River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1907-03-07


the winter kitchen ever since the
early dinner hour OF half-past ten for
the special occasion of the snitzen
party for her 17-year-old daughter
Soosie.
IL was q 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 party
came armed with a paring-knife.
When all were seated in prim rows
around the walls of the room, Leah
Lapp smilingIy 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 te 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 scornful look at Lissy as
she whispered to her nearest neigh
bor: "She's badt off Ven l hat ask
for to 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 ap-
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. a broad smile on his round face,
until he called out loudly: Eve gates
all te while"
Everybody laughed louder than
ever, and Lissy Planck exclaimed,
with coquettish toss of her head:
We'll, 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 RED Streak" so busily she
could not see Benjie's glance, he
picked up a 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 I 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 nice snitz."
At this appeal, Soosie perked
her head to one side as saucily
as a robin, as she exclaimed: "Geef
it to Lissy. She wants it,"
Benjie began to pare apples gloom
lily after Soosie's rebuff. "She don't
like me at alls," he thought. "She
meaned it Saturday nights" he al
most groaned out loud, wen 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 Ikey Steinhauser all this time.
She felt SO sorry for Benjie.
The big tubfuls of apples were
emptied at last, and the great basket
fllls 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 I4app now went off to bed, ac-
cording to custom, to allow the young
people to enjoy themselves.
''Ve will tie 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
". Coon on. Amos and she
marched down the barn floor, linking
arms in his, to the evident disgust
of Beniie. 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 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 ard rescuing her from her
disagreeable position. The love he
held deep down in his honest heart
was for Soosie, and Soosie only, and
when some one suggested playing
Sassy Little Rogue" Benjie gladly