Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1922-12-22
The Christmas
Party
By cLARISSA MAcKIE

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% 1874. Dy Mcclure Newspaper oynaicate.l
Why should l believe in the spirit
OF ChristmasY repeated CalLope Fra
ser, in answer to nenry BlaAe ques-
ton. I've many reasons, ana to prove
1t I'm going to giyea party Christmas
day."
'Ye be-? Henry was amazed. He
knew that Calliope was quite poor.
although she owned her small home,
she really had to work to support her.
self. All the best years of her Life
had gone into making old people
happy-tWO~ aged parents, an invalid
grandmother and finally crippled
and blind grandfather. Now CaIliope,
ut forty-tiye, was alone and in poor
circumstances. "Some Of your cousins
coming over from Long Hill?"
Calliope shook her head. .'They
don't invite me, Henry. They all ride
around in automot .:es and have plenty
of money, but they don't want to
bother with me-" She smiled as she
spoke, for her troubles had not EN-
Filtered Calliope. <She lifted her head
above them like some sweet, sturdy
country flower, blooming on in the
dust and heat of the day, lifting her
aup of cheeriness to the old and poor
and discouraged
"Well, well, Calliope." muttered
Henry Blake as he tied up her pack
ages and slipped a wooden handle
through the Irvine. 'You are a good
hearted girl-hah! And Fel going to
Pye got some apples; they will GER
tainly Spite. Now, you run along and
get ready foT your party
Calliope beamed her thanks and
tripped away in quick, birdlike way
that made her appear much younger
than she, really was. All the road
home sire WAS planning for the party
'J'll have to kill old Belinda. 1t does
make my heart ache, but of course
she's only hen, and she ought to be
thankful that she is to make so many
people happy. l expect that's the way
cannibals argue when they eat each
other up, but Bel nda's got to go
She's tough, but Til parboil her and
then brown her in the oven. They'll
just love it. If Henry sends over
some vegetables and apples, they will
help, and there's current jelly and
Calliope planned every detail of that
party before she invited her guests.
There were four invitations and
four acceptances, and by "wednesday
night everything was as nearly ready
as possible. There was a coal fire in
the parlor stove, and some logs were
laid ready to light on the dining room
hearth. The best lavender china was
washed again and the thin damask
napkins counted out. After she had
rubbed up the silver until 1t rivaled
the engraved glass goblets, Calliope
dressed herself and went to prayer
meeting.
"Calliope," whispered Mrs. Trotter
'no one has asked the minister to eat
Christmas dinner. He was going
home to his folks, but he's stayed t.
preach in the morning and it looks as
if he'd have to eat in the hotel. It's
hard to be a lone bachelor. I'd like
to have him, only we're going over tO
Hetty's."
"I'll ask him to my party" said Cal
liope promptly, and the new minister
vas very glad to accept the cordial
invitation.
1t was a glorious December day
With boar frost in the morning that
looked like fairy snow. Calliope went
out and picked all the artemisias in
her garden, and their fresh, pungent
smell mingled with the fragrance OF
burning apple wood. "It makes ME
think of long, long ago." unused Cal
Hope when she sat down at last to
wait for her guests. She was wearing
a pale gray dress with few yellow
flowers in her belt. With her dark
hair and soft brown eyes and fresh
color she looked very young and
pretty. The new minister wanted to
tell her so as he came into the warm,
friendly house.
The doorbell rang several times
after that. and one by one she ushered
them in-Mr. James Trapham, an
aged recluse from Upper River; Miss
Nelly Fame, retired dressmaker. and
two old ladies from the Doorhouse
Miranda Larrabee, strOng-minded
spinster. who accepted charity due her
as an unpaid debt. and old Mrs. Abner
AIumford, the last of her well-known
family and once leader In Little
River.
The warm fires soon thawed out the
half-frozen old folks. and the minister
had them laughing at his witty stories.
One word led to another, and they
chartered like old friends Mr.. Trap
ham had just told the minister that
he was coming back to church, when
Calliope announced dinner.
Mr.. Newton, the minister, gave his
arm to old Mrs. Mumford. and James
Trapham followed suit with Miranda
Larrabee. With the ladies' from tho
poorhouse taken care Of Calliope and
r.