The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-05-07

5OOSle.
1t was a rule for snitzen parties to
come early and stay late. By seven
o'clock Leah Lapp's neat kitchen was
almost uncomfortably full of Amish
boys and girls about Soosie's own age.
Every one at this interesting parry
came armed with a paring-knife
When all were seated in prim rows
around the walls of the room, Leah
Lapp smilingly gave to each one a
bright tin basin filled with Red
Streaks and Yellow Sweetings.
Vars Benjie Stoltz?" asked Lissy
Planck of Benjie's sister.
He's cooming ven tie horse be
shoed," answered Debbie.
At the mention of Benjie Stoltz by
Lissy one might have observed the
rosy color on Soosie's face deepen.
She cast a scornful look at Lissy as
she whispered to her nearest neigh
Dor: She's badt off. Ven 1 hat ask
for tie boys / be ashamed of me. She
can hat him."
The apple snitzen now began in
earnest 1t required two and one
half bushels of pared and sliced APP
pies to thicken one barrel of cider.
The young folks knew this, and that
until the allotted task was completed
they could not go to the barn to
play and feast on fassnachts and
cider.
What with pairing and much talk
ing and laughing Benjie's horse trot-
ted into Jacob Lapp's lane without be-
ing heard. Nor did they notice when
Benjie himself stood in the kitchen
door, broad smile on his round face,
until he called out loudly: I've gates
all tie while"
Everybody laughed louder than
ever, and Lissy Planck exclaimed,
with a coquettish toss of her head:
well, now, Benjie, amt you smart
vunst?" and she edged closer up to
Debbie to show him there was room
and welcome for him to sit next to
her.
Benjie evidently had other plans.
With direct gaze at Soosie, who was
shifting a Red Streak" so busily she
could not see Benjie's glance, he
picked up stool and placed it close
to her chair. After removing his fat
crowned, broad-rim hat carefully with
two hands, he sat down, remarking,
calmly: II belief l sits ona haer.
Vars my snitzen-tish?"
Leah Lapp, whose duties as host
es kept her busy going back and
forth, hurried to him with a tin dish
that was beautifully bright. the very
newest one in her possession, a fact
Benjie commented upon with inward
satisfaction.
''Soosie," called Benjie, softly edg-
ing his stool still closer to her chair,
here is a nice snitz"
At this appeal, Soosie perked
her head to one side as sauciIy
as a robin, as she exclaimed: "Geef
it to Lissy. She wants it!''
Benjie began to pare apples gloom
lily after Soosies rebuff "She don't
like me at alls," he thought. "She
meaned it Saturday nights" he al
most groaned out loud, wen 1 trew
tie pebbles up to her window and she
wouldn't COON town. She said she
Altered tie dattie not be sleeping
'Tain't So She cares not if he sleep
or ma sleep; if she likes me she
cooms town and talks wis me in tie
best room" Benjie heaved a sigh.
All this had not been lost on Lissy
although she was seemingly very gay
with key Steinhauser all this time
She felt so sorry for Benjie.
The big tutfuls of apples were
emptied at last, and the great basket
fuls of snitz were ready to put in
the cider in the morning. This
cider Jacob Lapp was now boiling
down" in the outside fireplace.
All the work being done, Leah and
Jacob Lapp now went off to bed, &C
cording to custom, to allow the young
people to enjoy themselves.
I've will te barn gaen," said Soosie.
Now COON ALL" and she led the way,
swinging a lantern back and forth.
Then Christie Lapp, Soosie's broth
er, said in his slow way: 81 tink
old Maids is nice blay for tie wee
Minis and tie MEMS"
Yah, veil, it is said Soosie, eager
ly. Coon on, Amos. and she
marched down the barn floor, linking
arms in his, to the evident disgust
of Benjie, while they all sang the
time honored doggerel. When they
came to the words: $50 give us
your ARM" in the song there was a
mad scramble for a new partner, and
some one was sure to be left standing
alone-the old maid. Twice this fell
to Soosie, and she stood in the mid
die of the circle flushed, mortified
and quite forlorn, while Lissy walked
proudly past with an air of triumph,
once on Benjie's arm and again on
! Amos arm.
Benjie felt keenly for her, and in
spite of her apparent Indifference to
him he could hardly keep from rush
ing to her and rescuing her from her
disagreeable position. The love he
held deep down in his honest heart
was for Soosie. and Soosie only, and