The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-28

Harry, raising his right arm over his head. All eyes on our hostess-see how she blushes!-and give three rousing cheersi one-two-threel Hurrahl hur- rahI hurrahI for our hostess. Miss Laura Rogersl'' {,
 Each guest present entered innocently Into Harry's plan. and all eyes were turned on the blushing Laura as right hands were lifted high and waved in the air. as they joined in the cheer led by Harry. Then, when the laughter died away, all attention was turned to the taffy, every eye on Harry. whose hands sought the sticky substance on hls plate But before touching his taffy he paused, looked around and said: Maybe I'd bet ter wait till see some one else take hold of this stuff."
 Certainly" said Paul, dipping hls 1n- gers Into the olive oil preparatory to lifting hls taffy. Then he took 1t up. and. finding 1t of the right consistency, began to work and pull 1t. The other guests, save Maybelle, followed suit; but all looked out of the corners of their eyes, watching Harry, who oiled hls fingers and took the handful of tafy Into his hands. Then, very easily, he pulled 1t out. doubling 1t over his hands and pull ing again. To the astonishment of all nothing happened, for the taffy cleared from Harry's hands as nicely as from the hands of the others. Maybelie, wonder ing what could have been the matter with the liquid glue used. laid hands on her own plate of taffy, when, To! she uttered little exclamation. The taffy stuck like glue to her fingers, and she got her hands in such mess that Laura had to get a wet napkin and come to her relief. Only one person laughed, and that was Hairy. He laughed till the tears rolled down his cheeks. Then, calming himself. he said:
 How stupid of me to do such q thing, but I thought the taffy on my plate looked more juicy than 1t did on May belle's, so. while you were all cheering and waving to our hostess, l slipped my plate to Maybelle and took hers to my self. That's how the joke failed to hit the mark. Too bad" Then Harry fell to laughing some more, although he de- clared he wouldn't do so If he could hclp it.
 Of course the company took the switched joke. as Harry called 1t, In good part and tried very hard to laugh over it; but all the time they were thinking of the joke yet to come. Sure, there could be no failure in that, for Laura had de cided 1t would lead to suspicion should she give Frances signal when she was to turn on the light, so she told her she should watch closely and count, and when the fifth person backed down the stairs she was to come forward and perform her part.
 After the taffy had been pulled to thelr taste, and much of 1t enten-the re- malnder being wrapped fin oiled white paper and put in little boxes to be car. red home by the guests-Laura proposed that they try the old-time Hallowe' 'en trick of walking down the cellar steps backward. carrying mirror In theil hands that they might see the faces ol their future wives and husbands. Al agreed to this. and a mirror was brough | from upstairs. Then all assembled II the dark kitchen, Laura opening the doo | leading into the cellar. Paul went dowr
 first, coming back to say that he saw the face of a fair young princess ovel | his shoulder. Following him went Laura I returning with some wonderful tale. Ther | went Maybele and after her went Franh l Day, big, awkward fellow. very con celted and vain. As he stepped on the bottom stair there was flash, a quick report, and to the hstonishment of all q bunch of Hre-crackers went of In the cellar at Franks very feet, at the same time Frances was heard to yell: "Lordy- mercyl yer niver told me that you was ] goin' to fire off cannon in me very face.