The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-21

they'll be asleep long fore it comes time
for the cakes" she said confidently.
The stories were wonderfully entertaining.
Little cousin Madge forgot to yawn and
Melia forgot there was a strange feel
ing in her eyes as though somebody had
poked a little stick under each lid. 1t
seemed hardly five minutes when in the
midst of the most engrossing tale there was
movement in the further rooms, and pref
ty Aunt Kitty flashed into the kitchen door
way. Were coming out, Nora" she cried
gayly. Get ready for us" Nora put down
little cousin Madge so suddenly that Sa-
mantha Blueberry was jOlted out of the ma
ternal arms. Run away with you. now,
she said, coaxingly, but little cousin Joe
stood his ground. Il want TO see EN- come,
he said, aggressvely.
Nora hesitated then she turned to colored
John. Here, you put them by the pantry
door so as they can watch" she said. Just
inside the swing door of the pantry three
pairs of eyes watched the company of merry
grOwn-ups sit down at the pretty candle
lighted table. Il do believe this is my very
statically, sinking into her chair Just
think, TO have had thirty-three birthdays
already and to have the thirty-fourth the
ture Ratchet that lay before her as she
spoke and waved il gayly.
At the sight grievance broke out in the
sleepy soul of little cousin Madge. Il want
Georger Ratchet. too" she walled sud-
denly. At the sound Nora darted in warm
| and dishevelled from the kitchen and swept
the little watchers before her into the de-
You're jest dead for sleep. you little
lambs, that's what you are" she said
soothingly But don't you never go to
sleep now. You sit up here all nice and
| straight on the sOfy and it's meSelf will
| come fetch you when it's time" And with
that she swept off to her kitchen and her
| coffee
The divan was soft and the pillows were
| temptingly comfortable. 'Melia tried hard
| to keep her thoughts on the coming cere
| mony of cake-carrying, but they wandered
| unaccOuntably. Little JOe's head fell
against her shoulder and she punched
half-heartedly to make him straighten up
and open his eyes.
SAMANTHA Blueberry's sleepy" muir
] INJURED little Cousin Madge as she slipped
| her cherished child beneath a pillow
| 'Melia watched her with drowsy eyes. Sud
| denly little Cousin Madge seemed TO slip
| from the divan, but 'Melia did not know
where she went. She leaned forward to
| with little Cousin Joe's head against her
| shoulder she wandered far away from
| thoughts of parties and cake-carrying.
| 'Melia struggled to wakefulness to find
| Nora shaking her soundly. Leave me
! lone" she murmured, kicking futlely at
| Nora's apron, but Nora did not cease.
| IT'S yourself must be getting up TO carry
them cakes" she said loudly. Wake up
now, and come along with me. If you don't
| your mammall niver let you stay up
| Thus adjured. Melia opened her eyes
widely and slipped off the divan. Little
| Cousin Joe and little Cousin Madge were
4 also rubbing their eyes ana struggling 10
| their feet, after vigorous shaking from
| Nora. Five minutes later three sleepy.
| crumpled, cross children stood just within
the pantry door waiting for colored John
| to open il from the dining room.
| 'Melia with her cake surmounted with
| the four liaring candles looked down at
! little Cousin Joe in front of her. and a
| feeling of anger in her sleepy mind.
| Who was he that he should walk before
| her? This was her house and she was the
| biggest and just because he was visitor
| and a boy, was that any reason?
| II IN gon' to walk first" she said GROSSLY,
elbowing and showing her small person in
| before him.
Joe protested feebly. "They said 1 could, -
| he whined
al don't care" said 'Melia defantly. ''I
| guess I'm the biggest. an anyway I'm a
girl. and Miss Lily says ladies first" She
stationed herself firmly, and the next mo-
nent the door opened. and in the midst of
an expectant silence the small, sleepy pro-
cessiOn lurched forward.
| 'Mela moved unSteadily onward and de-
| posted her cake on the further side of
Cousin Matte. second later little Cousin
| Joe's cake went down beside il. and last
| of all, little Cousin Madge's period of cher
ries punctuated the design at an unsteady
! angle The eyes of the guests were fixed
| upon the crimson "43'' formed by the cher
| ry figures on the cakes, and the burning
candles. the significance of whose numbers
had already been explained at length by
| Cousin Matte in her exuberance.
"And she said she was only thirty-four -
| ner. isn't it funny?'
| Mother scarlet with annoyance, IA
Their was crimson with mirth, and Aunt
Kitty pink with mischief. ''And you
said she was only forty-one,' she whispered
| to father. Nobody dared look at Cousin
Matte and the minutes breathless pause
| seemed likely to be infinitely prolonged
when wall from little Cousin Madge
broke il.
Il lost SAMANTHA Burberry an she never
been to q birthday party-an' L want to &C
to sleep"
Under the cover of the stir with which
the drowsy children were removed from the
room Cousin Matte slashed the birthday
cakes into slices and as they were passed
! everybody broke out into animated CONVEX.
sation i'm which everything but BIRTHDAYS
was touched upon.
well, twas too Cousin Mattie's birth
yesterday just much twas Washing.
tons" But I don't believe il will be next
year cause fore she went home this morn.
ing heard her tell mother that she guessed
she wouldn't submit to any more birth.
days 'bServances any more. She said she
thought il a outrage families were
lowed to fiict such things on their mem.
bers-but I think that was awful funny be.
cause il was her that wanted it for birth
I Il arfy