The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1913-09-11
A New Year $
House Party
BY JOHN R. MORRISON

we were TWO DOyS uHu IAAec girls III
Dur family. the youngest fifteen. the
eldest twenty-six. when We gave the
New Years house party that proved a
turning point in my life. Every room
in the house was occupied, some OF
them by three persons. We had scarce
" got together when we began Sc.
ries of practical jokes on one another.
at which the girls were far moro
adept than the boys. The very first
night the sheets IN every fellows bed
were scotchei. and the next day at
luncheon there were cream cakes on
the table filled with cotton provided by
the girls. One fellow swallowed his
cake, cotton and all. rathe: than con-
fess himself stung.
We sat up 50 late nights and some Of
Us were stirring 80 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" l 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.
l was awakened by kiss. l grab
bed a girl, but she got away from me-
though only after fierce struggle.
When l had once lost her 1t was not
easy to find her, though the rustling
Of her skirts was q disadvantage to
her, while my greater weight. render
ing my tread heavier. was constantly
betraying me. She lodged me TOR
some time, when all became quiet.
Then suddenly heard the door open
and close. Since the adjoining room
was also dark l knew that the others
had turned of the lights to enable the
girl was after to escape. The escape
having been effected, l went to the
door to 20 out. l found it locked.
It was some ten minutes before 1t
was opened, and Joined the others.
the room having been relighted. cast
my eyes from one girl to another with
4 view to discovering who had kissed
me. The 6rst girl ! looked at had a
scratch on her nose. But the second
also had scratch. and the third. In
deed. every girl was scratched. hook
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. I would have given q king
dom If I had had it for PROOF that Ma
ria had done the kissing. Whoever
had done it had doubtless been dared.
Whether my preference for Maria had
been noticed by the other girls and
when I was found asleep she had been
chosen to play the joke on me didn't
know. II 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 2 a. IN. I 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, I jerked it
from the outside pocket of my coat and
heard something land on the floor.
STOPPING, picked up stickpin.
It at once occurred to me that during
the scuffle 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 very inexpensive ard.
Gle with an imitation pearl for head
and did not identify any particular
girl. I 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 I 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
s1ckpin as we'll as a scratched nose.
BY and by it occurred to me that when
the pin was in transit from the girl to
my pocket it had made the scratch on
her nose.
The problem was now narrowed
down to three girls. for doubtless the
girl who had done the kissing was
among those who wore pins. It SEEM
ed to me that must make her betray
herself or the victory would be with
the girls. ! sat down to the breakfast
table, ignoring my find. But while the
girls were rinsing their dainty fingers
in their finger bowls said:
II have found something that belong
ed to the girl who kissed me last
night
Every girl expressed by her behavior
q keen interest in what said except
Maria. who took advantage Of rinsing
her fingers to bend over the little glass
bowl before her. made up my mind
that l was getting warm" as the
children say In hide and seek, and con
cluded on bold stroke. continued:
''You may think that little sdckpin
she lost when trying to get away from
~ a x,,hok 7 ro\op "a r. Ia MT ~