Year: 1878

Sawyer, Methodist minister and wife.


and Master Sawyer, in West Brookfield,


Vermont. lie says;


In Northern Vermont that peculiar form


OF social outrage, known as Il surprise


party" but of late called a Bulgarian


atrocity, is still lamentably frequent. On a


cold evening in the first week of the present


month, Mr. Sawyer and his family were


seated quietly by their social hearth enjoy.


ing one another's society.


The clergyman was reading aloud the


Bishops pastoral letter; his wife was busy


calculating how to cut up her husbands


old overcoat, so as to supply him with


new waistcoat, herself with new overskirt.


ana master Sawyer new pair of trousers.


while that excellent small boy was reading
the improving adventures of an eminent
pirate and wondering if he would ever be
able to emulate them.


Not one of them was prepared to 70


celve visitors. Mr.. Sawyer had or his
dressing gown and slippers; Mrs. SAWYER
had let down her back hair to give freedom
TO her mental processes, and master Saw
yer had temporarily slipped off his trousers
to supply his mother with pattern, while
he wrapped the hearth rug about him.


Suddenly, and without the least warning.
more than four dozen people of all kinds
and sexes, including theological students.
burst into the room, carrying cake and de.
vastation with them. The marauders con.
Quoted themselves after the usual custom
OF their kind. They conversed with one
another with great hilarity, ignoring the
suiterings of the clergyman and his wife
They spread their cake upon the table, and
devoured it without plates, scattering the
crumbs over the new carpet.


One young man, having laid a large pieco
OF jelly cake on the sofa, subsequently, sat
down on it, and Mrs. Sawyer felt that She
would gladly join the Church of Rome on
condition that the medieval tortures of the
lnquisition should be revived. and she
delegated to apply ther2 to that particular
young man.


After having reduced the furniture to
that state of grease that it was no longer
safe to sit down, the miscreants gathered
around the piano and sung: "What shall
the Harvest be p until Mr.. SAWYER, mild
as he was, regretted he could not take a
sharp scythe and reap an immediate and
bloody harvest


While these blood curdling outraees
were in progress in the parlor, the small
good boy kept himself carefully out of the
room. lie was not, however, wasting his
time in idle rage. lie too heard the melo.
dIous inquiries as to the harvest. and re.
marked that they would find out all about
the harvest If they would only wait few
minutes. Meanwhile he was engaged in
carrying pals of wator and emptying them
on the front steps and along the walk lead !
ing from the front gate. The night was
cold and the water froze rapidly. Under
MS admirable management the ice acquired
an unusally smooth and slippery character.
and when the work was thoroughly done
the small boy retired to the second story
front window and waited for the surprise
party to break up.


The moon was at its full and shone |
brightly when the first pair of miscreants-
the young man who sat on the jelly cake
and a heavy young lady to whom he was
engaged-issued from the front door and
sat down with tremendous emphasis
Close behind them came the rest of the
raiders, who with one accord, strewed
themselves over the ground, until in some
places they were collected three or four
deepl The shrieks of the ladies, and the
stronger remarks Of the gentlemen filled
The arr No sooner would struggling
wretch regain his feet than he would sit
down again with renewed violence.


The affrighted clergyman and his wife
Razsd with wonder at the appalling specta-
Gle, and the good small boy never ceased to
sing What shall the Harvest be?" at the
very top of his lungs-interspersin that
beautiful hymn with a wild whoop when:
'Ver particularly brilliant pair of stock.
ngs waVered in the air. Although no one
sustained fatal injuries, there was scarcely
nhenloer Oi the party who escaped with.
'ut more or less serious wounds, either of
body or clothing.


The icy pavement was strewn with frag.
nents of spectacles, coats and skirts.


1t is generally believed that there will
never be another surprise party in Brook
ield, and it is under contemplation among I
middle aged householders, to present.
Master Sawyer with handsome testimo.
nal for his eminent services.


The South Carolina Legislature has passed
law furnishing burglary, rape and arson
With death. Society is compelled to punish 9
he crimes most severely to which il is I
most subject. In many of the States arson
n the first degree and rape are punished
With death. 1t is only short step to add
burglary TO these. The social condition of :
south Carolina now is such as to REQUIRE
tern justice.


Sir" said one barrister to another, q r
'ften meet servant in the morning taking I