Year: 1875

ent kind from any ever had before. 1t


was a doll masquerade. The girls


brought their dolls masked, just like


grown-up folks when they have mas


querade, and l used my own tea set. /


couldn't invite but five little girls, for |


haven't but six cups and six everything.


| made up my mind wouldn't have one
single boy, because they don't make be-


lieve one bit good. Why, Rob and viii


always drink whole cup of tea at one
gulp, and keep me filling their cups all


the time, so don't get any myself; be-
sides l remembered that hanging ousi.


ness, and thought it would serve them
just right not to let them have any of my


birthday. All that forenoon mamma
wouldn't let me go into the play-room,


and Will and Rob kept winking and


grinning at each other, just as if they


had some great secret that they didn't


want me to know, but made believe l
didn't care, though | did dreadfully.
After dinner | didn't see the boys


any more until my company began


to come, and before l could open


the door to let them in the prettiest
little boy you ever saw ran down the
stairs and invited them up to the play
room. had to look more than Cnce to
make sure it was our Rob- for he was
dressed all in blue and white and had
white gloves on his hands. l knew it was
auntie's doings, but l was real glad, and
only hoped Rob wouldn't forget and give
a handspring going up stairs; but he be-
haved beautifully for boy, and opened
the door for us to pass in and there was
another surprise for me. The table was
pushed up one side of the room, and
upon it, standing side by side, were my
poor dead children, all come to life
again! The best part of it was, they all
looked better than they did before they
were hung. Captain Jinks had a cork
leg, splendid new suit, and had grown
to be General, but his dear old scar
was lust the same, and he didn't seem to
be proud of his new leg. Old Polly at
first I didn't know, cause she was
changed into Topsy. 1 guess mamma
was tired covering up so much dirt, and
fixed her so that nothing would
hurt her complexion any more. Miss
Marie was made into Cinderella,
with truly glass slippers on her
tiny feet. Then Little Bo Peep" was
there, with her dear little crook; and
Little Red Riding Hood, with her hand
on the VOLTS back, as if he was her best
friend. Mamma said it was the wolf,
but I'm sure it looked just as much like
dog or u sheep as it did like the cruel
wolf. Last of all stood Little Silver
Hair, who went to the bears house. You
may be sure | was glad then that did
not have the funeral in the winter. Then
our superior! it was splendid! viii
was all dressed up for waiter, with a
white apron on, and all the other things,
and he kept us merry with his queer
speeches and funny ways. We had lots
of nice things to eat, but the best of all,
think was that lovely jelly that wigglcs
all over. After supper we played games
and had tableauX, and then we got tired
and our stomachs ached, SO the girls had
to 90 home. 1t was the incest birthday
| ever had, but, oh, dear! it ended just
like all the others, for my stomach got
worse, then my head began to throb, so
| had to dash my feet in mustard water,
take some nasty medicine and go to bed.
| And that was the end of my birthday
| Christian Union