Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1910-08-04
FESTIVITIES IN
PROSPECT

(scene-A street in suburban
town. Dramatis personae: Bobby, on
one side of the street, Nellie and Ro-
sale on the other. The conversation
is carried on at concert pitch.)
Bobby (who is twisting the rope of
a swing around and around, with his
own body thrust through the loop at
the end)-Hi, sassies!
Nellie (who is seated primly on her
own front steps, with doll on her
lap and Rosalie, who is several years
younger, by her side)-There, Bobby
Burton, just for that | won't invite
you to my party.
Resale (moving little closer to
Nellie)-Are you going to invite me-
Nellie?
Nellie (puckering up her mouth
thoughtfully)-I guess so. That is,
I'll ask my mother if I can.
Bobby-Aw, g'wan! l bet you AMT
goin to have no party.
Nellie very Indignantly am, too.
Bobby-Who said you could have a
party?
Nellie-It's none of your business
My mother did (She lowers her voice
very little and turns her head toward
Rosalie, but is careful to speak so that
Bobby can hear distinctly, Its going
to be the grandest party you ever saw.
There's going to be ice cream and
cake and candy, a thousand million
kinds of candy and peanuts!" (She
takes her doll in her arms and rocks
back and forth ecstatically). "And
watermelon and ice-cream-'
Body (cynically)-You said that
before, and anyway it wouldn't be no
party if you didn't. Ice cream is what
makes it party.
Nellie (pointed addressing Rosalie)
And ice cream, Rosalie, and candy,
and peanuts and water
Bobby-Aw, Resale, it's all fake.
bet her mother amt goin' to let her
have no party.
Resale overwhelmed with the
splendor of the prospective entertain
ment and ignoring Bobby)-And you'll
invite me, won't you?
Nellie (condescendingly)- ask
my mother if l can. But anyway, I'll
save you some candy. We're going
to have two barrels full-pink and
white and red and every kind of color,
and sticks of candy and we'll stick
them in lemons and oranges and suck
the juice through
Bobby CONTEMPORARY amt
no kind of a party. Once | was to a
party and they had five kinds of ice
cream all stuck together, every old
color you could think of, ard l had
three helpings.
(Rosalie signs rapturously, but Mel
lies nose tits upward, while the cor
ners of her mouth go down in token
of scorn)
Nellie-There amt going to be any
such pigs at my party. My mother
says if a person can't act like little
ladies' and gentlemen they oughtn't to
be invited to parties.
Bobby-Aw, l bet you amt goin' to
have no party, and if you do, bet
they won't be ice cream enough to go
round
Nellie Ito Rosalie)-There's going
to be gallons and gallons of ice cream,
Rosalie, and candy and macarois-
Rosalie-What's macaronis, Nellie
Nellie-Oh, it's the loveliest little
cakes! Kind of hard outside and
squashy in the middle, and there's go
ing to be about a bushel of them at
my party, SOS everybody can have all
they want to eat Ind take lots of them
home"
Rosalie-Oh, Nellie, please say
you'll invite me. I'll give you my lit.
tie been caterpillar that found this
morning if you will
Nellie (magnanimously - Oh, ]
wouldn't take your caterpillar, Resale
We've got oceans of them in our back
yard. But I'll ask my mother if | can
ask you. You see, my mother thinks
such little ones as you might be more
in the way than the big ones like me
But I'll try to get er to let me invite
| you.