The Birthday Party | Page 5

and 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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--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 of things to be done before night, and so it was
thought best, on the whole, to try a new game.
[Illustration]

[Illustration: The Old Fiddler.]
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 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, they began to laugh with all their might;
and he certainly was a very funny old man.