"We have the cow," said Mrs.Peterkin, "so there will be as much cream and milk as we shall need.""And our own pig," said Agamemnon."I am glad we had it salted;so we can have plenty of sandwiches."
"I will buy a chest of tea," exclaimed Mr.Peterkin."I have been thinking of a chest for some time."Mrs.Peterkin thought a whole chest would not be needed: it was as well to buy the tea and coffee by the pound.But Mr.Peterkin determined on a chest of tea and a bag of coffee.
So they decided to give the invitations to all.It might be a stormy evening and some would be prevented.
The lady from Philadelphia and her daughters accepted.
And it turned out a fair day, and more came than were expected.
Ann Maria Bromwick had a friend staying with her, and brought her over, for the Bromwicks were opposite neighbors.And the Tremletts had a niece, and Mary Osborne an aunt, that they took the liberty to bring.
The little boys were at the door, to show in the guests, and as each set came to the front gate, they ran back to tell their mother that more were coming.
Mrs.Peterkin had grown dizzy with counting those who had come, and trying to calculate how many were to come, and wondering why there were always more and never less, and whether the cups would go round.
The three Tremletts all came, with their niece.They all had had their headaches the day before, and were having that banged feeling you always have after a headache; so they all sat at the same side of the room on the long sofa.
All the Jefferses came, though they had sent uncertain answers.
Old Mr.Jeffers had to be helped in, with his cane, by Mr.
Peterkin.
The Gibbons boys came, and would stand just outside the parlor door.And Juliana appeared afterward, with the two other sisters, unexpectedly home from the West.
"Got home this morning!" they said."And so glad to be in time to see everybody,-a little tired, to be sure, after forty-eight hours in a sleeping-car!""Forty-eight!" repeated Mrs.Peterkin; and wondered if there were forty-eight people, and why they were all so glad to come, and whether all could sit down.
Old Mr.and Mrs.Bromwick came.They thought it would not be neighborly to stay away.They insisted on getting into the most uncomfortable seats.
Yet there seemed to be seats enough while the Gibbons boys preferred to stand.
But they never could sit round a tea-table.Elizabeth Eliza had thought they all might have room at the table, and Solomon John and the little boys could help in the waiting.
It was a great moment when the lady from Philadelphia arrived with her daughters.Mr.Peterkin was talking to Mr.Bromwick, who was a little deaf.The Gibbons boys retreated a little farther behind the parlor door.Mrs.Peterkin hastened forward to shake hands with the lady from Philadelphia, saying:- "Four Gibbons girls and Mary Osborne's aunt,-that makes nineteen; and now"- It made no difference what she said; for there was such a murmuring of talk that any words suited.And the lady from Philadelphia wanted to be introduced to the Bromwicks.
It was delightful for the little boys.They came to Elizabeth Eliza, and asked:-"Can't we go and ask more ? Can't we fetch the Larkins?""Oh, dear, no!" answered Elizabeth Eliza."I can't even count them."Mrs.Peterkin found time to meet Elizabeth Eliza in the side entry, to ask if there were going to be cups enough.
"I have set Agamemnon in the front entry to count," said Elizabeth Eliza, putting her hand to her head.
The little boys came to say that the Maberlys were coming.
"The Maberlys!" exclaimed Elizabeth Eliza."I never asked them.""It is your father's doing," cried Mrs.Peterkin."I do believe he asked everybody he saw!" And she hurried back to her guests.
"What if father really has asked everybody?" Elizabeth Eliza said to herself, pressing her head again with her hand.
There were the cow and the pig.But if they all took tea or coffee, or both, the cups could not go round.
Agamemnon returned in the midst of her agony.
MRS.PETERKIN'S TEA-PARTY.He had not been able to count the guests, they moved about so, they talked so; and it would not look well to appear to count.
"What shall we do?" exclaimed Elizabeth Eliza.
"We are not a family for an emergency," said Agamemnon.
