A Surprise Party at Parnell.

Observer, Volume X, Issue 629, 17 January 1891, Page 6

A Surprise Party at Parnell.

Last Monday night there was a nice surprise party in Conquest Place. The victim was a popular ex-coach-man and the surprisers a lot of young lady friends with a few gentlemen thrown in. At about a quarter past seven, the first few of the party arrived, every young lady with a baßfeet or a kit with food, and the young men came in afterwards with the waipiro. They all gathered around the lamp post, under the spreading boughs of a pine tree, and there they deposited the kai. After all had arrived, each one shouldered his or the pikau and staggered along under the load to the house. They marched to the door two by two, and the first one rapped at the door. The good lady answered the summons, but when she saw the crowd of young ladies in their white dresses she jumped back with a • Good gracious, Sammy, who is this ? Is it the Governor ?' She then recognised the party, ushered them into the kitchen, where they soon made themselves at home. The lady of the houße afterwards led the way to the cellar, where the dance was led off by a man from the diggins. The dance lasted till the small hours of the morning, when the guests departed after a voracious feed, well pleased with the whole affair. Thi* is what they call a surprise party. What do you think it should be termed ? [Midsummer madness. It would make me as savage as a Turk.]