Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1904-12-24

w
seechng way? am utterly incaph-
BILE Of using any Judgment or fore-
sight. for | am so entirely overcome
with rapture at the thought Of pos
sessing her when she Is In btgui',hs
mood-when her curls make part'cu'
larly adorable little ringlets on her
forehead, and her dimples, her eyes,
everything about her is so generally
overcoming-that lose reason ana
yield, ignominiOusly. completely.
There was Bobby. too, bringing mp
rear guard Of persuasion. so there
| was no hope for me from the hrst.
My son and daughter held the field.
"AEd we viii have all the cousins
on both Sides" Martha dictated.
"And all our friends, Of course" was
Bobby's finality.
please leave me some room In the
house for a few fathers and mothers"
l pleaded, beginning to realize what
had undertaken when | had said yes
to their demand for holiday house
party of children. But who is moth.
er to Bobby and Martha who would
not take all the trouble that the mis-
tress Of ceremonies ms to take In plan
and execution for such an entertain.
ment? What Is better worth while
than their gratitude and apprecia.
ton?
We began our preparations early in
December, inst after we had received
the acceptances Of the children who
were to be with us for the holidays,
including Christmas and New Years,
days Luckily our house is roOmy and
we have all outdoors for playground.
A house party presupposes country
home. and the more country the more
fun. especially for children.
1--WE must have Il place for our very
own. where we can make all the muss
and noise we want" my tyrants exact
| ed, so we turned one of the big vernn-
das into play room, inclosing it with
glass ut small expense. The sun
| poured In all day but some stoves were
there for additional heat. We put mat
ting rugs on the floor. hung hammOcks
| and swinging seats In the corners and
had all the means possible for indoor
| fund plng-pOng table parlOr Gro
| Quet, darts, a bookcase Of selected vol.
umes, hobby horses. blocks and all
| that we could find to make probably
| stormy days endurable. In this room
I every morning at II O'Clock milk and
biscuits were served all around. and
| every afternoon weak cocoon and cook.
les The "between meals" were vOt,
| ed better than the regular functions.
and they made Il break In the days
routine.
But. In passing. let me say. lest any
one condemn mo at the start ms a
person OF small, understanding that
never. AT any time. rain or shine, were
the party" left long enough to their
own devices to have unrestricted pay
develop into bOisterOnsness, and bOis-
terousness end In tears. Ms happens too
| often when there Is no tactful guard
ian spirit lowering over lumber OF
children to suggest at Just the right
moment a new channel Of diversion
and thought.
| 1t was urged upon me to think Of
things to do for every moment" Of the
party's stay. and ! considered II wis
dom to adopt the suggestion. With a
gathering Of a dozen or more PERSONS
under fifteen yonrs of nge fOT ma llty
holds no place. and quiet corners and
facilities for uninterrupted converse
are not to be thought of. Active bust
ness only makes the hours fly happily
with no dragging minutes.
But how can "" do things tOgeth'
er with so many ages?" was Martha =
first inkling that there might be Il
rift In her lutte OF joyful anticipation.
Bobby was not comforting. "And
there must he just MS many boy things
to do MS girl things" he insisted. Wig.
orOusly. snrmised a scrap In pros.
pect. aud hastened 70 give vent ia
some o' the schemes that had brood
, ed over IN the small hours OF the night
If the ideas put In practice were no,