The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1898-10-07
A Children's Party.

Our children went to children's
party the other day, and it was such
jolly, happy one, and so sensible as
we'll, that the children and the mothers
enjoyed it equally-for there were alb
solutely no evil after effects. There
were twelve boys and girls from two
to nine years old. The five under five
years old had one room to play in, and
the others separate one, out of which
almost all the furniture had been
moved, only some sofas and chairs,
back against the walls, and the piano
being left. In the babies room there
were quantities of toys for little tots
to play with-trains of cars, Noah's
arks, blocks without numbers, and
beautiful bright picture books, and the
little things played there as happily
and contentedly as possible. The older
children were little shy and stiff at
first, but jolly game of "puss in the
corner" soon broke the ice.
Then big grab bag was brought
out and each child had a grab for some
kind of musical instrument, carefully
wrapped in paper and tied with a
string. There were no particularly
noisy ones, so each child could start in
and play to his hearts content, and
while the result was rather discordant,
it was not absolutely ear splitting.
Next they were all sent out in the
hall while little tin watch, which
could be wound and would tick very
loudly. was hidden. Then they all
hunted for it. This was repeated seven
find it, and the watch itself went final
ly to the child who found it the most,
times.
That heated the children again, so
the fish pond was brought in to give
them chance to rest. There was
big rod with line and hook attached
and each child fshed over Japanese
screen until pull at the line an
nounced that fish had been caught.
The fish We're little magnetic animals,
fish, frogs, ducks, as we'll as tiny boats
and men swimming, and there was
tiny magnet wrapped up with each one.
Then baby's bath tub about half
full of water was put in the middle of
the room, and after each child's sleeves
had been rolled up, the fun and races
began. And it was such fun that it
was very hard to get the children away
even for supper. They were to take
their fishes and magnets home with
them, so they finally decided it was as
we'll to try the supper. There were two
tables, one for the babies and one for
the older children, and tied to each
chair was balloon, red for the boys
and blue for the girls, with the name
painted on in big white letters. At
each plate was round box tied with
blue or red ribbon, in which was lit
tie scalloped sponge cake, frosted, with
the name of the little hostess and the
date in brown or pink letters.
For supper there was, first, bouillon,
thin bread and butter cut in heart
shapes and rounds with cookie cutters,
milk or cambria tea. or weak, sweet
Observation-Disclosures they liked best
and chocolate for the older ones, who
also had jam sandwiches and ice
cream, the babies having boiled GUS
tard instead Then there were oranges
cut in half and filled with orange jel-
ly, lady fingers, and pink and white
peppermint creams, and slice Of the
birthday cake-a sponge cake beauti-
fully frosted and decorated and topped
with seven candles, and a grand red
and white candy cane for each one to
take home.
After they had eaten all they could
/ they went back to the big parlor and
the little hostess aunt played jolly jigs
on the piano, and each one, from the
biggest to the tiniest, danced or jumped
around, until gradually the nurses and
mothers coming and taking them
away, they faded like the ten little
darkies, until there was only one tired,
happy little girl left. And every child
that was there and could talk at all
declared it the incest party ever was
The Puritan.