THE PARTY SURPRISE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 263, 5 November 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE PARTY SURPRISE.

The children had thought of a wonderful surprise. Their mother, who ha 3 been away, to South Africa for s>>: ttiwiH, ar waning homo again, and tie children were g : -. iitg a p.irty to celebrate. It had all been arranged by Aunt Mac. All the winter "they had been having dancing lessons, and Aunt Mae had said it was a pity they co-j'dn't surprise mother by showing her how well they had got on. . Theit had started it. It was John who suggested a party, because John was the youngest, and he was fat and jolly, and was good fun at parties. But Pam said a dancing party, would be better. Tben Betty, who was John's twin, said a party was no good unless you dressed up for it. It was then that Aunt Mae had the wonderful idea. They would give a party, and after supper the children would dress up and give a little dance. From that point the idea grew rapidly. Aunt Mae had promised to put up a stage in the playroom. John said he would be a pierrot. Pierrots were always fat and round, and he was both. Alec said he would be Harlequin, and PAm could be Columbine, because she was the best dancer of them all. She had a proper frilly frock, too, and could dance on her toes. And because Betty looked downcast at this, Aunt Mae said Betty and her cousin Elinor should both, have frilly frocks and be attendants. Oh, the excitement of those rehearsals and the trying on of tho costumes! Then came the last week. The sending off of the invitations to all their little friends, and to some of mother's friends as well. And at last mother came back. "I shall forget every step I ever knew," Availed Pam, as the time drew hearer and nearer. At last supper was over, and then Aunt Mae got up and asked the guests to go up to the playroom. They all cried out with surprise as they went in, for the playroom had been quite transformed. It looked like a real concert hall, even down to the stage, and a real curtain that drew across. Then the lights were put right out, except for two that hung .over the stage; and as Aunt Mac etarted to play the piano the curtains drew apart and Pam danced oil, followed by her two attendants. John as the Pierrot caused much amusement by his, comic antics and'by his love-making to Columbine. The audicncc cheered when Harlequin! lnu-st on to the stage, sword in hand. There was a, frantic tussle with Pierrot, and then Harlequin struck his paper sword through the unhappy clown's heart, and took the blushing Columbine in his arms. There was a thunderous applause, and one by one they all had to come to the front of the stage to bow to the delighted audience. "Did you like your surprise, mummy?" cried the children, when the guests had all gone. "Indeed, I did," said their mother. "It was a magnificent success."