Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-12-15
The Surprise Party.


YVU
They have been havin surprize par
tvs round here all winter, and the chill
dren have urged me TO go to EN-, but
held back.
II don't believe in EN- SEE / and |
wont CO." But finely they got their
father on their side-Se2 he lit won't
hurt u, Samantha, to go for once
''Sez / Josiah Allen the place for
old folks is to hum, and / don't be-
lieve in surprize parties any way-i
think they are perfect nusences. 1t
stands to reason if IL want to see ure
friends u can invite em-and II any
body is too poor to make a cake or 2
or a pan of cookies they are too poor
to go into company at ALL SEE l 1
haint proud ner never wuz called so,
but don't want Tom, Dick and Harry
that / never spoke to in my life, feel
as If they are free to break into my
house any time they please'-Sez | it
would make me perfectly wild to think
there wuz whole drov ov people LA
BILE to rush in on us at any
minute, and l won't break in
to other winners houses And
SEE l 'hev u forgot how some ov EN-
carried liquer to old Peedicks and two
or three had to be CARED up and laid on
to Miss Peedick'ses spare bed? SEE |
'hev forgot how they broke Miss Bob
bets porler lamp all to smash runnin
round kitchen each other-hev for
get these insidences?' SEE l in cold
tones.
ut is fun" seq Thomas Jefferson, 81
should love to see you and old Deacon
Bobbet playin wink em slyly."
"Let EN- wink at me if they dare"
seq l sternly. LET me ketch EN- at it.
! don't believe on surprize parties" says
/ in firm ackcents.
"No more do l." SEE Josiah, "but the
children are so set on our goin,
sposen we go for once.-No Twin wo-
men could do better by children than
have by mine, but / don't suppose u
feel exactly as / do about pleasing EN-
it haint MATERIAL you should"
There he knew he had got me. II
ever women tried to do her duty by
another womens children 1t is Saman-
tina Allen whose maiden name wuz
Smith-Josiah knows 1.-THE knows
jest how to start me. Wall there haint
no use talkin-I went to the very next
party which wuz to be held miles be-
yond Jonesville they had had EN- so
fast they had used up all the nearer
places. They had heard ov this family
that had big house-and the women
had been to the same meetin house
with Betsy Bobbet or times, and she
had met her in a store a year before,
and had been introduced to her so she
said she felt perfectly free to go-and as
she wuz the leader 1t wuz decided on.
They went in two loads, but Josiah and
l went in cutter alone-we got start
ed ahead ov the loads and when we got
to the house we see it was lighted up
real pleasant, and little cutter stood
by the door. We went up to the door
and knocked and motherly lookin wo-
hand opened the door.
Good evenin," seq 1, but she SEEM
ed to be little deaf and didn't answer.
see as we stepped in thro door partly
open room full ov wimmen.
Good many got here" SEE speakin
a little louder.
Eyes real good DOCTOR" seq she.
What in the world! began to say
IN wild amaze.
NO" SEE she, ''its a boy"
turned right round and laid hold on
Josiah, SEE / start this minute, Jo-
siah Allen, for the door," | laid hold
ov him and got him to the door, and we
never spoke another word till we wuz
on the sleigh and had turned round
then seq I-"Mebby will hear to me
another time Josiah Allen"