Ladies' Column. TEA-PARTIES.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7550, 25 September 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

Ladies ' Column. TEA-PARTIES.

The only difficulty in getting up a teaparty now-a-days ia the difficulty of getting a mifticiont number of people together who aro able and willing to undertake the trouble and expense. It is far too mild a kind of dissipation to intereat most people, and only does so when a due necessity ariseß for funds to cleat off some debt incurred by wildly speculative ohurch people Only then will wives and mothers exert themselves to get up a tea-party. But in tho old daj'B the difficulties— and they were many— lay in quite a different direotion. There woro plenty of people able and willing to make cakes, if only the flour, tho currants, the raisin!', and the spices could bo got. Plenty of peoplo willing to lend all thoir little fltores of household crockery, conBisting of thoso dear old-fashioned willow pattern plates, now ao much sought after, and the atrociously ugly cups and saucers theu so much in vogue.'. Plenty of people willing to make tea enough for overybody, if only there could be found tea and sugar enough to make, it with. Andplontv of people to whom a tea-party was the very height of dissipation. As soon as the idea of having a teaparty was mooted, out; came pen npd ink, and down went the items required by each family. Tho owner and master of the cutter "Betsy," went his rounds each trip, politely and affably asking at each house for his ordors, and the money to pay for them likewise. Sometimes the gallant sailor would linger longer than was absolutely necessary ' at one particular house, lured as gallant sailors aro ant to bo, by a pair of bright eyes. On thoso occasions he would either lose the tide, and time was precious, or have to go minus many of his commissions. Then consternation would previ.il, and the womankind be at their wits' ends, ardgoravingabout llkesn many lunatics, to find out which of thoir neighbours ■was likely to have a superfluous stire from which they might borrow. Next day perhaps iuault would "bn added to injury by a message from tho miller rrquosting "everybody to ba careful o' their bits o' floor an' not to be. extravagant with it." . Such an accident as tho stoppage of a

flourmill would make no difference now; but (hen it was the only mill in tho district, nnd it nlways was _bo con- ■ tuninoiously inclined that it nevor would grind more than just enough at a time to keep each family going, and not always that. Then deputation after deputation of excited femaios would bo seen wending their way to-wards tho mill. Something must bo dono. There w>s the Bey. Mr Gray coming that very day week, expecting to meet everybody at tho tea-party, and no flour in the place. Fortunately there was no ncarclly..of milk, butter, cream, and eggs; but, alas, for tho bread, for the cakeß, and the tea. Time was creeping ou, strong winds had prevailed, and their was no sign of tho Betsy ! Thrifly Scotch housewives set to work and made piles of oatmeal bannocks, and energetio men left their own work and went to the assistance of the miller, till by dint of superhuman efforts tho mill wheel was able to revolve slowly, a very little at atime, for now, in the beat of summer, the little mill-Btream was nearly dry. The water, bo oager to do its best, had to be held back for some hours and then , let on with a rush, by which meanseach anxious, excited dame got enough flour in the corner of a little bag to make her ardently long for an impossible more. There was no bread for the children, till At the tea-party they scarcely could tell ; which was the nicest, tho brown bread or the plum onkes. In the meantime they must bo content with potatoes, '.porridge, and oatmeal cakes. At last, when all hopes of aeoiug the Betsy in time hud died away, down rusheß a man from his elevated position at "Six>yone," crying out as he passed oach houeo, "The Betsy's in sight !" Down went spades, and hoes and rnkes, and away went tho men to tho " Old Pali" harbor to meet tho Betsy and hear all the newß. . from Nelson, Down also went milk- pans, brooms, and dilators, and away went the women also to the " Old Pah,? 1 : also to hear tho news, as well as to bear home In triumph their parcels and packages. "Great was Ihodisappointment amongst thoao who had no paokages, but they cheerfully borrowed of their neighbors, who as cheerfully lent, knowing- quite well it would it would be care.fnlly re- . turned to them, and that perhaps noxfc timo it would be their turn to borrow. Next day the tea-party. Though tho sugar was black it was better than nono at all, and though the tea might.be under, going a second, or even perhaps a third introduction to the teapots, wbd was to . know, whon the cup was halt-filled with delicious scalded cream '/ Certainly, no one there was inclined to grumble ; even the " great growler " who 1 always declared that " Nobody made naught loike our Bet," conld only oxpress his feolings by an unotuou3 Bmaok of bis lips, as bo lay back in his rocking-chair, which be alwuya carried to those qut-oE-doora entertainments, because, as ho explained to everyone, " I aiu't use loike - to settiu' on round logs to ha' my tea."

— " Miss Tommy," in Evening Press,