The Eddy current., 1899-04-15
THE DONATION PARTY
AMERICAN INSTITUTIONS Lit
TILE KNOWN,
was ths Result of Poverty Custom
That mas Not Changed In Its osnssai
Character since n was fntrodacsd--
Usually Leaves Hard Fssilng.


Usually Leaves Hard FssiinE.
Tho donation party n one OF the
American institutions which II un-
known TO the majority OF "clty-bred"
people and known best 10 those who
have passed beyond that uncertain pc
riod known ~ middle life. says the
New York Tribune. II Is a country In
stitutlon more than a hundred years
old and iis origin has been ascribed 10
various causes and conditions. II PROB
ably originated from the same causes
that made Il necessary for the early
country school teacher 10 board
around" The teacher was wanted IN
the community, there was little monOy
to induce him or her TO remain, and
living was made cheap by the custom
Of boarding around" by which the
burden was divided among several
members Of the community. The do
nation party was also the result Of pow
oSty and a desire o. the part OF the
poor people TO helL the parson make
ends meet The congregation which
had money enough to do 80 paid It's
minister living salary. but In cOun-
try towns. where there was lltlle
money. the minister usually kept his
eye on the donation, because the reg
ular salary was small and uncertain.
Farm products. hoop-polos and coon
skins were legal tender In the early
dave ~ tfa aruatI.u vartvs the anu.
gregations were small, money was
scarce. and on the day after the party
the preacher often became a trader
and carted some OF his donated goods
10 market. where they were sold or ex-
changed for more desirable merchan-
disc. The articles we're contributed
voluntarily. and In order that there
might be a good show" and that the
element ~ good-tellowshlp and the
New England neighborly feeling might
eclipse any semblance OF charity. the
donors went 10 the parsons house In n
body with their gifts and save him n
surprise party" for which he had
looked anxloualy while the poor min
lister was usually pleased with the ar
rangement. and accepted with gratl-
tude and pleasure tho gifts Of his
nelghbors. he often wished that the ar
ticles might have been sent by messen-
ger-a hired man or hired girl-be-
cause the party often caused more
trouble and entalled more expense
than the donation was worth. The old
custom has not changed In It's general
character since II was introduced. II
~ the same today as II was then. except
that the character OF the donations has
changed with the times. and while the
donors Of 100 years ago trampied upon
and ruined old-fashioned homemade
rag carpets and criticised the blue
china on the shelves. the presont-tlme
donors deal In like manner with
more modern articles. The same diff
ference exists also In the character OF
the donations. The collection OF arti-
cles which ilnds its way into the home
OF the country parson with a donation
party Is usually a highly interesting
one because OF us variety, There a
everything from wooden clOthesplns
and hndlinl wood 10 angel cake and
plush albums-clothlng soap, pickles
and live chickens patent medicines
and wall paper. fruits and vegetables
In cans. end sofa cushions, bags ol
beans aud books Of poems. things that
are useful Ia any household. and 9th
ers that we're In the way In the houses
OF the donors. and will remain n nut
sanco in the parsons home until h,
changes his field OF usefulness, wheI
he may forget or lose them without h.
curing the dlsploasure OF a member o
his hock But the donation partl
does not end with a donation TO thl
minister" said a venerable deacon
who had served his time In New Eng
land. Those who donate want some
} thing for their money, and. not salts
fed with disturbing the peace and quie
OF the parsons home and giving MI
furniture and carpets more wear thai
they would ordinarily have In yeaI
they stay 10 have something ana en-
up what they have brought for IA
minister and what little else there
Ia the house. and go away proue be
cause they did the right thing by IA
dominic"