The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1917-07-12
Mary Jones'
House Party
BY RICHARD MARLEY

an idea. ] don't see why we country
people shouldn't have house parties as
well rs city folE.'
Whats hpg,c pnrtyt" ! asked.
why, II lot %. people AN - 10 some
body's hUnsc and stay there two or
three day. -. y week or urrlal; hong
or. They play games and dance. and.
well, they don't 40 anything 70 amusc
themselves. Father and mufhcr are
| going over to spend u week a .th Aunt
/ Jane pretty soon. and I'm going to
have a house parry. viii yoH Gomez"
Il suppose So
| Jim Cunningham will he ore a., us
Nlary's house party cane of. sure
enough We had the house All 10 or.
selves, anu here was every reason
| why we should expect a GOOD time
| The first evening we were Together we
| had "A candy pulling, ana the next
| morning the auto was brought ont and
| all went for u ride. except myself.
didn't feel well and concluded TO stay
at home At least this IS the reason
| gave for not going, but the true rea.
| son was that Sarah Flint. one of thn
| girls, had undertaken to appropriate
Jim Cunningham to herself, aul |
didn't Ike it. because he didn't let her
know She couldn't do IT,
While they were gone there was
rap OF the kuUcker on the front door.
I went there and found u girl who ask
d iur Mary. ! told her that Mary had
gone on "a ride. aud she looked very
auCh disappointed. She said She was
Nary's cousin and had come all the
gay from Hanover Court House to see
her. told her to come il ana mike
herself at home She did 50. and |
went back 10 my room.
When ] went downstairs again she
had gone. The auto party didn't come
back till evening, and when they did |
failed to get an opportunity TO tell
Mary about her cousin who had been
10 see her. We had supper and in the
evening danced, l playing the piano
for the others. | didn't want To dance
with Jim, and didn't want To- refuse
him. That's the reason | did the play
ing.
The next morning change had come
over the house party. Something had
gone wrong. Then / noticed that the
girls were giving me the cold shoulder.
Later OH | went to Mary and asked
her what was the matter. She said
that while they were gone on the ride
the day before somebody had taken
things from their rooms. | saw right
n ~ uTnG ln ~
one left 20 do the stealing. so was The
thief
Ii was very stupid Of me not to think
of Mary's cousin. but was so broken
up by what had occurred that | was
incapable of anything for awhile
1t was plain that Sarah Flint was do
ing all she could TO fix the theft on
me. |, SURPRISING that she was turning
Jim against me, didn't give him
chance to show his faith in and SYM
pathy for me, but just turned away
from him every time he approached
me. | suppose this made him mad, for
he kept making up TO Sarah, and
when he passed me he held his nose in
the air.
The evening after the day of the
theft | said 10 Mary:
Il forgot TO tell you that your cousin
came To see you all the way from Han
over Court House when you We're out
motoring"
My cousin. | haven't any cousin at
Hanover Court House"
Then told her how the girl had gone
away without saying that she was 20.
ing or leaving any message.
why didn't you tell me that be.
fore:" said Mary. The girl was the
thief, of course"
Il never thought Of that" replied.
Mary went right away to the others
and told about the girl who had pre-.
tended to be her cousin and who had
had the run of the house as long as she
wanted to. OF course this put new
face on the affair, and they came 20
me, all except Sarah Flint, and asked
my pardon FOR suspecting me Of theft,
though some Of them said they hadn't
thought | was guilty at all, But knew
better.
Jim watched for his opportunity 10
speak TO me, and purposely went of
by myself to give him chance. When
he came 10 me he seemed not 10 know
what to say.
why have you treated me so shah
bilyf' he asked.
IL have simply treated you as you
deserve. When | was wrongfully ac.
cused, instead Of standing by me you