The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-10-26
A HALLOME'EN
SURPRISE PARITY

Life to poor, foolish Miss Tracy had
\ been an unopened chestnut burr. its sweet
ness, kindness and beauty hid under a
dark shell of discomfort prickling with
pretty vexations. And that ideal October
afternoon when Jack Frost's magic wand
had touched the woods with radiant gold
and flaming crimson Miss Tracy, her
eyes downcast, sat under a glorifed maple,
conscious of nothing but her weari-
ness.
"This pesky Indian summer weather
takes the strength plumb out of youi I
don't see why it can't brace up and be
cold and tingley,' she grumbled, forget
ting tina the week before she had found
fault because 'the chill in the air gave
you rheumaties."
A squirrel scampered across the wood
path, seized a prize nut and whisked up
Il tree to drop its treasure into the winter
storeroom. A bird, its throat throbbing
with song, swung atllt upon a spray of
tall goldenrod. Then there was a rust
ling of fallen leaves, a merry swapping
Of twigs, and, as IL the sunshine had sud-
denly become vocal, young. happy-hearted
laughter.
Frowning, Miss Tracy drew back be-
hind a concealing clump of bushes. How
a~ggravating to be disturbed by a lot of
cantankerous children!" she Il
never carr have a moments peace!'
BEFORE we fellows climb another tree to
shake down more nuts" came a boys
shriH voice from the other side of the
bushes. 'let's sit here and arrange our
Halloween surprise party"
And eat cookies, Tom"
Archie agrees with nature in abhorring
a vacuum" laughed back Tom. What
are You up to, Alice?'
Making a wreath to crown the victor
who gives the best suggestion for our
Hallowe'en prank. See, you can pin these
pretty caves together by their own sharp
stems"
nm sure the wreath will become mod
est little Betty's style of beauty!" There
was a girls mischievous giggle. II think
a sheet and pillow-case party would be
simply great for a night when fairies,
"Hurrah!'' cheered several boys in
wen dress in holsters and play we're
ghosters!'' sans the poetic genius OF the
And" said Tom, with the importance
of one exploding a bomb, well give the
chester party to Miss Tracy"
o course. That's what will make it
so exciting! IT'S no fun to ring door-bells
and tip off hats with a string when people
take it good-naturedly. We fellows
wouldn't nave played half the tricks on
Miss Tracy If she'd ever laughed at them.
Say, Archie, do you remember the time we
hung a bouquet of onions and cabbage
leaves on her d~oor-knob2'
Wasn't she wrathy? My red head gave
me away. She wrote the governor n
scorcher, and l missed the best circus ever
III UOWIl.
One of the boys had a sudden attack of
giggles. 'And do you remember, he
chuckled, "the morning We stole nine Of
her sour little apples and set them with
a couple of china eggs under her own
hen ?"
Don't you think" said Alice, gently,
wed better give the surprise party to
dear Mrs. Benson or jolly Miss Homer?
Either would enter into the joke"
But the boys declared that such a pro-
ceeding would be tame, and the next ten
minutes were spent in discussing the de-
tails of the prank to be played upon Miss
Tracy.
Remember" concluded Tom, getting up
to aim a stone at a plump nut high up IN
a tree. tits to be a dead-sea secret md"
What's that?" cried Betty, springing
to her feel.
Whats that?"
II thought l heard some one Oh the
other side Of the bushesl"
l"Ha-ha!" laughed Archie. You girls
viii be hne sports Halloween IL you hear
spooks already"
Halloween was as clear as d bell, and
the stars that crowded the sky seemed 10
twinkle with laughter as they looked down
upon a white procession crossing the pas
ture to the lane leading to Miss Tracy's
house.
I'M Diekens's Fat Girl!n glggled Betty,