Connecticut western news., 1917-02-22
Mary Jones'
 House Party
By RICHARD MARkLEY

people shouldn't have house parties as well as city folk
 What's house party?' l asked.
 "Why, lot of people all go to some body's house and stay there two or three days or week or perhaps long CT. They play games and dance, and, well, they don't do anything but amuse themselves. Father and mother are going over to spend week with Aunt Jane pretty soon, and I'm going to have house party. Will you come?"
 q suppose so."
 "Jim Cunningham will be one of us.'
 Mary's house party came off, sure enough. We had the house all to our selves, and there was every reason why we should expect good time The first evening we were together we had a candy pulling, and the next morning the auto was brought out, and all went for a ride, except myself. 1 didn't feel well and concluded to stay at home. At least, this is the reason l gave for not going, but the true req son was that Sarah Flint, one of the girls, had undertaken to appropriate Jim Cunningham to herself, and 1 didn't like it, because he didn't let her know she couldn't do it.
 While they were gone there was a rap of the knocker on the front door I went there and found girl who ask ed for Mary. I told her that Mary had gone on a ride, and she looked very much disappointed. She said she was Mary's cousin and had come all the way from Hanover Court House to see her. I told her to come in and make herself at home. She did so, and l went back to my room.
 When I went downstairs again she had gone. The auto party didn't come back till evening, and when they did I failed to get an opportunity to tell Mary about her cousin who had been to see her. We had supper and in the evening danced, I playing the piano for the others. didn't want to dance with Jim, and I didn't want to refuse him. That's the reason I did the play ing.
 The next morning a change had come over the house party. Something had gone wrong. Then I noticed that the girls were giving me the cold shoulder. Later on I 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. I saw right away what it meant. I was the only one left to do the stealing, so 1 was the thief.
 It was very stupid of me not to think of Mary's cousin, but was so broken up by what had occurred that I was incapable of anything for awhile.
 It was plain that Sarah Flint was dO- ing all she could to fix the theft on me. l, supposing 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 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 I said to Mary:
 ''I forgot to tell you that your cousin came to see you all the way from Han over Court House when you were out 
 My cousin! l haven't any cousin at Hanover Court House.
 Then I told her how the girl had gone away without saying that she was go- ing or leaving any message.
 ''Why didn't you tell me that be- fore? said Mary. ''The girl was the thief, of course.''
 q never thought of that" I 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 q new face on the affair, and they came to me, all except Sarah Flint, and asked my pardon for suSpecting me of theft, though some of them said they hadn't thought I was guilty at all. But 1 knew better.
 Jim watched for his opportunity to speak to me, and I purposely went off by myself to give him a chance. When he came to me he seemed not to know what to say.
 "NWhy have you treated me so shab- bily?' he asked.
 'I have simply treated you as you deserve. When 1 was wrOngfully ac- cused, instead of standing by me you sided with my bitterest enemy"
 ''I tried to tell you that I believed you innocent, but you wouldn't give me a chance"
 ''Not while you were listening to the poison of that snake"
 q was trying to get away from her, but you threw me back to her"
 If I threw you back I certainly didn't throw you back to her. You went to her of your own accord"
 And you won't make up?" he said ruefuliy.
 "Any man who is engaged to a girl