The daily Alaskan., 1918-05-21
I'M so SURPRISED!'
Occasion When Etiquette 0rdains
 This Expression
And Chief Time Is When People Plan a Visit In Force to Some Nelshber Who Is Not Supposed to
 Expect lG

Following upon the first frost each winter there Is a fresh breaking out In the real old rural districts of what Is known as the surprise party fever" the disappearance of which comes only with spring flowers. spring work, spring weather, and spring fever. /
 Surprise parties have a deeper sig nlficance in the country, where they are accompanied by sleigh rides, mo- lasses candy pulls, and other side is- sues, than they have in the city, but the city nelghbor does not escape the surprise party epidemic altogether.
 The most surprising feature of the surprise party, to the unlnitiated, Is usually that it is seldom Surprise" Some good neighbOr, who fears some other good nelghbor will steal her thunder. conveys the newss of the much-heralded event to the object of the plan, who in turn says nothing but prepares for the Occasion-of course, knowing nothing about it-and thus the plot thlckens.
 The bed Is moved from the front room downstairs. The husband may suspect something. but he says noth- ing. The broom piles It's way to the remote corners of the house, propelled by one-woman power. and dust, dirt. and cobwebs disappear from the face of the earth--or at least from that immediate portion of the earth.
 Susle's room Is fixed up as place for the women to store their wraps, and the upper spare room has the frost. drawn out by an oil stove, so the men will have place to put their over coats, oyerShoes, and hats, and also 8 place to smoke.
 Arriving Ou the scene. the spokes- man and chief Instigator beats tat too on the front door. The victim throws open the door. takes In the situation. clasps her right hand over her mouth, utters much-rehearsed gaSp, and falls back into the best rocker. murmuring a semlaudlble I'm so surpriSed! The party is from that moment a good success and forty five of the fifty present believe it Is.
 In half an hour the husband, who Is the party of the second part in the scheme. comes down the back stairs, dressed in his best. having finished putting out the horses for the visitors. He now falls In line with the general plan and admits that, although he had q sneaking suspicion there was some thing up, he still was in the dark as to the time 1t would happen.
 The evening passes and the supper hour arrives, bringing with 1t the climax of the event. Two or three men are seen to Graw toward the door, at the same time wearing an embarrassed grin. They presently return, dragging in a brand-new table, present. toward the cost of which those present have contributed a dollar each. The minis fer or the school teacher Is called upon to present the gift--nOt bestowed Tor its intrinsic value but for the mark of friendship 1t conveys-and this Is followed by the recipient making known that she is too affected to re- ply and the climax of the evening Is passed.
 When supper Is over and 1t Is time to pn home you start on the return trip, and on the way are told the party was gotten up by the one who received the gift, and as you ponder over the work ing out of a wen-planned affair you are led to wonder. after all. whose surprise party it really was.-KnicSer- hOckpr Press