Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-28
THE POVERTY |: CLUB
It's Luncheon and It's Mother
Goose Party.
A VILLAGE AROUSED
GOOD HUNDRED BUT WITTY
PERSONALITIES.
Costumes Easily Prepared as Well as
the Rest of the Entertain
ing Features.
Written for The Evening Star.

| had been stirred by the advent of Poverty
| Luncheon Club. Instead of holding hands
| and murmurng against the dullness of
village in which no one could boast of an
extra ten-dollar bill, the women had been
reused to action. The Poverty Luncheon
Club was pledged to give regular entertain
ments within five-dollar limit. The club
! did it, too, with such notable success that
| the social barriers surrounding Merton had
| been effectually burned away.
| The Merton women had not advanced suf-
| fcently in social life to find their husbands
| absence delight. They had an unexpressed
| but deeply felt desire that Tom, or Dick, or
| Harry could see this-or taste that. When DR..
| Stone inquired Of his wife, "Why are you
| women SO stingy you don't invite your hus
| bands to your pow-wows once in a while?'
| Mrs. Stone felt her husband had been
| chosen by his fellow citizens as q mouth
| piece. She decided to bring the matter be-
| fore Mrs Hope, the president. The result
| was an evening entertainment was pro-
| posed in place of the next luncheon. Mrs.
| Stone, feeling herself the promoter Of the
| scheme, offered to assume the duties of
| hostess. One fine day Merton was thrown
into state of excitement by cards of invi-
tation to Mother Goose party" There
| was no intimation Of what Mother Goose
| party might be, beyond the word Cos
tunes which appeared in one corner.
hauled. Trunks which had lain undisturbed
| for years were brought to light and made
| to yield up their secrets of yore.
| The evening came. The guests assem-
bled at the sensible if questionable hour
| of O'Clock. DR.. and Mrs. Stone, dressed
as Father and Mother Goose, received them
| at the entrance to the parlors Mrs. Stone
| wore an old-fa shioned gown Of green silk
| that had been her mothers. This was rem
dered characteristic of Mother Goose by
| the cloth military cloak, around which was
| seWed a border of white paper geese.
| peaked hat of cardboard. covered with red
| paper, ornamented in the front with a
| quaint buckle, completed this simply pre-
pared costume of Mother Goose. Her left
| hand, hoSpitably-not threa teningly-bran-
| diShed a broom.
| The Doctors good-natured visage and
| jolly rotundity of figure lent admirable
aid to his costume of Father Goose. He
| wore knee brooches Chat bore a striking
resemblance to his bicycle trousers and
long, old-fashioned swallow-tail coat A
conspicuous goose cut from the paper deco
rated each lapel, while a larger bird of
| the same species gaZed inquirlngly at her
assembling brothers and sisters from his
back. book in one hand, a goose quill
pen in the other gave a dignity to his
presence, which was further augmented hy
his white hair and berimmed spectacles.
AS each guest arrived he or she was pre-
sented with a number which was placed
conspicuously where all might behold it.
These numbers We're cut from cardboard
in the form of goose. Each guest was
| also given card bearing the numbers from
1 to a, to which was attached a tiny
pencil.
No Formally About It.
There was no formalty or restraint as
the party assembled. Somehow, with the
DOMINIC Of the costumes, youthfulness and
a child-like entering into the spirit of the
thing had been assumed. The guests
mingled freely together, asking pertinent
questions, as, What may you be-are you
fond Of sheep?' etc. These personalities
were evaded with good humored witty, but
misleading repartee. The prize, sofa
pillow, with feathers from Mother Goose's
own brood, was awarded to Mrs. Gale, a
bright mother Of a nursery full of little
ones who were addicted to the Mother
Goose habit.
Father Goose then announced: Get your
partners for Virginia reel" A Virginia
reel in Merton. What would happen!
Quicker than a wink Mrs. Stone was at the
piano, executing inspiriting jigs and polkas
of bygone age, but just as full of dance
and fun as they ever had been. Father
Goose was collecting his goslings, coaxing,
wheeling, insisting. Merrily they danced
and If the men We're a little wheezy and
puffy It's true when seat your partners
was called, still the exercise did their
bodies as well as their hearts good
Then arose the biggest man in the town
John Gage, the president of the bank He
weighed over 200. and when dressed as
Little Boy Blue his presence was most
blowing his horn and announced that he
wished to separate mot the sheep from the
goats but those having questions on the
back Of their cards from those having an
card, as did all the others Two lines were
then formed and the hostess read from
hers: Why does your Mother Goose put
her head under water?
All sought for the answer but n was
Simple Simon who read from his in a
drawing voice:
For divers reasons"
eWhy does she take it out again?' in
CURED Mother Goose.
For sun dry reasons" whined Simon,
and withdrew to the side of Mother Goose,
whose partner he must be at supper.
A Regular Poser.
Father Cease then read: "Why are Miss
Muffet and Curly Locks kissing each other
emblem of Christianity?''
Miss Patterson, the tall, maiden school
teacher, dressed as Little Miss Muffet, read
with blushing cheeks: Because they are
doing unto others they would that men
should do unto them"
The minister unbecoming as 1t may seem.
here almost had fit, as Miss Muffet and
Father Goose paired off behind Mother
Goose and Simple Simon
Then We're the following read and an
swered:
Why is the corn in which little Boy Blues
cows trespassed like certain sinners of old?
Because having ears they hear not.
Why did the cat go tosLondon to see the
queen? For an Obvious purr-puss
Which gave the most wool, the Ba-a Ba-a
Black Sheep or the sheep Little Bo-Peep
guarded? Bo-Peepss. because there were
more of them r nj
Why was Tom, the pipers son, although
thief not thoroughly bad? He was open
Why is love like Little Nance Etticoat?
The longer it burns the shorter it grows
How do we know that Bo-Peep was a
vagabond? She lived by hook and crook.
Why is Jack-a-Dandy's sugar candy like
a race horse? The more he ticks it the
faster it goes. as
When did Mary's little lamb turn litera-
~! When 1t turned into a pen-and into
into paper-when folded.
What was the greatest gnet in Mother
Goose? Jack, when he drew a pail Of wa
ter. and then Gill after him.
Why Is the last conundrum like mon
key? Because 1t Is far-fetched and full Of
nonsense.
The Fun Keeps On.
All were now supplied with partners
Then, to the tune Of Marching Through