d if I had a little Hallowe'en party? Out in the
barn, where it wouldn't be any trouble to anybody?"

And the lady, always glad to make her young charge happy, had replied:

"Why, no, dear. Certainly, you may have one if you wish."

"Oh, thank you, thank you, you darling Aunty Eunice!" springing up to
hug her guardian ecstatically. Then, with her young cheek against the
older one: "And would it be too much to ask--Deacon Meakin to--to stay
away that day?"

"Why, Katharine, that couldn't be. Besides giving him offence, how could
we spare him?"

"Monty and I could do the chores. Bob Turner could milk. Bob's a
first-rate milker, Martha says so."

"Well, well. Maybe it can be arranged. I'll see."

"Because, Aunt Eunice, it's to be such a beautiful benefit to--Oh, I
forgot. But if he could stay at home just once; he's so what Widow calls
'pernickity,' and he says children ought to be born 'growed up.' They
can't be that, can they? So I do think, I just do think they might be
let to have some nice times without folks scolding and acting hateful."

"The deacon doesn't mean to be hateful, Katy. We'll see."

Fortune favored the child as it so often did. After a particularly
wearisome contest of wills between the original hired man and his
successor, the deacon resigned his position and left in a huff. A
neighboring youth was sent for to take his place, but, as far from being
a hindrance to Katharine's schemes, proved her very best ally.
Montgomery knew William well, and his wheedling, if stammering, tongue
soon persuaded the young man that in furthering the success of the party
he was furthering his employer's also.

In due time every boy and girl in the township received a laboriously
written invitation, and all accepted, of course. This was understood
without the trouble of replies.

Even the schoolmaster was not forgotten, though he waited until school
was dismissed before he opened his neatly folded bit of paper, and read:

"The favor of your presence is requested at the Big Barn of
Miss Eunice Maitland at The Maples, on the evening of October
31st, to a Hallowe'en Corkis. At seven o'clock by the church
steeple. Please bring your teaspoon with you.

"Yours respectfully,

"KATHARINE MAITLAND."

This unique invitation was the joint production of Katharine and
Montgomery. The first part was hers, recalled from wedding-cards often
seen at her old home in the city; the latter part w