The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1907-11-23
"A Tea Party
Episode
By soPHIE cATEs LIZ
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(Copvrlehtl



Annapolis, October 20 in the year Of
our Lord 1774
OH" exclaimed Lucy Gerard,
when the flames leapt up about the
sails, was so faint that | almost
fell 1t was a rare sight Father
says 1t was an event OF history we
may well boast Of seeing"
II couldn't &c" sighed demure
Polly Medcalf; Il heard the crowd
shouting; Burn the Peggy Stewart,
and then brother John came in later
and said the brig was burnt and that
Mr.. Stewart himself had fred her"
Twas a monstrous shamel" broke
in another, a slender maid with flash
ing blue eyes, that poor man, to suf-
fer the loss of his cargo on account
of thoughtless act! The people
have gone mad, | think
1T was but right that the tea
should be burnt Anne" said Emily
Gerard. the elder of the sisters. I'VE
will not suffer the tyranny Of the
king"
Perhaps you can explain how the
burning of Mr.. Stewards tea, his own,
mind you, and he a good patriot,
can mean anything to the king, for
the king or against the king" said
Anne, quickly. Twas a wanton
piece Of destruction by set Of mad
men, to my mind"
And instead" Mistress Anne Win
ter spoke UP Lucy Gerard. angrily,
tbs rumored you and your family
have tea to drink a-plenty, when all
true patriots would scorn drop of
the stuff
There's many that says, more
over broke in Emily, that your ia
rher is none too warm for the cause,
and that II he's not very careful he
may meet mighty serious trouble"
Anne Winter rose and snatched up
her scarf IN not stay to be in
suited she cried passionately; that
we have tea in plenty is true, and
bought and paid for 1t ere ever duty was
laid, SO why should we throw 1t away
to please the whim of the rabble, ig-
norant poor souls as they be- And
as for yon, Lucy and Emily Gerard.
it must be that ye have much to
be ashamed of in your own father
that ye seek to hide it by ugly words
for mine. have done with We both
until We come to your right senses.
So saying, she flung out Of the room
and down the street, hot tears in
her eyes and hotter rage ID her heart
She ierked her bonnet strings into
bow and folded her satiu and fur
scarf about her as she walked, un-
mindful Of amazed glances from pass
ersby
She halted a moment in front Of a
hair dresser's window.
While Anne gazed and meditated
on curls and puffs, slender, dark
young fellow, with a manliness in his
face that belied the swagger of his
rufiles, stopped beside her
TN warrant It's some matter OF
vanity that holds You SO enthralled,"
he said in a gay, bantering voice.
And why not Jack Fairfax" said
Anne, turning to him; " tbs quite as
sensible as going stark mad over the
burning Of the Peggy Stewart, as all
the girls in town seem to have done.
His clear eyes clouded a moment.
"A hair dresser's notice is hardly
vindication of principle, Anne he
said, gently.
Annes heart was still sore and
smarting with unexpressed anger. She
answered sharply: Don't you begin
that, too. I'm sick of the very sound
Of principle and patriot and
rights | wish | were in China to
be away from hearing them"
You're strangely rufed," said
Jack; q meant no harm, I'm sure
only it yexed me to hear you speak
so lightly Of the things I'd die for"
Then lowering his voice: Anne, an
other thing. Thy say that your fam.
ily drinks tea daily. Is it true?"
Yes, it's true" said Anne, on the
defensive instantly; "and what Of
it?7
why, Anne, it's dangerousl" ex-
claimed Jack, aghast. Don't you
know that the people in town would (
rise to wreck vengeance on your fa~
ther and you if they knew it? Don't
do such rash things Why, they
might burn your house over your
head"
Burn our house, indeedl" exclaim.
ed Anne; I'D like to see them try
it, I'm not afraid of an ignorant rab-
bic, not / nor OF anything they might
do. III wager that /, myself could
send them packing in short order"
Now, Anne" said Fairfax. firmly
such talk is silly just as If yon
could do anything against two-score
men. don't know what your father
can be thinking Of I've heard ru-
mors that he was not so strong for
The cause as he might be. but this
passes all bounds. Drinking tea open
y I know he is ever deep in his
books and"
"Hush!" cried Anne. don't you
iare say another word against my
.ather! I'll never forgive you. Jack