The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-12-24

were a6 UuSy 10 aqua hessS D.
Il Lily Langh0rne. Lucy Waller. Mat
tie Harwood and Lizzie Ella Manning
could be. They were to have dolls
party on the Monday after Christmas
and they could talk Of nothing else.
Hal Stanley discovered that the girls
had q project ON hand. The whisper
Ing behind desk lids and around .he
stove. and the long conferences during
recess. told the secret. although the
strictest silence about their plans was
maintained In the presence OF the boys.
Lily often let slip an unguarded re-
mark about the coming festivity. ana
then c!apped her hands over her
mouth II she saw Hal Stanley near
kor Lizzie Ella had said over and over
again. Whatever you do. Lily Lang
horne, don't you tell Hal Stanley. !
don't want him to know one word
about II until II Ia all overr'
..I say 30, toor' exclaimed Matte
Harwood. -Why. aren't you going to
let him come to the party" asked LILY.
In a pathetic voice.
"Let him Gomez said Lizzie Ella.
"rm astonished at you, Lily Lang
horne. Don't you know Hal Stanley
well enough to know we don't want
him at our party? What are you think
ing aboutr'
81 thought maybe you'd let him
come, after we had finished fxin' our
shings?" said Lily.
"weli. you thought wrong--he shant
come any time II I have anything to
do with It." asserted Lizzie Ella.
'He lets me ride on his pony some
times. and leads him all around the
front gard" said Lily. meekly.
"Yes. and pinches you when he takes
you OF the pony. doesn't he?" retorted
Lizzie Ella.
~He don't pinch ne hard" insisted
Lily.
"well. Lily Langhorne. you are q
strange girl. declare. should think
you wouldn't want him at the party"
answered Lizzie Ella, with toss OF
her head.
''Oh, I don't want him. II you don't,
Lizzie Ella. Only he said he was
comm. anyhow" said Lily.
"very well" said Lizzie Ella. still
provoked. "none Of the boys shall come
u Hal Stanley is to come. II he comes
] shall not come, and my sister shall
not make the dolls dresses. and I
won't lay my hand to q thing. I did
think we could have some boys and
have a dance. but we'll have girls
enough to make q set"
1T would be nice to have some
boys, said Matte Harwood. ED.
Waller can dance"
"Well. we can't have them. My
mother says We cannot invite the other
boys and not invite Hal Stanley. and
-will-not-have-Hal Stanley at our
dolls party. Now. you've got It." said
Lizzie Ella denantly, rs she walked
away from the group Of girls.
And so II was settled that the dolls
party should be enjoyed without the
presence OF boys. and the preparations
for the event began. The Saturday
before the eventful Monday the table
was already decorated with frosted
cakes and fruits and candles. The
dolls In all their fnery were In their
seats.
The table was beautiful. The bright
colored candles and the gay dresses Of
the dolls shone among bouquets and
garlands and bowers. Everything had
been arranged t. perfection. and the
door Of the room was closed. After
the dance the girls were to enter the
room and stand around the table be-
hind the dolls. Each girl was to have
q match. and at q given signal each
was to light the three candles In front
Of the doll behind which she stood.
They had practiced the marching and
standing until they could do 1t without
q mistake. All were to light the can
dies at once. so that an illumination
should burst over the table like dash.
By o'clock Monday afternoon the
girls had arrived In full dress. They
talked and played games. and every
thing was delightful. The moment ar
rived when the procession was to