The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-04-18
I'm so SURPRISED!'
Occasion When Etiquette OrdainS
This Expression.
And Chief Time Is When People Plan q
Visit In Force to Some Neighbor
Who Is Not Supposed to
Expect II.

Following upon the first frost each
winter there is 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
are accompanied by sleigh rides, mo-
lasses candy pulls. and other side is
sues, than they have In the city, but
the city neighbor does not escape the
surprise party epidemic altogether.
The most surprising feature Of the
surprise party, to the uninitiated, is
usually that it is seldom a "surprise"
Some good neighbor who fears some
other good neighbor will steal her
thunder, conveys the news 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 thickens.
The bed is moved from the front
room downstairs. The husband may
suspect something, but he says moth
ing. The broom plies its way to the
remote corners of the House. propelled
by one-woman power, and dust, dirt,
and cobuebs disappear from the face
of the earth--or at least from that
immediate portion of the earth,
SuSie's room is fixed up as a 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. overshoes. and hats, and also a
place to smoke.
Arriving on 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 a much-rehearsed
gasp, and falls back into the best
rocker, murmuring a semiaudible 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 it would happen.
The evening passes and the supper
nour arrives, bringing with it the
climax of the event. Two or three men
are seen to draw toward the door, at
the same time wearing an embarrassed
grin. They presently return, dragging
in brand-new table, present, toward
the cost of which those present have
contributed a dollar each. The minis
ter or the school teacher is called upon
to present the gift-not bestowed for
its intrinsic value but for the mark
Of friendship it 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
go 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 well-planned affair you
are led to wonder, after all. whose
surprise party it really was.-Knicker-
booker Press.