A novel party was recently given by a mother to celebrate the sixteenth birthday of her only son. She had been rather envious of her friends in their happiness of planning many luncheons and other pretty affairs for their girls, consequently she entered heart and soul into this party for her boy, sparing neither expense nor trouble to make it a success. It was announced as "A Baseball Party," and by enlisting the services of a niece, who was very enthusiastic over the national game, she was able to carry out the idea.

Eight of her son's friends were invited, who, with the boy himself, made the required "nine." Luncheon was first served. Before going into the dining-room each boy was assigned a place on the "team," and found his place at the table accordingly. In place of name-cards were tiny "fans" bearing the words "catcher," "pitcher," etc., and, of course, each guest knew just where to sit.

The menu-cards were booklets with the words "Official Score" written on the covers. The menu consisted of nine courses, or "innings," as they were more appropriately termed. It was written in language unintelligible to the average feminine mind, but the boys guessed what many of the viands were amid much merriment. The reading of the menu, and the conjectures as to what the courses would be, broke up any stiffness that might have resulted from nine boys lunching together. It read as follows—only in the original the interpretations were, of course, left out:

The favors consisted of a ticket for a ball game to be played on the local grounds that afternoon for each boy, and a tin horn with which to "root," as the boys expressed it.

As soon as the luncheon was finished the nine boys departed in great glee for the ball grounds, relieving the hostess of the responsibility of further entertaining them.