Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1917-02-21
A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE.

A BIRTHDAY SURPRISE.
On Wednesday evening, February
18th, number of the friends of Mrs
"A. Thorpe, who lives on Delaware St..
wendell their way into the pleasant
home to celebrate with her the ami
yersary Of her birth, and as the saying
goes; that pleasures unexpected are
said to be Of increased value: so this
surprise proved to be very delight
full affair.
Mrs. Thorpe had been invited to
dine with a friend over the river, and
from thence the friend proposed the
picture show, which they attended,
and which gave the self-invited guests
plenty of time to arrange matters to
their liking and to get the card tables
in place which feat was finally salts
factorily accomplished by the time t,
show" was out; her two daughters,
Bessie and Josephine being in the Sc
cret, and as it is no disgrace for the
bravest to yield to an overwhelming
force, SO Mrs Thorpe showed her dis
cretion" by surrendering and all were
made welcome and at their ease, for
where everyone had come on pleasure
bent, there was no call for dull for
malities. @
The company numbered perhaps
thirty-five or forty and the ladies had
eiranged q picnic supper, thus the
tables were spread to present a most
beautiful scene, among flowers and
other decorations throughout the
spacious and comfortable home, and
such an outlay OF dainty food and
sahds. 1t makes ones mouth water
to think of 1t, while Mrs. Thorpe,
whom the writer has known from her
childhood, surrounded by her interest
ing family and faithful friends, in
terchanging tender sentiments of love
and friendships OF long standing
seemed delighted and happy, and we
rejoice that the years that have gone.
BY have left SO little trace Of their
visit on our friend, who was assured
of our best wishes that every birth
day will find her looking as well as
she does now, and as she journeys
through life may she find the stepping
stones made sure for her feet, and
may she never drink from the waters
of bitterness but may every drop he
purified by the love of her friends,
and when the time has come to bid
goodbye to all, may we finally meet
where there will be, no separations.
While gathered around the board,
Miss Mary Link, in behalf OF the as
sembled guests presented Mrs.
Thorpe with lovely cut glass fruit
dish as pledge Of continued friend
ship. which was responded to becom-
ingly. Old friendships were renewed
and the better feelings of our natures
developed.
Some guest asked me the question
How old is Katie? and / answered:
The summer that was sixteen, Katie
was ten, and / will be sixty-nine the
twenty-sixth Of June the coming sum
mer, but ! would far rather be sixty
three years young than forty years
old But as to the cut glass dish.
Those little gifts may be trifles, read
er, but they are welcome, for kindness
and affection prompt, and in after
years, when "foughing it with the
world" has scared the heart, these
little tokens will start a tide Of feel
ing, which we had thought long since
stilled. It is well that these little
gatherings at intervals break the
thread of life's drudgery and selfish
ness: 1t is we'll that custom, il not
feeling forces business at times to
give place to those small, sweet
courtesies Of life" which more than all
else make life glad, and we counsel
You as you love your home and those
who make it welcome to you, that to
your household these gatherings
with friends are seasons Of special res
tivty, kindness, social intercourse, and