The May Party. HWARREN That's Thank you. just like my own dear cousin. And now, we want you to make us a plan-tell us just what we must do and say, and how we must dress, and all about it. We want a queen, and a throne, and maids of honor, and all the girls far and near in. vited to take part." "Not quite so fast, Lucy. You have laid out a great deal of work already. Is this your idea only?" "Oh no, indeed. We have been talking about it at recess, to-day. We thought our grove was just the place for such a scene, and, as you are here to help us, we thought we could make it quite magnificent." door, and Lucy rushing At this moment, Jessie and Alice in, almost out of breath, with hat and walked in, and entered into the convershawl on, just as she came from school.sation with great earnestness. In the At first, she could scarcely speak. midst of the discussion, they were called down to tea. Glad of so good a chance, to lay their plans before Uncle Hiram and Aunt Martha, and getting their sanction, they were soon seated at table. Lucy opened the budget. All the young folks put in their several voices in her favor, each with some delightful suggestion of his own, to improve the outline. Aunt Martha thought a pic-nic was a very pleasant thing in warm weather, but feared it would be too cold, in our bleak climate, to enjoy such | ter till Saturday afternoon, when they out-door pleasures, on the first of May. Uncle Hiram thought so too, and Lucy and all the rest of the young group began to look quite disappointed. "Why not have your party in June ?" asked Uncle Hiram. "Your cousins are all coming then, and we shall have a house full of young folks, to enjoy it, and to help it along." would call a general council of the young folks in the neighbourhood, and arrange everything in the most appropriate manner. Immediately after She Saturday came. dinner, all hands adjourned to the library. As soon as silence was secured, Hannah read her programme. wanted a queen, six maids of honor, troops of floras, a chamberlain, a master of ceremonies, besides sundry knights, squires, beadles, and other comical puppets. "How can we have a May Queen in June, father?" inquired two or three of the children in the same breath. "It will be only a common pic-nic, without a queen," added Harry. And now," said Uncle Hiram, "the “Have a June Queen, then-why first thing to be done is to choose a not?" queen. And how shall that be done?" "We will leave that to you, Uncle," said several of the younger ones. No," said others, "let Cousin Hannah select the queen." "Why, father, what a funny idea! who ever heard of a June Queen ?" exclaimed Jessie, while all joined in laughing at what seemed a ludicrous innovation on established usages. Well, then, call her The Flower" Queen.' Why won't that do ?" answered Uncle Hiram. "Aye, aye," "so it will,"-" of course, it will," "just the thing," "excellent,"—" admirable,"-" Why, dear father, how did you think of that?" These, and many other exclamations of this kind, went round the table, from mouth to mouth, and all agreed that Uncle Hiram was a real genius, and that the best thing they could do was, to have the May Party in June. "By no means," replied Uncle Hiram This is an elective monarchy, and the electors are all present. We must have a regular vote. So make ready your ballots, and I will collect them." Paper and pencils were soon produced. The young folks collected in knots, whispering, consulting, suggesting, and wondering what they should do. Some ran to Uncle Hiram, some to Aunt Martha, and some to Consin Hannah, to ask their opinions on this momentous question. But neither of them would give an opinion. They wanted an unbiased choice by the majority of the voters. After a great deal of bustle, discussion in whisper, confusion and delay, the votes were at This being settled, they all agreed, at Aunt Martha's suggestion, to adjourn the further discussion of the mat-length collected, and Uncle Hiram, after counting them, announced that | aunt, selected her court, as she ca11 the choice had fallen upon Lucy, who it, and assigned to each her part. had seventeen out of twenty-two votes. "Oh ! no!" exclaimed Lucy; "I can't take it. I don't know anything about it." "O but you must," exclaimed Charley; "this is a democratic country. The majority must rule." nah wrote neat little notes of invitation to each one of the chosen to meet at Uncle Hiram's, the next Wednesday. Uncle Hiram promised to do his share, by writing poetical addresses and replies for the queen, and those appointed to officiate at her coronation. "I thought," replied Lucy, "that a Aunt Martha took charge of the tables, queen could do as she pleased." "Yes, but you are not a queen, till you are crowned," answered Robert. And so the discussion went on, all round the room, till Uncle Hiram interposed, and said : There can be no compulsion in this matter. The queen elect cannot be compelled to accept the honor. But the most gracious thing she can do, is modestly to submit to the decision, and act her part to the best of her ability. What do you think, Hannah ?" "I think the choice is a very good one, and there seems a special appropriateness in it, now I think the more of it, as the day chosen for the party happens to be Lucy's birth-day, and we can have two festivals in one." "Hurrah! that's right," "exactly so," cried the boys and girls all together. 'That hits the nail on the head," said Robert. "And clenches it," said Harry. "It must be so," said "It shall be so," said another. And the upshot of the matter was, that Lucy quietly consented, and said she would do her best. one. And now for the grand preparations. Lucy, with some counsel from uncle and which she said should be prepared for as large a company as they could get together. Harry proposed superintending the throne, etc. These arrangements being fairly concluded, the children departed in high glee. You may be sure, that, until Wednesday afternoon, nothing was talked of but the Flower Queen. And when Lucy's friends met, and promised, each one, to take the part given her, and do her best to make Lucy's reign a happy one, she was almost reconciled to being queen herself. Now came the busy anxious time; verses to learn, and practise speaking distinctly; dresses to arrange, flowers to choose, and ceremonies to rehearse. The children were all glad that they had the whole month of May to prepare in. A week before the appointed day, Uncle Tracy drove over, with all his children; other visitors soon arrived, and Uncle Hiram's great house was as full as it was during the famous holidays. At last the great day arrived. It was clear and beautiful; a perfect June day. We were all up with the lark,— for, though the party was to meet at two in the afternoon, there was a great deal to do. Harry was off by daylight, to hang a large flag, as a canopy over the throne, and carpet the steps leading to it. Before breakfast, Cousin Hannah was seated before a large basket of flowers, which had heen sent in from the green-house, and of which she was to make wreaths and various other ornaments for the little folks. Aunt Martha had invited all her friends for miles around, and even a great many from the town. By two o'clock, the visitors began to arrive. Carriage after carriage rolled through the great gates, and drove down to the grove, where Uncle Hiram and Aunt Martha were waiting to receive them. Benches and chairs were scattered everywhere among the trees, for those who did not like to rest on the mossy trunks, or the grassy slopes. A little brook runs through the grove, and the carriages stopped just in front of a rustic bridge which crossed the brook, as it comes laughing out from under the shade of the tall elms which form the eastern boundary of the grove. Two large trees stand, like sentinels, on either side of the bridge. Under one of these, was the seats which Uncle Hiram and Auut Martha occupied, while receiving their guests. All who were appointed to take a part in the ceremony of coronation, assembled at the house, and rehearsed their parts carefully. When the hour for the coronation came, the procession moved from the house. As soon as Uncle Hiram saw us coming, he gathered the company to gether round the throne, so that we crossed the little bridge, and reached the tent which had been placed near it for our reception, without being observed. A band of music, which was placed near to the throne, struck up an appropriate march. The heralds opened the way through the crowd around the throne, for the procession to pass. At a signal given by the heralds, we emerged from the tent in royal order. First, the grand chamberlain, in high costume, with his staff of office; then a long train of floras, two and two, all in white, with wreaths on their heads, and flowers in their hands. Behind these came the maids of honor, in the same attire; then the queen, with her principal maids of honor on each side, and followed by two fairy-like pages, bearing between them an embossed cushion, on which lay the crown and the sceptre. Through the winding paths of the grove, the procession moved slowly along, till it reached the open space in front of the throne. The floras then parted, right and left, and stood in two lines, about four yards apart, the chamberlain passing down between them, till he came to the maids of honor, whom he led up to the foot of the throne, where they also parted, right and left, making way for the queen. Arrived at the lower step of the throne, she paused. The pages came forward, and placed the cushion on the step. The flora, representing "the lily," and appropriately dressed as such, took the crown, while "the rose" took the sceptre. The queen kneeling, the lily placed the crown upon her head, with a brief appropriate address. The rose then presented the sceptre, in the same way. The queen ascended, and took her seat, the band playing a joyous air, and making the woods ring with welcome. Lucy trembled and looked pale, when she found herself "the observed of so many observers," and remembered that she had a speech to make, as soon as the music should cease. The kindly looks of the company soon re-assured her, and when she rose to speak, her voice was clear, and her manner calm and self-possessed. In a brief and happy speech, she thanked her friends for the favor they had shown her, and promised to be a kind and gentle sovereign. The floras, each representing some particular flower, then approached the throne, to present their offerings, each accompanying the present with a word or two of loyal gratulation, to all of which the queen made appropriate replies. The principal maids of honor received those beautiful flowers, and arranged them tastefully around the throne. The visitors now claimed the privilege of being presented the queen, coming up, gentlemen and ladies, to the foot of the throne, and kneeling at Lucy's feet, to kiss her hand. Lucy was so gentle and modest, that all these honors did not make her feel proud, though she received them with a really queenly air. This ceremony was long and very amusing. At length, the queen arose, and invited all her subjects to the dance, and the feast. Not in the |