The Meeker herald., 1893-01-21
MEG'S RECEPTION.
How 1t Prove Success Despite
the Snow-Storm

.tldI IOpkeu us II IL WOuIin tahe "
great many OF them to make Il pretty
deep drift. And they came so thick
and fast, tool Why, it was us much as
ever that you could see across the
street,
Little Meg Mather, at the window,
could not see across, though her
brown eyes were staring wide open.
and her face WAS pressed close against
the pane.
But then, Meg's eyss We're full of
tears and running over, Just rs they
had been ali the morning. suppose
that maie some differences. Poor
Meg
1t WIS nething OF a trial, think,
myself. though ofcourse it might have
been 9 great deal worse. That is
wha.t IS mamma said, trying to
ca.nfol Ter little daughter.
Just think, dear, what ii you
hadn't any nice house to live in, and
were out in this dreadful STORM Or
il YOU were sick. and had to take Bit
ter stuf and lie in bed all day. You
must look for the silver lining, dear.
1t isn't nearly as bad rs it might
be-"
But Meg couldn't feel sure OF that.
II was very hard to find tho bright
side OF this black, black cloud OF dis
appointment, which had spread over
all the New Years day that ought 20
hnye been so happy. EveEy thing
wns as horrid as it could be, Meg
thought And then the tears flowed
faster. drop, drop, dropping down on
her cunning ruilled apron-a New
Years present from grandma; and the
cloud seemed blacker than ever, and
Meg felt dreadfully miserable, and as
if her heart must break. al
II know it will" she sighed. \ "Oh
dear mel ! can't stand it one mite
more! oh dear, dear mel" v
Because she had been going to
have IL New Years reception.
Dolly Ingalls, was invited, and
Mamie Dixon and Louie Porter,
with their dolls on the lower shell OF
the china closet was little stope OF
good things to eat-tarts and junbies
and frosted cake, and some turn
overs OF apples and mince, which We're
the incest OF any thing. Mary had
kindly made them all Just as she did
for the grown-up folks, only smaller,
OF course, on purpose for Meg's recep-
ton. And now-oh dearl
"J.ouies mean to have her throat
sore" walled poor little Meg. and |
should hink Mamie and Dolly could
come il it did snowl" / would if l
protnised-I would! I'd run away. l
bgisve I'd run away. if my mamma did
cay / couldn't.
Now you know all about it, don't
you-why there couldn't be any recep-
ton, and all? Louie Porter had sore
throat, and so OF course her coming
WIS out OF the question. And Mamie
Dixon's mamma and Dolly Ingalls,
mamma had sent word very early
that morning that the little girls
couldn't 90 out in q storm, SO, ii it
should happen to snow
And it did happen to snow, as If it
never, never meant TO stop. And it
| kept on showing, though Uncle Tom
said when it began he didn't believe it
was anything more than a .qunll.
But let's don't havea saunll inside
ms well as out" said lis.'cAnckling Meg
under her mite OF a chin. 'Wipe up
now, and III bring you paper OF the
best carmels can find when | come
up to supper"
There was one comfort in oil the
grief. But it wasn't very large one,
because suppertime was II long way
off And so Meg cried and cried, until
| her ewes were almost as red as her
cheeks. and mamma thought she
would live up. But she pitied her
little girl, and offered her every crumb
OF comfort she could think of.
II don't think it SHOWS quite as
hard as it did" she said, coming
| close to the window where Meg sat.
"sIay be they will come yet, dear,
Harkl What's that?"
Meg listened. The wind whistled
and ratified the widows rs If trying
| to make all the noise it could, but
! through it all Meg's sharp ears
| caught the sound of a handorsan. 1t
! was playing "Home, Sweet Home"
ooh myl" cried Meg, forgetting her
tears and trouble for the minute.
80 mamma, where is it? May be
there's monkey to it.
Mamma smiled, glad to know that
Meg's spirits were on the mending
hnd. Shelooked up the street, as far
; as she could for the snow. She listen
Ell again.
Il think" said she, at is in our
alley"
"Oh," cried Meg, "may so and see,
mammal"
Mamma nodded eyes" and away
Meg rushed Very soon she was back
| again, her hair flying, her face rosy
and smiling.
80 mammal mammal" she burst
forth breathlessly, "thereis monkey
| "a beautiful one, mamma, with a red
coat on, and cap, and every thing.
And he'll dance Just as cunning And
! there's littlt boy, only not very
little, you know, and girl that's
hitler than he is that makes the
| jingly noise, when the boy grinds on
the organ. And it's real little cum
ming organ, and plays lots OF things.
| and they went in there to keep out of
the snow some, and they've been
there ever'n ever SO long. And they
both OF 'em bowed and snid Happy
/, New Year, real plite, when they saw
me, and the monkey did, too. bowed,
you know cummings could be. and
| low down, and his cap tnmbled off and
he put 1t on again. And the boy said
his names Jocko, the monkeys !syou
IAow, and his very own " Peter, and