The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1907-10-12

| SVAAeA1~uOA N00SAOIWSO w . VA Va SA9
sue paper and a handle to q goot
sized clothes basket, and in quality
! from pasteboard to daintiest wicker
| work.
The stationer began to look enlight
ened, the rest looked puzzled.
Wide-awake Dolly mounted a chai'
behind the tables.
Boys and girls" she began, with
a twinkling glance around the room
that included the Oldest boy and girl
| there, there's something good In
every one of these baskets. hope
each boy here will buy one, and Il
| will be his duty to share the contents
| with the owner of the name he will
find under the cover, or the owner Of
the ribbon that shall match the one
he finds in his basket.
Here's a sensible looking basket
and it's heavy; who bids?'
= There was a lively time for hall
an hour, the baskets going for 25
so, rs cents, and even 81. The
young ladies behind the tables
were kept busy pinning names to
the baskets, as they were not to be
distributed until later, and explain
ing that the former owners were to
be their partners for the evening
Each took a peep into the basket, and
securing the name or ribbon, went
in search Of his fate.
Several cases of color blindness
were discovered, especially among
the young people,.
Della attempted to remedy this
THAT is just where the fun comes
ill.," she explained, the odd matches
you can choose any time" But still
some were determined to choose this
evening.
Charlie Carroll walked off dutifully
with Grandma Elwell, who nodded
and smiled till her cap ribbons
danced
Fred Dexter wasn't going to be
tied to voluble Miss Phillis all the
evening, not he, and coaxed Flossie
Maxwell's gentleman, ten-year-old,
to exchange ribbons with him.
Flossie was a great favorite, and
Charlie and Fred were rivals for
Flossie's favor.
Charlie looked after them with a
pang of envy
The small tables were now utilized
for games of all kinds, and one cor.
ner of the hall was set apart for a
bean-bag game, where all with very
young partners betook themselves.
II wouldn't be such a ninny as to
lose all the fun, being polite to an Old
lady, said Fred to Charlie as the lat
ter passed on his way to his partner,
with his basket. e>~:
Mrs. Ewell says she hasn't had
such a good time since she was a
young girl" remarked Flossie, with
an approving glance at Charlie that
cOmforted him somewhat
The dear old lady understood boys
and had filled her basket with dough-
nuts. Grandma Elwell's doughnuts
were known near and far.
Fred glanced from his chocolate
caramels to the puffy doughnuts, with
little outward disdain, but with an
inward longing.
He looked about for Miss Philllis'
basket; pie! But who wouldn't starve
On caramels for the sake of pretty
Flossie Maxwells company?
Somehow, Flossie was not as de-
lightful as usual; perhaps because she
was SO absent minded.
The examination of the contents of
the baskets caused considerable mer-
riment. One ample basket contained
two cakes of tutti-frutti, another two
biscuits, feathery light, and all but
tered. A silk affair intended for a
twine-ball, was filled with lozenges;
pink tissue-paper box with a tiny
bouquet fastened to the handle was
packed snugly with peanuts. Pop
corn sugared flag root, dried peaches,
cookies, oranges, sassafras-root, and
fancy crackers were the contents of
others. The white-wire basket con-
tanned marsh-mallows. Mr.. Walker
had bid off the clothes basket and
treated everyone to apples.
One young man found only rose
leaves for refreshment, and he re-
fused to eat, or share them, declar-
ing they were just what his sister had
been wanting for a rose-jar.
AS there were more gentlemen than
ladies, number had bought two
baskets, had two ladies to entertain,
and Jared sumptuously.
Now the remainder of the curtain
on the left disappeared, and there
stood happy-looking maid in butter
cup yellow, leaning against very
rustic looking we'll with a suspicious
ly new looking bucket suspended over
it,
She generously offered to treat
every man in the room to a glass OF
lemonade.
This caused general smile, for OF
course every gentleman must have
two glasses and some three.
When the bucket was empty, all
Joined in singing several good old
songs, closing with "Auld Lang Syne.'