Year: 1878

In northern Vermont that peculiar
form of social outrage formerly known a,
a surprise party" but of late commonly
called a Bulgarian atrocity," is still
lamentably frequent. On cold even.
ing in the first week of the present
month, Mr.. Sawyer and his family were
seated quietly by their social hearth, en-.
joying one another's society. The
clergyman was residing aloud the
bishops pastoral letter; his wife was
busy calculating how to cut up her hus-
bands old overcoat SO as to supply him
with new waistcoat, herself with new
overskirt and Master Sawyer with new
pair of trousers, while that excellent
small boy was reading the adventures of
an eminent pirate, and wondering
whether he would ever be able to emu
late them. Not one of the family was
prepared to receive visitors. Mr.. Saw
yer had on his dressing-gown and slip
pers, Mrs. Sawyer had let down her
back hair to give freedom to her mental
processes, and Master Sawyer had tenn
porarily slipped off his trousers to supply
his mother with pattern, while he
wrapped the hearth-rug about him.
Suddenly, and without the least warn
ing more than four dozen people of all
kinds and sexes, including men, women,
reformers and theological students, burst
into the room, carrying cake and devas-
tation with them. Master Sawyer fed
howling; the clergyman pushed back his
spectacles and tried to smile a ghastly
smile; and his heroic wife, by hurriedly
l. la hns h<Nt kon DO
and holding her comb between her teeth.
managed to avoid uttering the welcome
which the invaders expected, but which
her conscience forbade her to express.


The marauders conducted themselves
after the usual custom of their kind.
They conversed with one another with
great hilarity, ignoring the sufferings of
the clergyman and his wife. They spread
their cake upon the table, and devouring
it without plates, scattered the crumbs
over the new carpet. One young man,
having laid long piece 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 con-
dition that the medieval tortures of the
inquisition should be revived, and she
herself delegated to apply them 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 sang " What shall the har-
vest be?" until Mr.. Sawyer, mild as he
was, regretted that he could not take a
sharp scythe and reap an immediate and
bloody harvest.


While these blood-curdling outrages
were in progress in the parlor, the good
small boy kept himself carefully out of
the room. He was not, however wasting
his time in idle rage. He, too, heard the
melodious inquiries as to the harvest,
and remarked to himself that they would
find out all about the harvest if they
would only wait few minntes. Mean
while, he was busily engaged in carrying
pals of water and emptying them on the
front step and along the walk leading
from the front door to the gate. The
night was cold, and the water froze
rapidly. Under his admirable manage
ment the ice acquired an unusually
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 the full, and shone
brightly when the first pair of miscreants
the young man who sat on the jelly
cake and heavy young lady, to whom
he was afiiapced-issued from the front
door, and instantly sat down with tre-
mendous 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 deep. The shrieks
of the ladies, and the stronger remarks of
the men filled the air No sooner would
a struggling wretch regain his feet than
he would sit down again with renewed
violence. The affrighted clergyman and
his wife gazed with wonder at the ap-
palling spectacle, and the good small boy
never ceased 80 sing "What Shall the
Harvest Be-" at the very top of his
lungs-interspersing that stirring hymn
with wild "whoop" whenever par
ticularly brilliant pair of stockings
waved in the air.


Although only three pe rsons sustained
fatal injuries, there was scarcely men,
Der of the party who escaped without
more or less serious wounds, either Of
body or clothing. Seventeen legs, two
ribs, six arms and nose were broken
five ankles and six wrists were sprained,
and one shoulder was dislocated. The
icy pavement was strewn with fragments
of teeth, spectacles, coats, trousers and
skirts, and Master Sawyer picked uE
enough copper and silver change the
next morning to enable him to buy


twelve tickets in a rattle for broken
shotgun, and to subscribe handsomely Il


the missionary fund.-N y TiDaee.
| Butter Making in Brazil.