[ 42 ] JENNY LAWRENCE was skairt, and whisked round suddenly and hit the tea-board, and knocked it off onto the floor, and smash went every thing on it! What made it more aggravatin' was, there was a dozen chany cups and sarcers on it that Miss Scrantum had fetcht out.... They was some that she sot a great deal by; her mother giv 'em tew her, and her mother was dead.38 And then to top off the evening, while Aunt Maguire was helping to pick up the broken china, one of the guests threw a piece of cheese in the next room, hit and shattered a lamp which fell right on the plum- colored satin bonnet that Aunt Maguire had made as her donation present to Miss Scrantum, spotting it with oil. When Aunt Maguire visited the ruined house and household the next day, she found Miss Scrantum in tears and came "to a unanimous conclusion in my own mind, that donation parties was a humbug'.'89 The Whitcher's donation party proved to be more successful. About half a dozen ladies came in the afternoon & prepared the supper. There was an immense quantity of cake, cold meat, biscuit, cheeze &c. sent, as well as coffee all ground & egged ready for boiling, & I assure you there was no lack of anything for entertainment. The coffee was made in the washing boiler, which was scoured for the purpose, & there was a great quantity left. ... It seemed rather funny to be waited upon by others in our own house, & to see the table loaded with other peoples' provisions. They always do it this way, that the minister & his wife may be sure of their supper. After we were through the table was cleared & not set again until after the company came. They began to pour in about seven o'clock & continued to come until nine, & I never saw such a crowd.... I was introduced to a multitude of new people. In fact I did little else all the evening but stand up & receive the company. And I have heard since to my great satisfaction, that I made myself quite popular. A number of persons— (particularly gentlemen) have said to William that they were agreeably disappointed in his wife—had thought until that evening that she was very distant & haughty. In fact, I did my best to be agreeable—for I felt the necessity of it on that occasion. Every one seemed happy & contented. The children played up stairs, the young folks sung & flirted in the hall & middle room, & the old-folks convarsed in the parlor. But gracious! how tired I got. The list of donations that Miriam itemized was most impressive and clearly represented a significant supplement to Reverend Whitcher's stipends. "We were gratified!' she wrote at the end of her letter, "not 38 Bedott Papers, 262-64. 39 Ibid., 268.