The Minneapolis journal., 1901-03-19

VI ail LIS IeIdllOES WITHOUT regard TO age,
sex, virtue or parts; and there was in his
warm family faith some dignity that even
the reluctant Margaret had not temerity
| enough to shock. Though, during her visit
she would behave little sulkily and conde-
scendingy, she always nobly went home with
him when he came for her.
1t was on one Of these visits that it became
vaguely apparent to Major Porter that Mar
garet was not so gay as he liked to see
young people,
He supposed her homesick, and said as
much to his daughter, Mrs. Burden TOO
pad mother and the boys aren't here" he
| salo Seems to me the boys are always
camping when their cousin comes We ought
TO get up something for her, some little par
w. we could have party for the young
people tonight, couldn't we?
Mrs. Burden looked at him coldly: she
could see from the pleased expression of his
eye that it would be impossible to prevent
nef father from party for the young people
She knew from his "reminiscences what was
IN MS mind; something, not dinner, not a
oall, not reception, not musicale thing
hours long; Of games, dancing, blind mans
Dun ooned turkey and sixteen kinds of cake
Ih's was in the morning; and all that day
MAJOR Porter spent in getting the party ready.
margaret was away. She had gone to lunch
DOWNTOWN with governess passing through
the city. You can bring teacher back with
you' you know, in the evening" said the
MAJOR. we want to have her in the party
NO ndollng notions of suitability in his
vlands, or adaptability among his guests
nampered the scope of Major Porter's plan.
re oought 10 eat what he liked, and invited
what young people" he liked to come.
With Sam and the cook he made provisions
Ior obtaining boned chicken, veal loaf. cold
man, roasted corn, white and purple. beaten
biscuit, peach cobbler, spiced currants. angel
caAe lemon cake, walnut cake, fruit cake,
Ice cream, raspberry vinegar and cider.
lie invited to the party Old Man Kings
Doy' Juoge Ferris boy, Judge Paine's boys
tnelr cousins, the Norrisses, and Alice Foth-
erlngay, Pearls Sunday school sunerinten1-
ent; ''Shiloh" Shepherds bov the EIlio+
ooys, young man from next door. who
otten talked to the Major over the fence
whlle they both were sprinkling their lawns.
brother BilPs boys from Peru. Illinois who
happened to be in town buying stock for the
farm, and seven young men from the railroad
Office -"''A o'u
hlcnard Elliot could not come nor auy OF
tne Nofrlsses except Elsie; otherwise eyery
one VINO had been asked accented. At tea
MAJOR Porter gave account of his prepara
tlons TO Mrs. Burden, coIdly patient his
oaughter-in-law beWildered, his son Ben sar
uonIcally diverted Brother Bill's boys. mad
equate and sheepish, his grandchild Pearl
ecstatlc, Margaret's governess. Miss Iodoe
gently amused-she had insisted on eoming-
ana Margaret, for whose reinsurance and
cneer all these viands and guests were to
| assemble, superior and chill
But Major Porter was So ahsorbod on5
PIeaseo that he hardly observed Margaret
He had not the power of THROWING hi1nsoIf
1ar into the feelings of Others He supposed
q! course, all young ladies liked to put on
PINK and blue dresses and dance at narties .
anu ne was entirely confident she was happv.
she looked very beautiful After the tea was
over the major could hardly wait for every
one to come
ne Kept walking down to the front gate
TO look for people, He somehow exnected a
great many young ladies with long curls 10
come noating and stepping down the street.
III hght muslin and delaine dresses wearing
iasclnators and throws over their heads as
III the Gays or his happy youth; and he was a
little disappointed when only Elsie Norris
ana Alice Fotheringay came in a carriage
and without curls.
lie was little bewildered, too, at discover
lns 'naI ne had invited three young ladies
and twenty young, gentlemen: he remem-
bered more even division; but If was ton
late TO change that now, and he forgot all
ABOUT 1t IN his pleasure at every fresh ar
rival. Old Man Kings boy his friend from
next door, and Shilohs boy he thought them
all splendid fellows.
he went around talking and laughing with
them, and taking them up to Margaret and
tne soVerness' a friendly, sympathetic New
England lady, much gentler than her pupil.
At last everybody was come and Major
Porter thought it time they had lt+1a
dancing.
Miss Lodge played for the dancing; as
MAJOR Porter remembered the young ladies
mad taken turns in playing. but now no one
knew how except Miss Lodge, and she played
almost all the evening
Brother Bill's boys, the Sunday school su
perintendent, and three of the young men
from the railroad office could not dance.
out these, especially the Sunday school su-
perlntendent, came out strong in PLAYING
Dllnd mans buff and Jacob and Rachel
Tne surprising thing was that everything
went just Major Porter had exnected
everybody seemed to like the games: everv
oody seemed to like the dancing; everybody
ate good DEAL and everybody seemed TO
have good time
MRS. Burden bore up; II appeared the skies
would not crack, even though roasted corn
were eaten at dancing party. However.
such was her imagination of the peonled
world that she felt it's dignity somewhat i'm
paired by the scenes around her. and she
expressed her sense of the occasion by an
especially nlpping manner with the youns
men from the railroad office.
Margaret Alden hardly swerved from ber
slde she had at first remained under the
protecting presence of Miss Lodge but as
that lady showed herself more and mora
sympathetic with Uncle Dams rough inten-
tions, the young girl entrenched herself from
the random hordes within Mrs Burdens
naughty chaperonage
From here Charles Paine and Wallace Shan
ard occasionally led her out to the dance or
the game; at the ramparts the man from next
door and the Sunday school superintendent
held an occasional parey, while the vouno
men from the office skulked on the outskirts
and cast now and then an unregarded face,
tous remark.
AS for Brother Bills boys, these Margaret
Alden could not permit to remotely tonch
her perception. petrifed, comatose ex
preston passed over her features when one
OF them would lankily step across the room
to join one of his brothers about Alice
Fotheringay. 1t seemed they and the young
men from the Office could not see TOO nrcb of
Alice Fotheringay, nor rally too much around
ner She was pretty and good natured girl
blonde, with a high colcr like her cousins.
she has exuberant spirits, and was always
madly popular. Such was her imagination Of
the peopled world, that she felt it chiefly
interesting and profitable, in being well
stocked with young men. In these she cared
Tar more for quantity than for quality. and
as there were a great many of the young
men from the Office and, in certain sense.
great deal to Brother Bills boys, she had
a splendid time.
The party ended at late hour AMI when
Alice Fotheringay and Elsio Norris parted