Writing the Notes.

The Riverdale Books.

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.

A STORY FOR LITTLE FOLKS.

BY

OLIVER OPTIC,

BOSTON:

LEE AND SHEPARD,

1864.

[Pg 7]

THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.

I.

Flora Lee’s birthday came
in July. Her mother wished
very much to celebrate the
occasion in a proper manner.
Flora was a good girl, and her
parents were always glad to
do any thing they could to
please her, and to increase her[Pg 8]
happiness.

They were very indulgent
parents, and as they had plenty
of money, they could afford
to pay well for a “good time.”
Yet they were not weak and
silly in their indulgence. As
much as they loved their little
daughter, they did not give
her pies and cakes to eat
when they thought such articles
would hurt her.

They did not let her lie in[Pg 9]
bed till noon because they
loved her, or permit her to
do any thing that would injure
her, either in body or
mind. Flora always went to
church, and to the Sunday
school, and never cried to stay
at home. If she had cried, it
would have made no difference,
for her father and mother
meant to have her do right,
whether she liked it or not.

But Flora gave them very[Pg 10]
little trouble about such matters.
Her parents knew best
what was good for her, and
she was willing in all things
to obey them. It was for this
reason that they were so anxious
to please her, even at the
expense of a great deal of
time and money.

The birthday of Flora came
on Wednesday, and school did
not keep in the afternoon. All
the children, therefore, could[Pg 11]
attend the party which they
intended to give in honor of
the day.

About a week before the
time, Mrs. Lee told Flora she
might have the party, and
wanted her to make out a list
of all the children whom she
wished to invite.

“I want to ask all the children
in Riverdale,” said Flora,
promptly.

“Not all, I think,” replied[Pg 12]
Mrs. Lee.

“Yes, mother, all of them.”

“But you know there are a
great many bad boys in town.
Do you wish to invite them?”

“Perhaps, if we treat them
well, they will be made better
by it.”

“Would you like to have
Joe Birch come to the party?”

“I don’t know, mother,” said
Flora, musing.

“I think you had better invite[Pg 13]
only those who will enjoy
the party, and who will not be
likely to spoil the pleasure of
others. We will not invite
such boys as Joe Birch.”

“Just as you think best,
dear mother,” replied Flora.
“Shall I ask such boys as
Tommy Woggs?”

“Tommy isn’t a bad boy,”
said Mrs. Lee, with a smile.

“I don’t know that he is;[Pg 14]
but he is a very queer fellow.
You said I had better not ask
those who would be likely to
spoil the pleasure of others.”

“Do you think, my child,
Tommy Woggs will do so?”

“I am afraid he would; he
is such a queer boy.”

“But Tommy is a great
traveller, you know,” added
Mrs. Lee, laughing.

“The boys and girls don’t
like him, he pretends to be[Pg 15]
such a big man. He knows
more than all the rest of the
world put together—at least,
he thinks he does.”

“I think you had better
ask him, for he will probably
feel slighted if you don’t.”

“Very well, mother.”

“Now, Flora, I will take a
pencil and paper and write
down the names of all the
boys and girls with whom
you are acquainted; and you[Pg 16]
must be careful not to forget
any. Here comes Frank; he
will help you.”

Frank was told about the
party, and he was quite as
much pleased with the idea
as his sister had been; and
both of them began to repeat
the names of all the boys and
girls they could remember.

For half an hour they were
employed in this manner, and
then the list was read over to[Pg 17]
them, so as to be sure that no
names had been omitted.

Flora and Frank now went
through all the streets of Riverdale,
in imagination, thinking
who lived in each house;
and when they had completed
their journey in fancy, they
felt sure they had omitted
none.

“But we must invite cousins
Sarah and Henry,” said Flora.
“O, I hope they will come![Pg 18]
Henry is so funny; we can’t
do without them.”

“Perhaps they will come;
at any rate we will send them
invitations,” replied Mrs. Lee.

The next day, when the
children had gone to school,
Mrs. Lee went to the office of
the Riverdale Gazette, which
was the village newspaper, and
had the invitations printed on
nice gilt-edged paper.

By the following day Mrs.[Pg 19]
Lee had written in the names
of the children invited, enclosed
the notes in envelopes, and directed
them. I will give you
a copy of one of them, that
you may know how to write
them when you have a birthday
party, though I dare say
it would do just as well if you
go to your friends and ask
them to attend. If you change
the names and dates, this note
will answer for any party.

“Those are very fine indeed,”
said Flora: “shall I put
on my bonnet, and carry out
some of them to-day?”

“No, my child; it is not
quite the thing for you to
carry your own invitations. I[Pg 21]
will tell you what you may do.
You may hire David White
to deliver them for you. You
must pay him for it; give him
half a dollar, which will be a
good thing for him.”

This plan was adopted, and
Frank was sent with the notes
and the money over to the
poor widow’s cottage.

“Don’t you think it is very
wicked, mother, for rich folks
to have parties, when the
money they cost will do so[Pg 22]
much good to the poor?”
asked Flora.

“I do not think so, my dear
child.”

“Well, I think so, mother,”
added Flora, warmly.

“Perhaps you do not fully
understand it.”

“I think I do.”

“Why should it be wicked
for you to enjoy yourself?”

“I don’t think it is wicked
to enjoy myself, but only to[Pg 23]
spend money for such things.
You said you were going to
have the Riverdale Band, and
that the music would cost
more than twenty dollars.”

“I did, and the supper will
cost at least twenty more;
for I have spoken to the confectioner
to supply us with ice
cream, cake, jellies, and other
luxuries. We shall have a
supply of strawberries and[Pg 24]
cream, and all the nice things
of the season. We must also
erect a tent in the garden, in
which we shall have the supper;
but after tea I will tell
you all about it.”

[Pg 25]

[Pg 26]

Flora and her Father.

[Pg 27]

II.

Flora could not help thinking
how much good the forty
dollars, which her father would
have to pay for the birthday
party, would do if given to
the poor.

It seemed to her just like
spending the money for a few
hours’ pleasure; and even if
they had a fine time, which she[Pg 28]
was quite sure they would
have, it would be soon over,
and not do any real good.

Forty dollars was a great
deal of money. It would pay
Mrs. White’s rent for a whole
year; it would clothe her family,
and feed them nearly all
the next winter. It appeared
to her like a shameful waste;
and these thoughts promised
to take away a great deal from
the pleasure of the occasion.

“I think, mother, I had just[Pg 29]
as lief not have the band, and
only have a supper of bread
and butter and seed cakes.”

“Why, Flora, what has got
into you?” said her father.

Mrs. Lee laughed at the
troubled looks of Flora, and
explained to her father the
nature of her scruples in regard
to the party.

“Where did the child get
this foolish idea?” asked her[Pg 30]
father, who thought her notions
were too old and too
severe for a little girl.

“Didn’t I see last winter
how much good only a little
money would do?” replied
Flora.

“Don’t you think it is wicked
for me to live in this great
house, keep five or six horses,
and nine or ten servants, when
I could live in a little house, like
Mrs. White?” laughed Mr. Lee.

“All the money you spend[Pg 31]
would take care of a dozen
families of poor folks,” said
Flora.

“That is very true. Suppose
I should turn away all
the men and women that work
for me,—those, I mean, who
work about the house and
garden,—and give the money
I spend in luxuries to the
poor.”

“But what would John and[Pg 32]
Peter, Hannah and Bridget do
then? They would lose their
places, and not be able to earn
any thing. Why, no, father;
Peter has a family; he has got
three children, and he must
take care of them.”

“Ah, you begin to see it—do
you?” said Mr. Lee, with
a smile. “All that I spend
upon luxury goes into the
pockets of the farmer, mechanic,
and laborer.”

“I see that, father,” replied[Pg 33]
Flora, looking as bright as
sunshine again; “but all the
money spent on my party will
be wasted—won’t it?”

“Not a cent of it; my child.
If I were a miser, and kept
my money in an iron safe,
and lived like a poor man, I
should waste it then.”

“But twenty dollars for the
Riverdale Band is a great deal
to give for a few hours’ service.[Pg 34]
It don’t do any good,
I think.”

“Yes, it does; music improves
our minds and hearts.
It makes us happy. I have
engaged six men to play.
They are musicians only at
such times as they can get a
job. They are shoemakers,
also, and poor men; and the
money which I shall pay them
will help support their families
and educate them.”

“What a fool I was, father!”[Pg 35]
exclaimed Flora.

“O, no; not so bad as that;
for a great many older and
wiser persons than yourself
have thought just what you
think.”

“But the supper, father,—the
ice cream, the cake, and
the lemonade,—won’t all the
money spent for these things
be wasted?”

“No more than the money[Pg 36]
spent for the music. The confectioner
and those whom he
employs depend upon their
work for the means of supporting
themselves and their
families.”

“So they do, father. And
when you have a party, you
are really doing good to the
poor.”

“That depends upon circumstances,”
replied Mr. Lee.
“I don’t think it would be[Pg 37]
an act of charity for a person
who could not afford it to give
a party. I only mean to say
that when we spend money
for that which does not injure
us or any body else, what we
spend goes into the pockets
of those who need it.

“A party—a proper party,
I mean, such a one as you will
have—is a good thing in itself.
Innocent amusement is just as
necessary as food and drink.

“God has given me wealth,[Pg 38]
Flora, and he expects me to
do all the good I can with it.
I hold it as his steward. Now,
when I pay one of these musicians
three or four dollars
for an afternoon’s work, I do
him a favor as well as you
and those whom you invite to
your party.

“And I hope the party
will make you love one another
more than ever before.[Pg 39]
I hope the music will warm
your hearts, and that the supper
will make you happy, and
render you thankful to the
Giver of all things for his constant
bounty.”

“How funny that I should
make such a blunder!” exclaimed
Flora. “I am sure
I shall enjoy my party a great
deal more now that I understand
these things.”

“I hope you won’t understand[Pg 40]
too much, Flora. Suppose
you had only a dollar,
and that it had been given
you to purchase a story book.
Then, suppose Mrs. White and
her children were suffering
from want of fuel and clothing.
What would you do with
your dollar?”

“I would——”

“Wait a minute, Flora,”
interposed her father. “When
you buy the book, you pay[Pg 41]
the printer, the paper maker,
the bookseller, the type founder,
the miner who dug the
lead and the iron from the
earth, the machinist who made
the press, and a great many
other persons whose labor enters
into the making of a book—you
pay all these men for
their labor; you give them
money to help take care of
their wives and children, their
fathers and mothers. You
help all these men when you[Pg 42]
buy a book. Now, what would
you do with your dollar?”

“I would give it to poor
Mrs. White,” promptly replied
Flora.

“I think you would do
right, for your money would
do more good in her hands.
The self-denial on your part
would do you good. I only
wanted you to understand that,
when you bought a book,—even
a book which was only[Pg 43]
to amuse you,—the money is
not thrown away.

“Riches are given to men
for a good purpose; and they
ought to use their wealth for
the benefit of others, as well
as for their own pleasure. If
they spend money, even for
things that are of no real use
to them, it helps the poor, for
it feeds and clothes them.”

Flora was much interested[Pg 44]
in this conversation, and perhaps
some of my young friends
will think she was an old head
to care for such things; but I
think they can all understand
what was said as well as she
did.

[Pg 45]

[Pg 46]

On the Lawn.

[Pg 47]

III.

The great day at length
arrived, and every thing was
ready for the party. On the
lawn, by the side of the house,
a large tent had been put up,
in which the children were to
have the feast.

Under a large maple tree,
near the tent, a stage for the
musicians had been erected.
Two swings had been put up;[Pg 48]
and there was no good reason
why the children should
not enjoy themselves to their
hearts’ content.

I think the teachers in the
Riverdale school found it hard
work to secure the attention
of their scholars on the forenoon
of that day, for all the
boys and girls in the neighborhood
were thinking about
the party.

As early as one o’clock in[Pg 49]
the afternoon the children began
to collect at the house
of Mr. Lee, and at the end
of an hour all who had received
invitations were present.
The band had arrived,
and at a signal from Mr. Lee
the music commenced.

“Now, father, we are all
here. What shall we do?”
asked Flora, who was so excited
she did not know which[Pg 50]
way to turn, or how to proceed
to entertain the party.

“Wait a few minutes, and
let the children listen to the
music. They seem to enjoy it
very well.”

“But we want to play something,
father.”

“Very soon, my child, we
will play something.”

“What shall we play, father?”

“There are plenty of plays.[Pg 51]
Wouldn’t you like to march
a little while to the music?”

“March?”

“Yes, march to the tune of
‘Hail, Columbia.’ I will show
you how to do it.”

“I don’t know what you
mean, father.”

“Well, I will show you in a
few minutes.”

When the band had played
a little while longer, Mr. Lee
assembled the children in the[Pg 52]
middle of the lawn, and asked
them if they would like to
march.

They were pleased with the
idea, though some of them
thought it would be rather
tame amusement for such an
exciting occasion.

“You want two leaders, and
I think you had better choose
them yourselves. It would
be the most proper to select
two boys.”

Mr. Lee thought the choice[Pg 53]
of the leaders would amuse
them; so he proposed that
they should vote for them.

“How shall we vote, father?”
asked Frank.

“Three of the children must
retire, and pick out four persons;
and the two of these
four who get the most votes
shall be the leaders.”

Mr. Lee appointed two girls
and one boy to be on this[Pg 54]
committee; but while he was
doing so, Tommy Woggs said
he did not think this was a
good play.

“I don’t think they will
choose the best leaders,” said
Tommy.

“Don’t you, Mr. Woggs?”
asked Mr. Lee, laughing.

“No, sir, I do not. What
do any of these boys know
about such things!” said Tommy,
with a sneer. “I have[Pg 55]
been to New York, and have
seen a great many parades.”

“Have you, indeed?”

“Yes, sir, I have.”

“And you think you would
make a better leader than any
of the others?”

“I think so, sir.”

All the children laughed
heartily at Master Woggs,
who was so very modest!

“None of these boys and
girls have ever been to New
York,”[Pg 56] added Tommy, his vanity
increasing every moment.

“That is very true; and perhaps
the children will select
you as their leader.”

“They can do as they like.
If they want me, I should be
very willing to be their leader,”
replied Tommy.

It was very clear that Master
Woggs had a very good
opinion of himself. He seemed
to think that the fact of his[Pg 57]
having been to New York
made a hero of him, and that
all the boys ought to take off
their caps to him.

But it is quite as certain
that the Riverdale children
did not think Master Woggs
was a very great man. He
thought so much of himself,
that there was no room for
others to think much of him.

The committee of three returned
in a few minutes, and[Pg 58]
reported the names of four
boys to be voted for as the
leaders. They were Henry
Vernon, Charley Green, David
White, and Tommy Woggs.

The important little gentleman
who had been to New
York, was delighted with the
action of the committee. He
thought all the children could
see what a very fine leader he
would make, and that all of
them would vote for him.

“What shall we do for votes,[Pg 59]
father?” asked Frank.

“We can easily manage that,
Frank,” replied Mr. Lee.

“We have no paper here.”

“Listen to me a moment,
children,” continued Mr. Lee.
“There are four boys to be
voted for; and we will choose
one leader first, and then the
other.

“Those who want Henry
Vernon for a leader will put[Pg 60]
a blade of grass in the hat
which will be the ballot box;
those who want Charley Green
will put in a clover blossom;
those who want David White
will put in a maple leaf; and
those who want to vote for
Tommy Woggs will put in a—let
me see—put in a dandelion
flower.”

The children laughed, for
they thought the dandelion
was just the thing for Master[Pg 61]
Woggs, who had been to New
York.

One of the boys carried
round Mr. Lee’s hat, and it
was found that Henry Vernon
had the most votes; so he was
declared to be the first leader.

“Humph!” said Tommy
Woggs. “What does Henry
Vernon know? He has never
been to New York.”

“But he lives in Boston,”
added Charley Green.

“Boston is nothing side of[Pg 62]
New York.”

“I think Boston is a great
place,” replied Charley.

“That’s because you have
never been to New York,”
said Master Woggs. “They
will, of course, all vote for me
next time. If they do, I will
show them how things are
done in New York.”

“Pooh!” exclaimed Charley,
as he left the vain little man.

While all the children were[Pg 63]
wondering who would be the
other leader, Flora was electioneering
among them for her
favorite candidate; that is, she
was asking her friends to vote
for the one she wanted. Who
do you suppose it was? Master
Woggs? No. It was David
White.

The hat was passed round
again, and when the votes
were counted, there was only[Pg 64]
one single dandelion blossom
found in the hat.

Tommy Woggs was mad,
for he felt that his companions
had slighted him; but it was
only because he was so vain
and silly. People do not often
think much of those who think
a great deal of themselves.

There was a great demand
for maple leaves, and David
White was chosen the second
leader, and had nearly all the[Pg 65]
votes. The boys then gave
three cheers for the leaders,
and the lines were formed.
Mr. Lee told Henry and David
just how they were to
march, and the band at once
began to play “Hail Columbia.”

The children first marched,
two by two, round the lawn,
and then down the centre.
When they reached the end,
one leader turned off to the[Pg 66]
right, and the other to the
left, each followed by a single
line of the children.

Passing round the lawn,
they came together again on
the other side. Then they
formed a great circle, a circle
within a circle, and concluded
the march with the
“grand basket.”

This was certainly a very
simple play, but the children
enjoyed it ever so much[Pg 67]—I
mean all but vain Master
Woggs, who was so greatly
displeased because he was
not chosen one of the leaders,
that he said there was
no fun at all in the whole
thing.

About half an hour was
spent in marching, and then
Mr. Lee proposed a second
game. The children wanted
to march a little longer; but
there were a great number[Pg 68]
of things to be done before
night, and so it was thought
best, on the whole, to try a
new game.

[Pg 69]

[Pg 70]

The Old Fiddler.

[Pg 71]

IV.

When the children had done
marching, Mrs. Lee took charge
of the games. Several new
plays, which none of them had
heard of before, were introduced.
The boys and girls
all liked them very well, and
the time passed away most
rapidly.

Just before they were going[Pg 72]
to supper, an old man,
with a fiddle in his hand, tottered
into the garden, and
down the lawn. He was a
very queer-looking old man.
He had long white hair, and
a long white beard.

He was dressed in old,
worn-out, soldier clothes, in
part, and had a sailor’s hat
upon his head, so that they
could not tell whether he was
a soldier or a sailor.

As he approached the children,[Pg 73]
they began to laugh with
all their might; and he certainly
was a very funny old
man. His long beard and
hair, his tattered finery, and
his hobbling walk, would have
made almost any one laugh—much
more a company of children
as full of fun as those
who were attending the birthday
party.

“Children,” said the old[Pg 74]
man, as he took off his hat
and made a low bow, “I heard
there was a party here, and I
came to play the fiddle for
you. All the boys and girls
like a fiddle, because it is so
merry.”

“O mother! what did send
that old man here?” cried
Flora.

“He came of himself, I
suppose,” replied Mrs. Lee,
laughing.

“I think it is too bad to[Pg 75]
laugh at an old man like
him,” added Flora.

“It would be, if he were in
distress; but don’t you see he
is as merry as any of the children?”

“Play us some tunes,” said
the children.

“I will, my little dears;”
and the old man raised the fiddle.
“Let’s see—I will play
‘Napoleon’s Grand March.’”

The fiddler played, but he[Pg 76]
behaved so queerly that the
children laughed so loud they
could hardly hear the music.

“Why, that’s ‘Yankee Doodle,’”
said Henry Vernon; and
they all shouted at the idea
of calling that tune “Napoleon’s
Grand March.”

“Now I will play you the
solo to the opera of ‘La Sonnambula,’”
said the old man.

“Whew!” said Henry.

The old man fiddled again,[Pg 77]
with the same funny movements
as before.

“Why, that’s ‘Yankee Doodle’
too!” exclaimed Henry.

“I guess he don’t know
any other tune.”

“You like that tune so well,
I will play you ‘Washington’s
March;’” and the funny old
fiddler, with a great flourish,
began to play again; but still
it was “Yankee Doodle.”

And so he went on saying[Pg 78]
he would play many different
tunes, but he played nothing
but “Yankee Doodle.”

“Can’t you tell us a story
now?” asked Charley Green.

“O, yes, my little man, I can
tell you a story. What shall
it be?”

“Are you a soldier or a
sailor?”

“Neither, my boy.”

“The story! the story!”[Pg 79]
shouted the boys, very much
excited.

“Some years ago I was in
New York,” the old man commenced.

“Did you see me there?”
demanded Tommy Woggs.

“Well, my little man, I don’t
remember that I saw you.”

“O, I was there;” and Tommy
thrust his hands down to
the bottom of his pockets, and
strutted up the space between[Pg 80]
the children and the comical
old fiddler.

“I did see a very nice-looking
little gentleman——”

“That was me,” pompously
added Tommy.

“He was stalking up Broadway.
He thought every body
was looking at and admiring
him; but such was not the
case. He looked just like—just
like——”

“Like me?” asked Tommy.

“Like a sick monkey,” replied[Pg 81]
the fiddler.

“Go on with your story.”

“I will, children. Several
years ago I was in New York.
It is a great city; if you don’t
believe it, ask Master Tommy
Woggs.”

“You tell the truth, Mr.
Fiddler. It is a great city,
and I have been all over it,
and can speak from observation,”
replied Master Woggs.

“The story!” shouted the[Pg 82]
children.

“I was walking up Broadway.
This street is always
crowded with people, as well
as with carts and carriages.”

“I have seen that street,”
said Tommy.

“Now you keep still a few
minutes, Tommy, if you can,”
interposed Mrs. Lee.

“At the corner of Wall
Street——”

“I know where that is,” exclaimed[Pg 83]
Tommy.

“At the corner of Wall
Street there was a man with
a kind of cart, loaded with
apples and candy, which he
was selling to the passers-by.
Suddenly there came a stage
down the street, and ran into
the apple cart.”

“I saw the very same thing
done,” added Tommy, with his
usual self-important air.

“Keep still, Tom Woggs,”[Pg 84]
said Charley Green.

“The apples were scattered
all over the sidewalk; yet the
man picked up all but one of
them, though he was very angry
with the driver of the
stage for running against his
cart.”

“Why didn’t he pick up the
other apple?” asked Henry.

“A well-dressed man, with
big black whiskers, picked that[Pg 85]
up. ‘Give it to me,’ said the
apple man. ‘I will not,’ replied
the man with whiskers.
The apple merchant was as
mad as he could be; and then
the man with black whiskers
put his hand in his pocket and
drew out a knife. The blade
was six inches long.”

“O, dear me!” exclaimed
Flora.

“Raising the knife, he at
once moved towards the angry[Pg 86]
apple merchant, and—and——”

“Well, what?” asked several,
eagerly.

“And cut a piece out of
the apple, and put it in his
mouth.”

The children all laughed
heartily, for they were sure
the man with the whiskers
was going to stab the apple
merchant.

“He then took two cents[Pg 87]
from his pocket, paid for the
apple, and went his way,” continued
the old man. “Now,
there is one thing more I can
do. I want to run a race with
these boys.”

“Pooh! You run a race!”
sneered Charley.

“I can beat you.”

“Try it, and see.”

The old man and Charley
took places, and were to start
at the word from Henry. But[Pg 88]
when it was given, the fiddler
hobbled off, leaving Charley
to follow at his leisure.

When the old man had got
half way round the lawn, Charley
started, sure he could catch
him long before he reached
the goal. But just as the boy
was coming up with the man,
the latter began to run, and
poor Charley found, much to
his surprise, that he ran very
fast. He was unable to overtake[Pg 89]
him, and consequently
lost the race.

The children were much
astonished when they saw the
old man run so fast. He appeared
to have grown young
all at once. But he offered
to race with any of the boys
again; and half a dozen of
them agreed to run with him.

“I guess I will take my
coat off this time,” said the
fiddler.

As he threw away the coat,[Pg 90]
he slipped off the wig and
false beard he wore; and the
children found, to their surprise,
that the old man was
Mr. Lee, who had dressed
himself up in this disguise to
please them.

The supper was now ready,
and all the children were invited
to the tent. They had
played so hard that all of
them had excellent appetites,[Pg 91]
and the supper was just as
nice as a supper could be.

It was now nearly dark,
and the children had to go
home; but all of them declared
the birthday party of
Flora was the best they ever
attended.

“Only to think,” said Flora,
when she went to bed that
night, “the old fiddler was my
father!”

[Pg 92]

LIZZIE.