile be
tween her own house and Neighbol
} Watkins's.
For a while all went well as she hur
ried along the well-known road. Then
she left the open country and entered
y the wood, gentle signing of the tree
}. overhead and the occasional sound o
a limb falling told this country cir
that storm was coming up.
She hurried on, breathless, excited
] thinking now of but one object; of tina
one n11rnOsA which for a week hat