Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-06-09
MRS, LONGMAN'S
SURPRISE PARTY
By MARY {. IRELAND

"Go to the attic, Bridget, and call the
children down." said she. Take OF
your wraps, boys, and dry your feet,
and we will see what can be done"
Bridget soon returned with the de-
linquents.
'Boys, how Gid you happen to invite
company without telling me, so that ]
could be prepared for them?'' said their
mother, gently but gravely.
"Why, we did tell, mamma. don't
you remember? We told you that Mr..
Reisinger told our class last Sunday
that we were not doing much good In
the world If we invited boys to a feast
who had plenty to eat and wear. and
who could invite us in return. and he
said we ought to invite poor boys to
whom such things were treat. He
said Jesus loved the lame and the
blind, and if we wished to be like Him
we must do as He did. So Johnnie and
me told all the newsboys we met to
come to party here tonight and bring
all the lame and blind boys they could
find. Don't you remember now,
mamma?"
Poor Mrs. Longman remembered,
with a pang, that she had been SO
wrapped up In her own gloomy and
selfish thoughts the past week that she
had paid but little attention to her
boys in any way, and she reflected
"Shall I let the good seed sown by
stranger in the hearts Of my children
perish for want of care from their
mother? Will let my own selfish
ease rob these poor boys of pleasure
which might always be a pleasant re-
membra11ce to them? No. I will rouse
myself and make the best Of it.''
Bridget, in the meantime, had been
summoned again to the alley gate, and
had rescued two more guests, one a
pale little cripple on crutches, carefully
sheltered from the rain by the Even
ing Bulletin, who had not only sue
ceeded in obtaining a substitute, but
had borrowed an umbrella, which UNI
brella had seen its best days to be
sure, being minus two stays and
patched with different color; but de-
moralized as it was, it did not pre-
vent the guests it sheltered from being
joyfully welcomed by their compatri-
OTIS already under shelter. The cripple
boy in particular was warmly received
by Mrs. Longman. whose heart went
out in sympathy to suffering in any
form. She had just been upon the
point of proposing that the boys should
until supper was ready adjourn to the
attic, which, like the rest OF the house,
was warm and comfortable, but out
Of consideration for the lame boy, she
changed her plans, and sent two of her
guests with her sons to bring down
such playthings as they desired in the
parlor, in which, with her usual good
sense, she had nothing too fine for use.
The boys were scarcely ensconced in
the parlor when ring from the bell
sent them all scampering to the hall
door, where stood three boys, one of
whom, the Evening News, was spokes-
! man.
Il hope you will excuse me, ma'am,
for not coming to the alley gate this
evening"" said he, bowling over the
heads Of the boys to Mrs. Longman,
| who was coming to see what this
| method of announcement might por-
tend, Buddy here" pointing to one of
his followers, ''is blind, and I thought
you would not mind our coming to the
front door; and could not find a lame
boy" continued he, apologetically, to
the Longman boys, $50 I brought the
charcoal mans boy, who is deaf and
| dumb
! Mrs. Longman escorted them to the
kitchen to remove their wet wrappings
and to dry their shoes, and then took
them into the parlor, where the Other
guests were sitting rather silently, gaz
ing at the parlOr and it's contents
which, though to some persons NIGH
be considered plain, was to the boys 8
scene of unaccustomed luxury; the1
she went back to the kitchen to hole
counsel with Bridget in regard to tha
all-important event of the evening sup
per.
what in the world will we get
.Bridget?" said She 'There are eight O.
them in there besides our own, whicl
makes ten, and there may oe as man,
more for all know, and it is too we
to go out for anything"
"The aisiest thing in the world
noa'am. I have been considering th
same while you were in the parlo1
There's the chickens in the yard. tha
you are fattening: nothing in the worl
would be suitabler than them"
But that would be only one kim
of meat, Bridget, and perhaps some Q
them do not eat chicken; and nov
that they are here I would like ther
, to be satisfied"
: 'Trust me for that, ma'am; I neve
5 saw boy yet that could .lot eat hi
weight in chicken, only give him th
, time. I will go Immediately and te
, the fowls their presence is wanted a
f party, and the kettle IS singing a
though it expected a broth of time.