The Newtown bee., 1901-05-17
LITTLE SEVEN-YEAR-OLD.

EDWARD LLOYD BARKER, WITH THE
HELP OF SOME OLDER FOLKS, ENTER
TAINs A COMPANY OF MITES OF HU-
MANITY THAT MAKE THE WALLS OF
THE CONGREGATIONAL PARSONAGE
RINa.-TnEY, JUST LIKE GROwN-UP
PEOPLE, ENJOY ESPECIALLY THE
EATING, AND HAVE THEIR PICTURE
TAKEN.
Seven is a Bible number. 1t is a
perfect number, too. There Is not
much that is perfect on this sublunary
sphere; but there we're quite number
of things about Edward Lloyd Barker's
seventh birthday party on Saturday
afternoon of last week that were al
most perfect. The day was not bad
one, considering that we have come,
you know, to have a rainy and a dry
season in New England now, and at
present the rainy season is at its height.
The enjoyment of the children was
certainly perfect. There wasn't a
flaw or wrinkle in it; it was pure, I'M
adulterated, unmiXed fun. When an
old man bows in sorrow, the jovial
turn sad; and when little child bub-
bles over, like fountain, with laugh
ter, even the dyspeptic man wreathes
his face with smiles. "From 4 to 6
O'Clock" so the invitations read; but
you don't expect children to keep
strictly to form, do you? Some of tho
little folks kept their mothers on the
anxious-seat all day because the hours
crept so slowly until, in se]f-defence,
the mothers sent them, thinking, per-
haps, that the parsonage clock was
fast and this overstepping bounds
would not count. Well, the children
did pretty we'll in saying, II wish you
many happy returns Of the day" and
Mamma sends her love-" just about as
we'll as you would do if you tried to
play Othello. Soon everything was
going on right merrily. "Old Mother
| Wiggins'' was fast dropping into her
last, long sleep: "Little Sallie Water"
was spelling her lovely complexion by
''sitting in the sum-" the hen that had
feathers and that tried to crow, like
whistling girls, was coming to a sad
end; and the romp Of the children was
too boisterous to listen to the handker-
chief that sings. One small mfshap
occurred when Reuben in going, blind
folded, to find his Rachel, ran intothe
charm about her neck and an April
shower atIonce came up in the blue
May sky; but life is mingled shade and
sunshine, even at children's birthday
parties. The climax of excitement
came when the invitation was given
for supper. Even Lloyd for the while
forgot his Marie and chose another
partner; but next day the two were
seen marching across the street arm ir
arm. Twenty-Five little faces all bow
ed when the blessing was said by Re,
Otis w. Barker, and then % littl'
mouths worked SO industriously tina
there was no intermission to chat abou
the weather. The seven candles OF
the birthday cake in the center of tn
table burned brightly until combina
ton of puffs blew them out, and on be
e ing opened the cake was found to cor
e tain greater. wonders than the sands Q
e Cape Nome. You expect to find gOl
y up there, but you are not looking fC
S white and black dolls in cake. ARA,
S ed in the paper caps that came out {
). the snappers, the Liliputians wei
u grouped on the front porch, and bel
q their breath while P. L. Bryninl
l. who has two sweet girls aud hence love
e other peoples children, slowly counte
5, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-9 and pointed his kodak {
Is them. 1t even surprised the childre