Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1912-08-21
Dressing for
the Party

"Oh, say, mother, I don't want 'em
manicured," protested the boy who
was going to party. Shiny nails
are awful sissy. Why, Bills never
had his nails polished, and he said to
me just yesterday that he'd never
heard of anybody having to take a
bath every day except me. I've asked
every boy in this block and there
amt single fellow who has to take
a bath more'n once week. Now I've
got to take an extra one this after
noon on account of Maybelle's party
Gee! I don't want to go to her old
baby doll party.
Say, mother, have / got to go?
Well, I think it's mean having parties
on Saturday. / wish / was lame, so
couldn't dance, and then no girl
would want me to her party. 1 don't
see why the girls are always having
parties.
"You say you're going to give me
one to return all this hospertality!
Oh, say, mother, please don't. l don't
see what I've done that you're going
to give me party. If you only won't
do It I'll be more careful about my
English and I'll clean my nails and
scrub my teeth every morning with
out your reminding me. will, hon.
est. Why, if Bill knew I was going
to have party he'd guy me terrible.
There's no use training me up for
society, cause I'm going to be a gold
miner. Bill knows about mine out
in Nome or Nevada that's awful rich.
There's old nuggets as big as foot
falls and he and mel mean I and
him-are going out there as soon as
we're 16. There was one fellow who
went out when he was only Is going
on Is, and now he's millionaire
"Well, anyway, if I do have to go to
college first before I'm miner, I'll
be athlete. No society for me, moth
er, so don't see why I can't cut out
parties and dancing school.
"That brown stuff on my hands? Oh,
that's the mahogany stain Bill and me
are going to put on my model aero
plane. l was just trying it. Amt it a
swell color? OF course, 1T won't come
off easy or it wouldn't be any good,
Bill was coming over this afternoon
to work on the aeroplane. He'll be
awful sore when he finds out that you
made me go to a party. Bill hasn't
got any mother. She died when he
was a kid a few days old. Of course,
it was an awful sad loss to Bill, but
he is real brave about it. He says his
father wouldn't know if he didn't take
a bath for month. His father be-
lieves in letting Bill grow up indepen-
dent and develop his own character,
that's what he says. Oh, yes, Bill
takes a bath real often. I didn't say
he didn't
ooh, say, mother, do have to wear
them silk stockings and pumps? I
hope Bill won't be anywhere around
when / start to the party. / don't
care if Aunt Julia did give 'em to me.
I'd rather she'd given me some
leggings or a pair of ice skates. I've
got to go to see Aunt Julia next Sat-
urdayi Say, mother, it's awful mean
the way my Saturdays go. Bill and
mel mean / and Bill-ain't that
right? Well, then, us-we was going
to finish the aeroplane and make an
other model all by ourselves, and row
if I've got to go to Aunt Julia's 1 don't
know when I'll have time for any
thing.
mo, haven't written to grandpa
yet. OF course not. With all them
parties and calls on Aunt Julia I don't
have minute to write letters.
guess if grandpa knew how my time
was spoilt he wouldn't expect me to
write to thank him for that jackknife.
Bill says it's pretty good knife and
he's going to get man he knows to
sharpen it for me. The Dsan used to
be his fathers hired man when they
kept horse, before Bill was born, and
he's such an old friend of the family
that he'll do it for nothing So even
if you don't think Bill is good COM
panion for me, you can see what
valuable friend he is.
ooh, say, mother, hate that sissy
tie! Can't I wear my old dark blue
one? No, l amt chewing gum. / just
happened to have little in my mouth,
but wasn't chewing 1t. never chew
it since you told me not to the last
time. But I've got a little on hand
that I thought l ought to use up, so
I just put it in my mouth once in
while.
"Lemme comb my hair myself,
mother. I can part it straight. Say.
did you hear that? That's Bills
whistle. Lemme go to the window
and boiler down that it's all off with
the aeroplane work today, for I've got
to go to a party.
"Say, mother, what do you think?
Bills all dolled up in a lot of new
clothes and he's going to Maybelle's
party himself. Wouldn't that freeze