The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-04-20
rnought OF adopting such a scheme be.

I udy OF TWO, the young oicIiilo tASNu-
ted their march around the table IN
der Theo's leadership. In a manner
that might have given pointers to a
! professional stage manager. So great
indeed was the young gentlemen's
success that he began TO wonder IL ne
would not be making a mistake In Sc
lecting law AZ his future profession.
Meanwhile, Alice, Lille and Kate
had expressed their intention Of COM
! ing TO their dearest Margery" on the
Thursday following, and added, az
a postscript, the formidable informa-
| ton that they were TO be accompan.
fed by an old maid aunt. In the capacl.
ty OF "chaperone."
"Aunt Jane" was the young peoples
bugbear, and In their eyes she pos
sessed but one redeeming quality
that OF laZlness. This. OF course, Is
usually deemed a fault, but In the
case OF Aunt Jane II was different,
for this oyerruling trait often prevent
cd her even discovering performances
which would have called forth tor.
rents OF wrath had they not remained
secret.
In the first place, Aunt Jane always
lay in bed late OF mornings, and IL the
young people possessed sufficient ener-
gy TO rise early there was no knowing
in how many frollcs they might in
dulge. undiscovered and undisturbed.
IL was one evening at bed time that
the formidable arrived. Being over
come with fatigue the elder lady
sought her own apartment at once,
and 1t was with sigh Of deep thank
fulness that the youthful crowd
caught the last glimpse Of the stiff
gray curls bobbing away upstairs.
1t was hours later, however, before
the girls, In their own rooms, had
whispered their last stealthy secret
and giggled their last giggle for the
night. Aunt Jane was TO be the VIC
tim Of a plot
1t was not "A plot. however, that
dealt with poison or dynamite. but on
ly some minor details OF etiquette.
Aunt Jane would probably seek to In
terfcre with some OF their arrange
ments, but they simply didn't intend
to let hcr-that was all.
At breakfast that lady failed TO put
I'm an appearance and all went well
That Is, the food march," after the
first course Of fruit was finished, was
carried through, much to the delight
Of Alice, Lille and Kate Several new
figures were introduced, and not one
Of the boys was so unfortunate as to
spill syrup or gravy on any young
iUh ha 10
plain, however, that there was no sy-
rup or gravy TO spill)
At dinner, however, Aunt Jane was
sitting rigidly erect at the foot OF the
table, when an ominous little bristle
Of the stiT gray curls, as though
seeming mischief I'm the air.
She was unaccustomed to having no
one to wait on the table, and ex-
pressed strong disapproval ut Carries
dismissal How desert NLs to be
served she had not the remotest idea.
and when the first course was com
plctcd she was greatly startled by
sudden thunder of loud chords from
the piano, and In a moment more sur
priscd quite speechess when the en-
tire crowd rose abruptly from their
places, seized their plates and began
n rapid march around the table.
Absolutely incapable of speaking,
the poor lady leaned back in her chair
and gasped, while the gay crowd
whirlcd and revolved about her. quite
ignoring her presence.
So great was the din, combining as
It did the music, the clatter Of china
and shrill peals of laughter that no
one heard the door bell ring time an
again, till at last the visitor, tired OF
waiting, entered unannounced upon
the scene.
No one so much as saw him except
poor wretched Aunt Jane, who
dropped her glasses. twisted her cap
awry. and turned almost purple with
modification.
1t was the minister, an old friend OF
both Aunt James and the Merrills.
Far from Mortified, however, that gen
tlCman stood watching the scene for
a moment with a merry twinkle in his
eye, then, catching the spirit of the
occasion he seized Aunt James plate,
and, joining the marchcrs. deposited IL
on the sideboard himself
The young people had triumphed and
Aunt Jane was completely defeated.
After that there was marching be-
tween courses at every meal. and all
declared that IL aided digestion, be-
sides all its other good results.
Certain 1t is, too, that Theo's plan
solved a problem for Margery which
had for some time been troubling her.
1t had been her dearest wish TO en-
tcrtain number of friends at sty-
lish tea of several courses, and she un-
derstood well how 10 order its prepar-
alton. 1t was the serving which had
been the trouble. But now. what could
be more unique than to have the
guests all rise at the completion Of
each course. and marching around the
table 10 the sound OF music, deposit
their own plates on the sideboard and
return 10 the table?
A judge would be appointed 10
watch the performance and deliver "A
prize each 10 the boy and girl accom-
plishing their duties most gracefully.
Margery's tea was an entire success.
and her guests declared that TO the
original Thco a unanimous vote OF
thanks was due for his bright sugges-
ton and merry aud memorable ev-
cning.-Atlanta Journal.
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