Oration

blameless among his fellows , but Avhen summoned from this sublunary abode , obtain promotion from T . G . A . 0 . T . U .

The Old Folks' Party.

THE OLD FOLKS' PARTY .

" AND noAv Avhat shall Ave do next Wednesday evening ? " said Jessie Hyde in a business-like tone . " It is your turn , Henry , to suggest . " Jessie Avas a practical , energetic young lady , Avhose blue eyes never relapsed into the dreaminess to which that color is

subject . She furnished the go for the club . Especially she furnished the go for Henry Long , who had lots of ideas , but Avithout her , to stir him up , Avas as dull as a flint Avithout a steel . There Avere six in the club , and all were

present to-ni ght in Jessie ' s parlor , The evening had been given to a little music , a little dancing , a little card-playing , and a good deal of talking . It Avas near the hour set by the club rule for the adjournment of its reunions , aud the party had

drawn their chairs together to consult upon the Aveekly recurring question , Avhat should be done at the next meeting by way of special order of amusement . The programmes Avere alternately reading , singing , dancing , Avhist ; varied Avith evenings of

miscellaneous sociality like that Avhich had just past . The members took turns in suggesting recreations . To-ni ght it was Henry Long ' s turn , and to him accordingly the eyes of the group turned at Jessie ' s question . " Let ' s have an old folks' party " Avas his answer .

Considering that all of the club were yet at ages Avhen they celebrated their birthdays with the figure printed on the cake , the suggestion seemed sufficientl y irrelevant .

" In that case , ' said Frank Hays , " we shall have to stay at home . " Frank Avas an alert little felloAv , with a jaunty air , to whom , by tacit consent , all the openings for jokes Avere left , ashe had a taste that way . " What do you meanHenry ? " inquired

, George Townsley , a thick-set sedate young man , with an intelligent , but rather phlegmatic look . " My idea is this , " said Henry , leaning

back in his chair , Avith his hands clasped behind his head , and his long legs crossed before him . " Let us dress up to resemble Avhat Ave expect to look like fifty years hence , and study up our demeanour to correspond with Avhat Ave expect to be and

feel like at that time , and just call on Mary next Weduesday evening to talk over old times , aud recall Avhat Ave can , if anything of our vanished youth , and the clays Avhen Ave belonged to the social club at C . " The others seemed rather puzzled in spite of the explanation . Jessie sat looking at Henry in a brown study as she traced out his meaninff .

" You mean a sort of ghost party , " , said she finally ; " ghosts of the future , instead of ghosts of the past . " " That ' s it exactly , " answered he . " Ghosts of the future are the only sort worth heeding . Apparitious of things past

are a very unpractical sort of demonology , in my opinion , compared Avith apparitions of things to come . " " HOAV in the Avorld did such an odd idea

come into your head ? asked pretty Nellie Tyrrell , whose dancing black eyes Avere the most piquant of interrogation points , with Avhich it was so delightful to be punctured that people were generally slow to gratify her curiosity . " I Avas beginning a journal this

afternoon , " said Henry , " and the idea of Henry Long , oetat . 70 , looking over the leaves , and Avondering about the youth Avho Avrote them so long ago , came up to my mind . " Henry ' s suggestion had set them all thinking , and the vein Avas so unfamiliar

that they did not at once find much to say . " I should think , " finally remarked George , " that such an old folks' party Avould afford a chance for some pretty careful studyand some rather good acting . "

, " Fifty years will make us all not far from seventy . What shall we look like then , I Avonder ? " musingly asked Mary FelloAvs . She Avas the demurest , dreamiest of the three girls ; the most of a Avoman , and the least of a talker . She had that poise and

repose of manner which are necessary to make sileuce in company graceful . " We may be sure of one thing anyhow , and that is , that Ave shall not look and feel at all as Ave do noAv , " said Frank . " I suppose , " he added , " if , hy a gift of second sight , Ave could see to-night , as in a glass ,