The committee at once began to discuss the order of arrangements, and the leading features of the celebration were soon decided upon. The work of preparation was then divided among the committee, a particular line of duties being assigned to each member. As the front parlor, usually called “the best room,” was the largest apartment, it was selected as the place of entertainment, and Jessie at once commenced preparing it for the occasion. She removed to this room an engraved portrait of Washington, which hung in one of the chambers, and then despatched Ronald to the woods for some evergreens, with which to adorn its old black frame. She also found an old engraving of the Washington mansion at Mount Vernon, among a large collection of prints in Miss Lee’s closet, which she had liberty to overhaul. When Ronald returned, she made a pretty frame of evergreen for this, and hung it by the side of the portrait. A small work table, intended to serve as the orator’s desk, was placed directly in front of these pictures, so that one would appear on either side of him. The wall back of the table was further ornamented by a large star in evergreen, and several wreaths and festoons were displayed in other parts of the room.
Jessie seemed in better spirits at noon, and talked with much interest of the anticipated celebration. The committee continued their labors in the afternoon, and apparently had about as much on their hands as they could conveniently manage. This was especially true of Ronald, who did not seem content to do less than three or four things at once. Before sunset, however, the business was finished; and when Marcus came home, he found on his desk the following paper, in the handwriting of Jessie, with the exception of one line—the last—which was evidently an interpolation by Ronald:
PROGRAMME
FOR THE
CELEBRATION OF WASHINGTON’S BIRTH-DAY.
1. Music—“Washington’s Grand March”—piano-forte. 2. Reading of a sketch of Washington’s Life, by Jessie Hapley. 3. Music—“Hail Columbia”—sung by the Company. 4. Webster’s Oration on Washington, read by Mr. Marcus Page. 5. Music—“My country, ’tis of thee”—sung by the company. 6. Tableau. 7. Music—“Yankee Doodle”—piano-fort. 8. Going Home with the Girls.
Early in the evening the company assembled, embracing eight or ten lads and misses from the neighborhood, among whom was Henry Hapley. The old parlor never looked more beautiful, with its generous wood-fire blazing upon the hearth, its extra display of lamps disposed around the room, its decorations in evergreen and bunting, (for Ronald’s flag was hauled down at sunset, and now figured as drapery around the “orator’s desk,”) and its rows of smiling faces duly arranged in audience fashion. The programme was carried out in a style that gave the utmost satisfaction. One of the guests, a young lady, furnished the instrumental portion of the music, while all joined in the singing. By way of refreshing the memories of the audience, Jessie read from a book a brief summary of the leading events in Washington’s life, concluding by reading a poem on the same subject, from a popular English authoress, (Miss Eliza Cook,) commencing,
“Land of the west! though passing brief
The record of thine age,