Newport weekly independent., 1902-12-26

was overcome with remOrse to think she had neglected her guests, and sey- eral pies soon followed the crullers as astOnement for her sin of omission.
 "Now, boys," she said as the process sion started, each boy with a huge pumpkin pie triangle in one hand and rosy apple in the other, dinner will be ready in an hour or two and we want you to have good appetites."
 Well be there," sang out the cap- tain, briefly, leading the way back to the field.
 "I am sorry all the boys can't stay to dinner" said Miss Hunt. Do you SUD- pose there would be enough for all ?"
 "I am afraid not" said Mrs. Race, surveying the contents of pots, kettles and pans. l am sorry, too, for they are having such good time together"
 "Fll run down and see if Mrs. Lake has anything to spare. Perhaps we can arrange for all to stay" said Mrs. Brown. Now don't object, Julia. There are six little Lakes out in your pasture field and their mother will be delighted to help"
 "Of course she will" said Mrs Lake at the door. Nellie told me what is going on down here, and I came right away to offer my services, for of course my boys are out there with the rest. I'll be back in few minutes with my contribution"
 'The dinin'-room only holds twelve" announced Mary Finnegan, red-faced from struggle with the table. Let's set one table in the sitting room," said Julia, forgetting that she had intended to lock up her parlor and sitting-room. When dinner was finally ready, not a | boy was in the pasture field. The bats were thrown aside, the catcher's mask dangled from the fence, and the barn. | roof reserved seats for spectators were empty. Far away faint shouts an. nounced that lively chase was going on. Miss Hunt was in despair but not so the mothers.
 "They have seen a rabbit OF a squir- rel" said Mrs. Lake, calmly, as she rang the big old dinner bell that had been silent for twenty years. My dear Julia, if you had ever lived in the same house with six youngsters, you would be surprised at nothing I see Mrs. Brown filling tub with warm water. She knows what condition their hands and faces will be in.' The squirrel hunt was abandoned at the first sound of the bell, and across the fields streamed the visitors and besides all the well boys that the viii lage boasted. Nearly every one of the flI 1,
 sented in the motley crowd of dirty urchins. Under the direction of Mrs. Brown, the whole party was soon scented with soap and scrubbed to that lady's satisfaction. They could scarcely restrain themselves under her rigid inspection, for near at hand stretched the long tables loaded with all sorts of delicious things foreign to the city waifs. Country boys take good food as a matter of course, but three hours of baseball and chasing the nimble squirrel had made every body raven ous.--.-,
 "Golly,' said Lame Jimmie, taking in the turkey, chicken, bread, vegetables, jellies, pickles, cake, pie, and fruit with which the long table was filled. "I wisht every day was New Year's."
 How they all enjoyed that dinner! Miss Hunt buttered bread till her fingers ached Mrs. Brown ladled out quarts of gravy. Mary collected a peck of bones to make room near the loaded plates for her dishes of apple sauce and peaches, while the other women, who had been joined by two more mothers, sliced ham, and answered calls for more turkey and everything else on the bill of fare.
 eff you ladies will come to the game, we'll give you the best reserved seats," said the captain of the city nine, when a plate of delicious plum pudding was placed before him. As the best re- served seats were on the roof of Miss Hunts COW barn, the ladies declined with thanks.
 "We are very much obliged" said Miss Hunt, ''but the dishes must be washed and preparations made for supper"
 Does we git supper, too?" asked a bootblack, laying down piece of frosted cake with sigh. "I'se been a eatin' enough fer supper now"
 "Corse we does," said another. "Dese ladies is de real ting"
 And to think" said Miss Hunt to herself as the train pulled out and the echo of the cheers her guests had just given for her was still singing in her ears. "I was afraid to have the poor little souls come into my house. They said it was the happiest day they ever spent, and I'm ashamed of my selfish ness. They behaved like gentlemen every one of them, and would not have injured a thing in the house. When they come back next Fourth of July I'll give them picnic that is worthy of the name, and do it without calling on all the neighbors for help, too.- Ohio Farmer