The broad ax., 1897-01-16
The Surprise Party.


a They have been havin surprize par
VS. round here all winter, and the chill
ydren have urged me to go to EN-, but !
held back.
Il don't believe in EN- ser l and
Won't CO." But finely they got their
father on their side-Sez he 1T won't
hurt u, Samantha, to go for once.
Ser / Josiah Allen the place Tor
old folks Is to hum. and l don't be-
lleve in surprize parties any way
think they are perfect nusences. II
stands to reason IL u want to see ure
friends u can invite em-and II any
body is too poor to make a cake OF
or a pan Of cookies they are too poor
to 60 into company at ALL SEE 1
haint proud ner never wuz called SO,
cut don't want Tom, Dick and Harry
that / never spoke to in my life, feel
rs II they are free to break into my
house any time they please'-Sez 1 II
would make me perfectly wild to think
here wuz a whole drov ov people liza
bic TO rush in on us at any
minute. and l won't break in
10 other wimmens houses. And
ser ! '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
'hsv u forgot how they broke Miss Bob
bets porler lamp all to smash runnin
round kitchen each other-hev for
get these insidences?' SEE in cold
tones.
1T is fun" SEE Thomas Jefferson, Il
should love to see you and old Deacon
Bobbet playin wink EN- slyly."
Let EN- wink at me If they dare"
SEE sternly. Let me ketch EN- at it.
don't believe on surprize parties" says
in firm ackcents-
No more do l." sez 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 a women tried to do her duty by
another womens children it is Saman-
tina Allen whose maiden name wuz
Smith-Josiah knows it-he 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 a big house-and the women
had been to the same meetin house
with Betsy Bobbet 2 or 3 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
| went in a cutter alone-we got start
ed ahead oy 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 a motherly lookin wo-
man with a bunch ov catnip in her
hand opened the door.
Good evenin," SEE /, but she seem
ed to be little deaf and didn't answer.
| see as We stepped in thro door partly
open a room full ov wimmen.
Good many got here" ser / speakin
O little louder.
Yes a real good doctor" sez she.
What in the worldP / began to say
In wild amaze.
NO" ser she, Its a boy"
turned right round and laid hold on
Josiah. sez l start this minute, Jo-
siah Allen. for the door," / laid hold
Dv him and got him to the door, and We
never spoke another word till we wuz
on the sleigh and had turned round
then sez I-"Mebby u will hear to me
another time Josiah Allen"