The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1913-02-13
A New Year S
House Party
BY JOHN r. MORRISON

turning point in my life. Every room
them by three persons. We had scarce
ly got together when we began Il Sc
ries Of practical jokes on one another
at which the girls were far more
adept than the boys. The very first
night the sheets in every fellows bed
were scOtched. and the next day al
| luncheon there were cream cakes oil
the table filed with cotton provided 10y
| the girls. One fellow swallowed his
cake, cotton and all. rather than con
| feSs himself stung.
We sat up so late nights and some of
us were stirring SO early in the morn
| ing that we were ready TO fall asleep
at any moment. One evening when
| playing the game OF twenty ques-
| tons | was sent into another room
while the others chose something for
me to guess. There was no light in
the room where | waited but there
was an easy chair. sat down in the
chair and fell asleep.
| was awakened 10y a kiss. ! grab
bed a girl. but she got away from me,
though only after a fierce struggle.
When | had once lost her it was not
easy TO find her. though the rustlinG
Of her skirts was disadvantage to
her, while my greater weight. render
ing my tread heavier. was constantly
betraying me. She lodged me for
-ha oil no. ~
Then suddenly heard the door open
and close. Since the adjoining room
was also dark | knew that the others
had turned off the lights to enable the
girl | was after to escape. The escape
having been effected. | went to the
door TO go out | found it locked.
1t was some ten minutes before II
was opened. and | Joined the others.
the room having been relighted. cast
my eyes from one girl TO another with
a view to discovering who had kissed
me. The first girl | looked at had a
scratch on her nose. But the second
also had a scratch. and the third. In
deed, every girl was scratched. look
ed at the fellows and saw that they
were all laughing at me.
Now. among our guests there was
one girl for whom my heart had begun
TO beat. | would have given a king
dom If had had ii for proof that Ma
ria had done the kissing. Whoever
had done ii had doubtless been dared.
Whether my preference for Maria had
hr h. 4rIc
when | was found asleep she had been
chosen to play the joke on me | didn't
know. If she had done the kissing she
certainly showed no evidence of the
fact-that is. any more than the rest
of the girls-a scratched nose. But
there was one thing that led me to suS-
pect her. While every other girl in
the room was keyed up to the highest
pitch of mischief. their eyes dancing.
their lips. cheeks. every other feature
smiling. Maria seemed simply uncon-
cerned.
AT = a. III. went to bed no wiser as
to the identity of the kisser than be
fore. But the next morning after hav-
ing dressed. noticing that | needed to |
change my handkerchief. | jerked it |
from the outside pocket of my coat and |
heard something land on the floor |
STOPPING. picked up stickpin.
1t at once occurred to me that during |
the scutile of the evening before the |
pin had fallen from the lady's apparel
probably from about the neck. and
caught on my handkerchief. Unfortu-
nately it was a very inexpensive arti-
Gle with an imitation pearl for a head
and did not identify any particular
girl. | realized the importance of keep
ing my find a secret Going down to
breakfast. | found that three different
girls wore pins that were duplicates of
the one | possessed. They were the
most likely to be suspected. and among
them was Maria. Doubtless If there
had been enough such articles to go
round every girl would have worn
sickpin as we'll as Il scratched nose.
BY and by it occurred to me that when
he pin was in transit from the girl to
ny pocket il had made the scratch OIL
Ter nose.
The problem was now narrowed
Town to three girls. for doubtless the
,irl who had done the kissing was
lmong those who wore pins. 1t seem
ID to me that | must make her betray
herself or the victory would be with
he girls. | sat down to the breakfast
able, ignoring my find. But while the
iris were rinsing their dainty fingers
n their finger bowls | said:
II have found something that belong
d to the girl who kissed me last
light"
Every girl expressed by her behavior
keen interest in what | said except
faria. who took advantage of rinsing
er fingers to bend over the little glass
owl before her | made up my mind
hat ! was getting warm" as the
hildren say in hide and seek, and con-
luded on bold stroke. continued:
You may think that little stickpin
he lost when trying to get away from
lie is what | refer to. 1t is not"
Every girl stopped smiling and look
d serious. ! could see Maria vince .
1.-The girl who kissed me | love" ,
'ent on. land am ready to proclaim
here before you ALL" :,
| fixed my gaze on Maria. A hot ,
anne spranG into her cheeks. To con- ,
eal it she turned away and presently :
Fn ha